Rolfing® Structural Integration


 
“If you can imagine how it feels to live in a fluid, light, balanced body; free of pain, stiffness and chronic stress, at ease with itself and the earth’s gravitational field; then you will understand Rolfing®.”

Dr. Ida P. Rolf, PH.D., Founder, Rolfing® Structural Integration
 

What can Rolfing® SI do and how does it work?

Rolfing® can resolve pain and discomfort from many different causes, including those related to the lingering effects of accidents, illnesses, trauma, repetitive motion injuries, surgery and aging.  

Rolfing® SI treats the entire person, seeking to maximize each individual’s well-being.  The Rolfing® Touch is a skillful, precise, manual technique that can help your body release strain patterns that have become a part of you.  Your body is constantly adapting, fascia tissue is key to this adaptation. Our work focuses on releasing and mobilizing the fascia and nerves that often create restrictions, irritation, pain.  Guided movement is then incorporated to explore the new flexibility and range of motion, plus re-educate and reinforce new ways of holding and moving. Rolfing®’s ability to effect sustainable and lasting changes makes it a valuable addition to your personal health care.

 

How do I arrange Rolfing® SI sessions?

Start by contacting me by phone, email or by using the online appointment service.  Once you have done so, I will typically schedule a phone call to discuss your needs and objectives, and to share how Rolfing® SI can help you.  At that time, I will propose a series of 3 or more sessions, usually lasting 60 to 75 minutes, and spaced 1 to 3 weeks apart. Once an appointment has been made, you will receive more details about the first session and a short form to fill out beforehand.

A traditional Rolfing® series involves 10 steps – usually between 8 and 12 sessions, each one unique and building upon the results of previous ones.  The Ten-Series is a systematic process, designed by Dr. Rolf, to balance and optimize both structure (shape) and function (movement) of the entire body.  The cumulative effect of the Ten-Series is a comprehensive reawakening and revitalizing the entire body.

Originally designed as a teaching tool, to transfer knowledge to new students, the Ten-Series proved extremely effective as a clinical process and quickly became the standard practice.  Through the years, as new experience and knowledge has surfaced, they have been incorporated into this framework, which remains today the foundation of all Structural Integration practices. Alternately, individual protocols are used for specific conditions.  All incorporate the same underlying principles of the Ten-Series, but are applied selectively in shorter series, typically 3, 5 or 7 sessions uniquely designed to address a specific circumstance.

Each session includes posture and body observations, hands-on manipulation, and movement education that will enhance awareness and transfer this awareness into the activities of everyday life. Explorations in breathing, sitting, standing and walking often bring about new insights, leading the client to greater body perception and creating an opening for relief from restrictive body patterns and pain. Most importantly, the Rolfing® process enables the body to regain the natural integrity of its form, and through this, long-held restrictions and pain are relieved.