Frequently Asked Questions.
"Can Rolfing help alleviate chronic pain?"
Absolutely.
Rolfing can alleviate, and even reverse, chronic pain. This is a primary reason clients come to see me. Not always, but often.
Rolfing is a powerful and effective modality. I have seen it help many clients over the years, some of whom have come to Rolfing as a last resort.
"Is Rolfing like Massage?"
Nope.
Even though Rolfing is a type of body work, it is not a type of massage. Deep tissue massage is not Rolfing. The goals of Rolfing and massage are very different.
Massage is a manual manipulation of soft body tissues (muscle, connective tissue, tendons and ligaments) to enhance a person’s health and well-being. With massage, and their are many different forms of massage, the intention is to help a client find relief from pain and become more relaxed.
With Rolfing, the intention is to change a client's structure, so they are in unison with gravity, rather than fighting against it. Thus, Rolfing should be better known as Structural Integration, rather than massage. Massage might change a person's structure, but as an unintended result.
"Is Rolfing like Chiropractic?"
Chiropractic seeks to adjust various mechanical disorders of the joints and vertebre within the musculoskeletal system, thus enhancing the over all health of a client's nervous system. Posture and alignment are also taken into consideration.
Rolfing works with many other tissues throughout the body to bring the body back into vertical alignment, not just a bone, vertebrae or joint.
Any number of other tissues in the body might be of primary importance. Other tissues that are often overlooked are nerves, blood vessels, skin, organs, lymphatic etc. All of which I address in a careful and gentle way.
Also, chiropractic sometimes uses high velocity adjustments. With Rolfing, my approach is slower and more methodical.
"Is Rolfing Only for Pain Relief?"
Rolfing is meant to help restore a person's entire health, not just alleviate pain. It is therefore holistic. Rolfing, again, is meant to bring your body back into alignment. Because of this, it just so happens that pain and discomfort tend to dissipate. Which, of course, is a wonderful result.
Yet, what other benefits can be gleamed from Rolfing?
Better range of motion, a greater sense of ease, healthier boundaries, better athletic performance, a deeper sense of peace, feeling more grounded, less anxiety, There are many more...
Even though client's often come in for pain relief, as your Rolfer, it is my job to keep an eye out for the bigger prize, and not just chase around pain. We are looking for structural integrity for your whole body, not just the parts that hurt. Therefore, when we achieve the goals of Rolfing, a wide spectrum of other benefits may arise, not just pain relief.
Quite simply, client's just feel better.
"Can Rolfing Help my Athletic Performance?"
Yes.
It is always wonderful to hear how much better athletes perform in their respective fields.
Those who do yoga have reported being able to go deeper into poses while holding them longer.
Runners have said they can run further and breathe fuller.
Martial Artists have told me of being more flexible, resilient and effective in their techniques.
These are just a few examples. The quality of changes that athletes feel after Rolfing can't quite be quantified. Just know they feel more fully alive and in their bodies, which is deeply satisfying.
"Do I need to go through 'The Series'?"
No, not at all.
We can achieve great results after just a few sessions. While The Series is powerful and effective, it is not for everyone, nor is it the only approach to achieve the goals of Rolfing. Keep in mind I utilize a variety of different techniques and tools. The Series is just one of those.
Even though The Series is Rolfing, Rolfing is not solely The Series.
"Does Rolfing Hurt?"
This myth is unfortunate, for those who might benefit greatly from Rolfing have refrained from trying it.
Rolfing came into stride during the 70's. It was a time of intense exploration and the human potential movement was in full swing. Rolfing was still being developed by Ida Rolf, and was in a continuous state of evolution. It still is. During this time Rolfing often did hurt. Most new modalities that were coming into form weren't perceived as being "real" unless it was INTENSE.
Rolfing did help many people. Yet, fortunately, it has evolved over the decades. During this time, it has become more sensitive, intelligent and attuned.
Now, there is a great deal of science supporting and emphasis on working with a client's nervous system and not against it.
There have also been an influx of other modalities that help us achieve the goals of Rolfing. Visceral Manipulation, cranial work, movement work, and neural work to name a few. All of these modalities look at ways in which to intervene in the most gentle and intelligent ways possible.
More often than not, I utilize Visceral Manipulation to achieve the goals of Rolfing. This is a very gentle yet highly effective modality. Even when I do more direct work, I work with the client's nervous system in a careful and mindful fashion.
I am always dialoguing with a client as well. To make sure they feel as if they and their body are being heard. If at any point something feels too intense or even painful, I encourage clients to speak up and please let me know. This is a very important part of the healing process.