FAQs
What is involved in a typical session?
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We start the session by a short check-in. I listen to any complaints or issues that you are having with your body. I gather information from you to help determine how to best help the area affected. Then for the majority of the session, I'll have you lie on a comfortable table while I begin the work of listening with my hands to find areas of tension that might be creating pain in your body. I change those areas through light touch or firm pressure depending on what is needed. I use movement to integrate the bodywork with function. We end with a last check-in, discuss payment and future work.
Will it hurt?
The Rolfing process is not inherently painful but there can be times of intense sensation. Rolfing is a partnership embarked upon by the Rolfer and the client. The most important thing to remember is that you are in control. A skilled Rolfer can change long standing patterns with little discomfort.
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How is it different than massage?
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While both can be used to relax the body and treat injuries, the uniqueness of Rolfing also looks to help find balance within all the segments and create a harmonious relationship amongst the parts. Head, neck, shoulders, torso, hips, legs and feet correspond in a happy, feel good way. Most of my clients time and time again comment on feeling a freedom of movement in a particular part of their body where we have been working that they have never had before.
Why is it called Rolfing?
Rolfing is a brand name in a field called structural integration. The name comes from Dr. Ida P. Rolf who founded the field of structural integration more than fifty years ago. She recognized that the body is inherently a system of seamless networks of tissues rather than a collection of separate parts. These connective tissues surround, support and penetrate all of the muscles, bones, nerves and organs. Rolfing works on this web-like complex of connective tissues to release, realign and balance the whole body. During the 1960's and 70's, her students and colleagues began using the Rolfing to describe this method of structural integration.
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What kind of conditions is Rolfing good for?
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Some of the conditions Rolfing is good for are… back pain, sciatica, back and shoulder tension, neck pain and stiffness, jaw pain or TMJ discomfort, tension headaches and migraines, plantar fasciitis, nerve pain, muscle cramping, whiplash, tight and/or tense/stiff muscles, muscle spasms, immobility, joint stiffness, post-surgery (6 months) recovery , fibromyalgia, body weakness, unstable/hypermobile joints, RSI (repetitive stress injuries/syndrome), tendonitis, scoliosis, muscular imbalances, weak core muscles, bulging discs, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, diseases of connective tissue, connective tissue stiffness, scar tissue, post-partum issues, constipation, depression, and chronic fatigue.
What should I wear?
Comfortable exercise clothing or underwear are the best choices for Rolfing sessions.