Frequently Asked Questions
- Who should consider being Rolfed?
- Is Rolfing painful?
- What is the difference between Rolfing and Chiropractic?
- What is the difference between Rolfing and massage?
- Do the benefits of Rolfing last?
- Is Rolfing suitable for children?
- How many sessions?
- Does Rolfing relieve stress?
Who should consider being Rolfed?
FOLKS WITH:
- Headaches
- Neck & Shoulder Pain
- Low Back / Hip Pain
- Joint Pain
- TMJ Pain & Dysfunction
THOSE RECOVERING FROM:
- Motor Vehicle Accident Recovery
- On The Job Injury Recovery
ALSO…
- Those in the process of rehabilitation
- Athletes who want to improve their performance
Is Rolfing painful?
The Rolfing process in not inherently painful. Just as there are doctors with poor bedside manner, chiropractors who are rough and massage therapists who are insensitive, there are Rolfers who may believe that there is no gain without pain. A sensitive and skilled Rolfer can change long standing patterns with little discomfort.
Rolfing is a partnership embarked upon by the Rolfer and the client. The most important thing to remember is that you are in control. If something is too intense, we will often know by the way your body responds. If we don’t notice, just say that it’s too much and we will find another way to work. We have a reputation for doing gentle, sensitive, and effective work.
Our job is to help you discover more length, space and ease in your body. It makes no sense for us to work in such a way that you tighten up and withdraw from our hands. Painful Rolfing only creates more defensive holding patterns and is counterproductive to Rolfing’s basic goals of changing such patterns.
What is the difference between Rolfing and Chiropractic?
Though there are several shared goals between Rolfing and chiropractic, there are several differences as well. We both seek to optimize spinal organization. In general, chiropractic seeks to change the vertebrae of the spine by manipulating the bones directly and usually limits the focus of the manipulations to the spine. Rolfing recognizes that the soft tissue (muscles and connective tissue) directly influences the position and movement of the bones. Imbalances created by chronic tension in the soft tissue will pull the bones out of place and limit the long-term effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments.
Another major difference lies in how we view the body. Rolfing ” fixes “ the body by creating ease, balance and organization within the whole body so that it is able to fix itself. Rolfing doesn’t just work on body parts but focuses on reestablishing a balanced relationship between the parts and therefore better order in the whole body.
Rolfing and chiropractic work very well together. Once the soft tissue is in balance, chiropractic adjustments will be easier and will last longer requiring fewer adjustments and quicker resolution of your discomfort.
What is the difference between Rolfing and massage?
One of the most common misconceptions about Rolfing is that it is nothing more than a type of very deep massage. No matter what the modality, in order to work effectively with the body, it is first necessary to work with surface structures. “Deep” work is only a part of what may be necessary and is generally not effective on it’s own as a touch therapy. To create balance in the whole body all layers must be addressed in a logical and ordered way.
Our goals are different even though at times the work may look the same. The goals of massage are to improve circulation, relieve tension and enhance relaxation. With massage there is most often no change to your body’s structure. The purpose of Rolfing is to change your structure so that it works more efficiently. When this happens, circulation is improved, tension is relieved, and there is relaxation – as well as improved range of motion, increased flexibility and energy, and ease of movement. Because your body has changed and nagging patterns are gone, these benefits last and don’t need to be addressed continually.
Many massage therapists can help you to feel relaxed while laying on their table. Our purpose is to have you feel relaxed with efficient posture and movement while you’re standing and functioning in your life.
Do the benefits of Rolfing last?
Yes. The benefits of Rolfing last for 3 main reasons. First, we work to change patterns in an orderly sequence using principles that have worked for hundreds of thousands of people. Because each session progressively brings more order and support to the body, more inherent and comfortable patterns begin to replace the old inefficient ones.
Secondly, when this happens, you will consciously begin to select those more natural patterns. The old patterns will become quite uncomfortable.
Thirdly, our bodies are always seeking a higher level of order. When the body begins to experience this new order it will tend to maintain it because of its efficiency.
Most often the benefits of Rolfing remain for years after the initial series. Some people continue to improve without any further work. Another group may tend to slip back toward their old patterns but never regress back to where they were before being Rolfed. It is unlikely that decades of habits and injury compensations can be totally eliminated in 8-12 hours of work.
Patterns that have been in the body for years may need further attention.
Some may choose to continue receiving one session per month for several months while others may want to do an advanced series of 3-5 sessions once or twice a year. The human structure continually seeks balance and order. It will use the freedom, information and range of motion acquired during the initial Rolfing work to develop more functionally efficient patterns.
Is Rolfing suitable for children?
Many of the chronic aches and pains that adults have started as children. Addressing the effects of injuries early in life will diminish their effects on adult bodies. When children are injured from falls or minor accidents, they may seem to be fine on the outside since the cut or bruise healed. However, as Dr. Rolf pointed out, they are not really the same. Minor changes have taken place in the connective tissue, in their joints and in the muscles that were injured. Small tears or pulls cause the tissue to thicken. Soon, muscles begin to adhere to each other and are less able to function as discrete entities. These changes may express themselves as a slight limp, lower energy, a decrease in strength or range of motion.
Early intervention by a Rolfer aware of the unique needs of children can make a profound difference in a child’s awareness, comfort level and self-esteem. We have also found that Rolfing adolescents during and after puberty, a time of great change for most of us, besides the obvious structural benefits, frequently has a profound effect the developing child’s awareness and comfort in his or her rapidly changing body and mind.
How many sessions?
There is no magic number of sessions because each person is unique. The number of sessions depends on your goals, your age, level of fitness and body awareness. We don’t plug you into a set process but adapt Rolfing’s goals and principles to you and work with your uniqueness. We usually suggest that you consider 8 – 12 sessions which can be done once or twice per week for those who are in a lot of pain or once per month for those whose bodies change more easily. A session lasts 1 hour. We’ll know after several sessions the frequency which may be best for you. In the first session we’ll identify some goals and give you a pretty good idea of the number of sessions needed to meet those goals.
Does Rolfing relieve stress?
What most potential clients fail to understand is that Rolfing is not a method which focuses on stress reduction. What the Rolfing method does is create a higher level of integration in the body by balancing and educating the body and the psyche. As the body approaches balance, it is more comfortable in the gravitational field. As the body becomes more comfortable, physical and emotional stress diminish. This chain of events is a more typical sequence of events as a body changes during the Rolfing process. All clients experience benefits from Rolfing, an important one for most is that they are less stressed and more at ease in their bodies.