ROLFING® OR STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION

• Relieve chronic pain from injury, trauma,stress and strain from repetitive use of particular muscle groups
• Improve overall posture with the re-alignment and balancing of soft tissue and decompression around the joints and organs
• Experience a sense of well-being from the re-organization of the whole structure which creates balance, efficiency and ease of movement, more energy and improved endurance

THE TEN MOST ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ROLFING

1. What is Rolfing®?

Rolfing® is a system of fascial manipulation which allows the body to align itself so it is vertical in the field of gravity. The process organizes and balances the whole person by softening and lengthening the brittle and contracted tissue that has been made less flexible and tight by age, accidents, surgery or psychological trauma.

2. What is Fascia?

Fascia is a multi-dimensional web-like elastic tissue that gives our bodies shape. It surrounds and permeates muscles, bones, organs and blood vessels. When healthy, it is pliable and slippery. This allows the tissues to slide easily when we move. When fascia thickens or hardens, it puts tension on joints and other muscles which produces compensation, imbalance and less freedom in movement.

3. What does the Rolfer® do?

The Rolfer®, in a series of ten sessions, uses their hands to soften, lengthen, and manipulate hardened fascial areas. Every session has a different theme. The purpose is to soften the old inhibited order and introduce the client to another order which benefits posture and movement resulting in a sense of balanced well-being with enduring results.

4. Isn't that painful? What does it feel like to receive Rolfing®?

Yes, change and growth are not always comfortable. Living in a body that is always compensating from injury, tense from trauma and having poor posture over time will affect our energy level, balance, organ function and the reflexive ability to be responsive to our environment. The discomfort or fear of letting go of tight, painful areas is immediately replaced by a feeling of lightness, spaciousness with mobility.

5. Do I have to do all of the sessions all at once?

No, however, it is important to remember that this is a system of working with the body and some areas will not feel "right" between the sessions. This is because new balance is being experienced. Each person has their own pace; whether every week, every other week, once a month or in doing several sessions and then stopping for a while. You and your Rolfer® can work together on what is the most comfortable pace.

6. Will this fix the pain in my neck, back, migraines, arthritis, etc.?

The intention of Rolfing® is a transformational process that restores order and balance to the physical body and does affect the emotional and psychological systems as well. The alleviation of pain, tension, and stress from over-use allows the person to move more efficiently with less strain. Many of the symptoms and discomforts disappear and are replaced with greater ease of mobility and a noticable increase in energy.

7. Just ten sessions will do all that?

Yes, ten sessions can create dramatic change which is documented in the photos of your sessions. There is also an advanced series and some people like getting an extra session or tune-up. The need for more work is relative to lifestyle changes and the experience of additional trauma, like an accident or sports injury.

8. How long have people been ROLFING®? Who started it?

Ida Rolf, who received her Ph.D. in Bio-chemistry in 1920, originated the work from her desire to alleviate health problems in her family. She formulated a series of ten sessions called “Structural Integration” and began teaching her work in the 1960’s. www.rolf.org

9. Why haven't I heard of it before?

The training and selection of Rolfers® is a rather selective process and currently there are more than 2,000 Rolfers® in the world. The international headquarters and school is in Boulder, Colorado, so only in the last few decades has the work been researched, refined, and the school expanded.

10. Does insurance cover this?

Each insurance policy differs. In some cases, with a physician's prescription, ROLFING® has been covered. You need to check your policy.

In the late 70's, Lorna received her first Rolfing® session at Esalen Institute where Ida Rolf had been teaching. She returned to Esalen to study and help facilitate workshops on alternative healing modalities. Lorna learned some of the basics of structural integration from Al Drucker and later completed her training in Postural Integration. She attended the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Colorado for her beginning and advanced Rolf® certification and extended her training to become a Rolf® Movement Practitioner. She supplemented her training with classes in visceral manipulation, cranial -sacral work ,neurological patterning and Zen-Therapy® and Sourcepoint®.

Lorna served on the Board of Directors of the Rolf® Institute before becoming chair-person in 1993-1994. She is also a member if the International Association of Structural Integration and the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.