What is Rolfing?
Rolfing is a series of ten sessions designed to access the entire web of connective tissue that supports the body and facilitates movement. It is a holistic approach to reducing pain, building better alignment, and creating more ease in the body. Some people who experience Rolfing describe it as letting go tension they didn't know they had.
Dr. Ida Rolf started working on bodies in the early 1900s and called it Structural Integration. After she started teaching, her students called it "Rolfing." Rolfing evolved from Dr. Rolf's knowledge of biochemsitry, osteopathy, and yoga, among other things. Dr. Rolf was one of the first people to look closely at the fascial system of the body and study its properties. She developed the Rolfing Ten Session Series in order to systematically free the restrictions of the fascial system and create more ease of movement in the body.
Rolfing is taught and practiced in many countries all over the world. The people who practice Rolfing are called Rolfers. Every Rolfer has either graduated from the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute in Boulder, CO, or one of the Rolf Institute approved schools around the world.
What should I expect during my session?
Assessment: Most sessions typically start with a few minutes of standing assessment. We try to understand your body's unique structure and patterns. Sometimes we might do a walking or sitting assesment as well.
Table work: This is the majority of the session, it more or less resembles a massage. Mostly you will be relaxed, and sometimes I will ask for a bit of gentle movement. The goal is to make useful changes to the structure of the body.
Off the table: Often we do some conscious movement to help the body adjust to any changes that happened during table work. This may include some back work while you are sitting on a bench. Some sessions we may not do any work off the table.
Post assessment: At the end of the session we usually revisit some of the assessments we did at the beginning. This is an opportunity to feel any changes in the body, and to adjust to any new sensations.
What shoud I wear to my session?
Rolfing-wear should be something non-revealing that you feel comfortable being seen in, and that allows access to thighs, abdomen, collarbone, and armpits. Underwear is the most common thing to wear for a Rolfing session, but please wear whatever clothing you feel most comfortable in.
Female bodies: underwear or shorts with a bra, tank-top or other top. Some swimsuits can also be appropriate.
Male bodies: underwear, boxers, boxer briefs, shorts.
Generally yoga pants and spandex make the work a little more challening. Material that is non-constricting and made of cotton or cotton-poly blends tend to work well.
If you are concerned about what to wear, feel free to bring a few options to your first session and we can talk about what will work best.
It is not acceptable to be nude during the sessions.
Does Rolfing hurt? (No!)
The short answer is NO.
For most people, Rolfing is relaxing, pleasant, and satisfying, like a deep itch getting a much needed scratch. Throughout the session there can be moments of mild discomfort, but it should not feel too intense or unsafe for the body. The touch is focused, slow, and firm.
Is Rolfing like massage?
Sort of, but not really. Rolfing is similar in the sense that Rolfers do physically manipulate the body using hands, fingers, elbows, and forearms.
Unique aspects of Rolfing:
As a Rolfer, I don’t use oil in during the treatment. This helps my contact gain traction on the tissue we are working with.
The goal of Rolfing is to create long-lasting positive changes in the structure and function of the body. Rolfing can be relaxing just like a typical massage, but we are also working to change some of the body’s habits and patterns. As much as we are physically manipulating your body's tissue, we are also re-education your body from a deep, felt-sense perspective.
Rolfing is slightly more active than traditional massage. I periodically ask you for gentle, conscious movement throughout the session. This could be raising a knee or reaching down through your heel.