About Rolfing Structural Integration
Rolfing® Structural Integration is deeply effective hands-on soft tissue work and movement education. Through a series of sessions, we work with your body's inborn tendencies and your compensatory patterns around accidents, sports and work, repetitive movement, trauma, modern sedentary life, etc. In your Rolfing sessions, we'll work together to open, soften, lengthen and balance soft tissue restrictions throughout your body.
What are the results of Rolfing? You can expect to experience some combination of less pain, less tension, more comfort, better posture, more flexibility, ease of movement, more body awareness, and more self-awareness.
Rolfing includes your whole body. You have a seamless web of connective tissue (fascia) throughout your body, and this web is an important part of your body's adaptions to the events and actions of your life. Trouble in a specific area is usually part of a pattern that involves the whole body. As a Rolfer, I work with the patterns of connectedness throughout your entire body.
Our bodies have great reasons for doing what they do. Bodies are constantly adapting. They cope with life's injuries, shocks and losses, with chairs and restrictive footwear, not enough movement, lots of screen time, high everyday stress levels, etc. Tension is one of your body's tools for support and protection, and your body uses it wisely. While we work toward more ease and comfort in your body, it's important to me to remember that our bodies haven't failed. They aren't "doing it wrong." Bodies are brilliantly adaptive, and Rolfing works WITH your body's adaptive genius to help you find more comfort and functionality.
Rolfing includes your whole self. Rolfing helps connect you to yourself in a a very deep way, helping you digest and understand experiences, and align with your true needs and larger sense of purpose.
Some things that Rolfing isn't:
Rolfing not a painful massage. I often use strong and steady contact, but I always bring patience, sensitivity and curiosity to my touch. I am sincerely interested in what it's like for your body (in life, and during the session), I listen, with my hands, for your body's response to my touch, and I make subtle adjustments to pacing and pressure as needed.This goes a long way toward creating an experience that your body genuinely likes and wants to receive.
Rolfing isn't the last thing you will ever need to do. Lifelong, we all have the responsibility to actively prioritize and act to uphold integrity of our bodies.
Some details about receiving the work:
Most people have 10-15 sessions, although some see me for more or fewer sessions. Every Rolfing session is different and the process is cumulative. Over time, the sessions can add up to create significant and lasting changes. You should be able to tell early on (within 1-3 sessions) if Rolfing is a good fit for you.
For most of each session you will be lying on the table, but sometimes you will be sitting or walking. During the session, I like to be able to see your body and have access to your skin. Women can wear bra and underwear or shorts and a tank top. Men should wear a comfortable pair of gym shorts.
Please reschedule if you have a cold or any other illness, even if mild. It is a strain on your body to receive a session when your immune system is working with an illness, and I don't want to get sick too!
