Frequently Asked Questions

Who comes to Rolfing?
Athletes, dancers, musicians, business people, people enduring chronic pain and stress, people from all walks of life and all ages come to Rolfing for pain and stress relief, as well as improved performance in their professional and everyday life.

What happens in a Rolfing session?
In a Rolfing session a variety of techniques are incorporated to introduce the concepts of improved posture, function and maintenance of the body.
The session will include Myofascial Release a form of deep tissue massage, which addresses the muscular and fascial restrictions within the soft tissue. This will be coupled with movement education, which focuses on those unique holding patterns that may create problems within the clients' structure. The movements will be either with the client lying on the table while the therapist guides the movements with his/her hands and words; or off the table with the client standing or sitting, working at why patterns manifest within the body.
Sessions are progressive so each session shall follow on with certain themes that were introduced in the previous session. This allows for an evolving body to always move forward and upwards.

How does Rolfing work?
Rolfing balances the body in all directions, front to back, side-to-side, inside to outside, integrating all layers and types of connective tissue. When we do this, we return the body to a state of balance or homeostasis that is more desirable for optimum functioning. Since it is universally accepted that the body is constantly in the process of self-correction to achieve homeostasis and since Rolfing is a method that helps move the body more closely to that state, we can therefore infer that a Rolfed body is a more highly desirable state for the human organism and that the Rolfed human will tend to both prefer and "hold" this more efficient orientation.

Why do the changes experienced in the session last longer than the session?
As mentioned above, sessions are progressive. The process of following a Rolfing series is to always be moving towards an easier, efficient way of living within your body. As the old holding patterns are addressed new options are introduced for sitting, standing, and walking. The systematic release through the combined efforts of the deep tissue release and the movement education will allow new ways of understanding your body unfold.

"What is involved in training to become a Rolfer?"
Rolfers are trained and certified by the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration (founded in 1971). This is the only school accredited to teach Rolfing and is the sole certifying body for Rolfers.

Successful applicants complete a training program that usually requires two years study and is considered "post graduate" in nature. After initial Certification, Rolfers commit to a program of continuing education for an additional 5 years. The training covers the biological and behavioural sciences, the theory of Rolfing, extensive clinical work under supervision, and work with the dynamics of the human structure in motion.