WHAT IS ROLFING®?

Rolfing® is a combination of manual body therapy and movement education. It is a holistic form of therapy that addresses the fascia in the whole body to evoke health in clients.

WHAT ARE COMMON BENEFITS OF ROLFING?

Rolfing has the ability to dramatically alter a person's posture and structure. It can potentially resolve discomfort, release tension, and alleviate pain. It aims to restore flexibility, revitalize your energy, and leave you feeling more comfortable in your body.

WHO SHOULD TRY ROLFING?

According to Dr. Rolf, all bodies have some degree of disorder and compensation in their structure; therefore, she believed that everyone, children and adults, should receive Rolfing. Those who have a history of injury or trauma and notice that the effects of their injuries are beginning to interfere with their everyday lives should consider Rolfing. This group includes those engaged in physically demanding jobs, and those who choose not to accept the notion that the quality of their lives must suffer simply because they are aging.

HOW IS ROLFING DIFFERENT FROM MASSAGE?

Through soft tissue manipulation and movement education, Rolfers affect body posture and structure over the long-term through the 10 series. Massage is often great for muscle relaxation, where Rolfing is aimed at improving body alignment and function.

DO YOU OFFER CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY?

I have completed trainings with a Rolfer with over 35 years experience and over 1400 hours in Biodynamic Cranisacral Therapy in Boulder Colorado. We learned how to work in this way and also how to bring this touch into Rolfing and the whole body.

HOW IS ROLFING DIFFERENT FROM MYOFASCIAL RELEASE?

Rolfing is holistic in that the practitioner will focus on the entire body over ten sessions whereas Myofascial Release (MFR) is a massage technique based on Rolfing that addresses the target area of pain in an attempt to free restrictions or break adhesions. Myofascial release works well in select areas where the fascia, or connective tissue in the body, is stuck. Rolfing includes elements of the same technique, but takes it to a more complete level. We consider the entire body in the picture, not just the area that hurts, making it a therapy that balances the entire body.

HOW IS ROLFING DIFFERENT FROM CHIROPRACTIC?

There are many types of Chiropractic work, but the overall idea is to work with the spine and other bony structures to release and treat mechanical restrictions, which directly or indirectly influences the function of the nervous system and therefore overall health. This is more similar to Rolfing in the sense that it changes the structure of the body to improve overall health. The main difference between the two is the way in which it is implemented. While Chiropractic works more directly on the vertebrae of the spine, in Rolfing we work on the connective tissue (called the fascia) which surrounds all of your muscles, organs and joints, and creates the overall structure in your body. This changes the alignment of the bones and the function of the nervous system to improve overall health. Chiropractic and Rolfing often go quite well together to promote longer-lasting changes in the body. Rolfing can help the Chiropractic adjustments stay by releasing the tension patterns which pulled the bones or vertebrae out of alignment in the first place.

HOW CAN ROLFING HELP ATHLETES AND PERFORMERS?

Many athletes and performers use Rolfing to help them perform better. Professional, Olympic, and all level of athletes have used Rolfing as a tool to help them take their game to the next level. Professional dancers and musicians also use Rolfing to help keep their bodies free and mobile for their concerts and performances. Players from the Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves, and many other teams have utilized the benefits of Rolfing to give their bodies the best chance to succeed.

CAN CHILDREN RECEIVE ROLFING?

Rolfing can also serve as a preventative measure to minimize potentially problematic patterns in children. One of the things children learn from watching us is how we carry ourselves, and they will naturally imitate their parent's language, movement, and other modes of expression. Rolfing can begin to correct patterns, such as posture imbalances, which may limit the child's development and mobility. Also, when children are injured from falls or minor accidents, they may seem to be fine on the outside once the cut or bruise has healed. However, 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 range of motion or strength. Early intervention by a Rolfer aware of the unique needs of infants and children can make a profound difference in a child's awareness, comfort level, and self-esteem.

WHAT IS THE TEN-SERIES?

The hallmark of Rolfing is the Ten-Series, the goal of which is to balance and optimize both the structure (shape) and function (movement) of the entire body over the course of ten unique Rolfing sessions. Dr. Ida Rolf designed the sessions to cover the territory of the whole body in the least amount of sessions possible. Rolfing is a therapy that will acknowledge your pains but we try to address those trouble spots not by only working where it hurts but by balancing the entire body. If you’ve never received a Rolfing session before, the 10 series is the best place to start.

DO I HAVE TO COMMIT TO ALL 10 SESSIONS?

The Ten-Series is a great way to get your whole body out of pain and a longer lasting sense of ease. There are other routes that can be taken to see if the Ten-Series is right for you, one option is to try the first 3 sessions of the series which will give you an insight to how it feels and allows me to get to understand what is going on in your body. We can discuss other options as well.

WHAT ABOUT AFTER THE TEN-SERIES?

Once you have gone through a Ten-Series your body will continue to change from the work we have done together. I recommend taking a month or two break from Rolfing to see how your body continues to benefit, so we don’t do unnecessary work. Please do not hesitate to reach out if something comes up during this time because there are times when more work is appropriate right after the Ten-Series. It is then up to you how often you would like to come in for tune up work, some people like to come a couple times a month because they feel it keeps them at an optimal level and other people only come in when something comes up and they want to feel great again.

DOES ROLFING HURT?

Many people have been told or heard that Rolfing is painful. Much of the reputation for pain came from the early days when Rolfing was first gaining public recognition. Since that time, the process has evolved without sacrificing the results of the work. The work can be deep and sometimes intense but should never be painful. I am in constant communication with you throughout the session, and if something feels too intense or uncomfortable, just let me know, because you are in control of your session.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL SESSION LOOK LIKE?

When you arrive for your session, my door may be closed which means I am probably finishing up the client before you so please do not knock if you are early to allow my current client a peaceful session, I will come out to get you when your session is to start. You are encouraged to use the nearby restrooms and sit in the waiting chairs that are right across from my office door. We will begin by checking in to see how you are feeling and go over together the goals of the session or series. I will then have you change into the clothes you chose to wear for the session while I step out to wash my hands. Then I will have you do a couple of assessments and we start our table work together. It will be a combination of passive work or active movement from you. The session will wrap up with some final assessments and a check in to see how you are feeling. I will then take your payment and look to see if you want to schedule your next session.

HOW LONG ARE THE SESSIONS?

The sessions are blocked out for 75 minutes and will range between 60-75 minutes.

HOW DO I SCHEDULE A SESSION?

To schedule a session, you can click here, scroll to the bottom of every page, and click the “Book a Session” button, which is also at the top right of the main page. Then if you are a new client, click the New Client session which will have intake forms to fill out, if you are an existing client, please click the Existing Client session.

HOW FAR APART ARE SESSIONS SPACED?

This depends on each client’s availability, but the most optimal spacing for the work is once a week or every other week when going through the Ten-Series. If you have questions on this, please reach out, and we can come up with a plan together.

HOW CAN I PAY FOR MY SESSION?

There are multiple ways to pay for the sessions. I accept all major credit cards, venmo, cash, checks, and HSA’s (Health Savings Accounts).

DO YOU GIVE DISCOUNTS?

I give discounts when buying session packages. Please check out my pricing page to see these discounts. These packages can be purchased in my office after your session.

DO YOU ACCEPT INSURANCE?

I do not accept insurance. I am, however, able to accept HSA’s (Heath Savings Accounts) that many employers provide to their employees.

WHAT IS THE TRAINING FOR A ROLFER?

The Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® is the only school that trains Certified Rolfers™. The training is 731-hours comprised of three phases and self-study, completed in 28 weeks. As well as additional continued education each year.

HOW DO I MAKE SURE MY PRACTITIONER IS A CERTIFIED ROLFER®?

There are many different types of Structural Integrating Schools or workshops out there, but the school that Dr. Ida Rolf started was The Dr. Ida Rolf Institute. Only practitioners that trained there can say that they are Rolfers, or what they do is Rolfing. If you want to verify that your practitioner is a Certified Rolfer™ you can use the following link “Verify a Rolfer Link”.