Neurorolfing

HOW DOES ROLFING® FEEL?

Sensations in the area being worked may range from pleasurable warmth to momentary discomfort. Two frequent comments made during Rolfing® sessions are, "It hurts, but it feels good at the same time" and, "I've been waiting for years for someone to do this". At times there may be little sensation at all. The experience reported most often is one of lengthening; something is letting go.
How you will feel during Rolfing® depends on several factors such as injuries to the area or tension caused by chronic stress. At all times, you are in control of your experience by communicating with your Rolfer to maintain the applied pressure at an appropriate comfort level.

DOES ROLFING® HURT?

Rolfing® often addresses very deep layers of holding and tension. These denser layers of tissue can be released without creating pain by working slowly and matching the direction of the tissue. It is counterproductive to work on someone who is wincing and tensing up. Often tissue does not really need much pressure to change.
At times clients say that my work is just on the border of pleasure and pain but that it is nothing compared to their chronic pain. Only a few areas of the body that are being addressed in a session are usually sensitive. People who like deeper work often need deeper work to change; others will change with less pressure.

WHO GETS ROLFING®?

1. people who have chronic pain
2. people who are taking preventive measures to improve posture and movement
3. people interested in sport and movement performance improvement
4. people with specific injuries

CAN ROLFING® HELP RELIEVE MY (KNEE, HIP, ANKLE, ELBOW, SHOULDER, ETC.) PAIN?

YES. Most of the joint pain people experience is in the connective tissue of the joint. A joint is actually the space between two bones encased in a soft tissue connector. Rolfing® addressess the connective tissue and can remediate the effects of old injuries. The chronic pain complaints you have about your body will be addressed within the basic series.

DO I HAVE TO GET 10 SESSIONS?

No. Please come in and try a session. If you are happy with the results you get, we would like you to commit to the next two sessions. By the end of your third session you will have a clear sense of whether or not the rest of the basic series is for you. On the other hand, as bodies change, and people sometimes have injuries, accidents and stressful times, additional work is useful.

THE ROLFING® SERIES?

Rolfing® is typically applied in an initial series of ten sessions. Sessions are scheduled anywhere between one week and three weeks apart and each session is one and a half hours duration. Each session does have specific goals to achieve, however Rolfing® is a very personal process and as no two people are alike sessions will vary slightly for differing individuals and needs. The results of Rolfing® are cumulative and lasting, each session builds upon the last session to align the entire body and to get the best results that are lasting. Often photographs taken many years after the initial ten sessions still show that changes made during Rolfing® are lasting and that the structure has improved even moreover time. Follow up work may consist of occasional tune up sessions.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I HAVE FINISHED THE BASIC 10-SERIES?

The body continues to change in a positive way following the basic ten session series ­ and that's just what it is: a basic series. The body continues to evolve and many people find regular sessions a part of their on-going commitment to health and well-being. I have clients who schedule a session each month, others who return every six months, and others who come back when they feel the need. Post-ten Rolfing® can be a great tune-up or another chance to work with a specific concern.

HOW MANY SESSIONS ARE NEEDED TO RECEIVE OPTIMAL BENEFIT?

This depends on your goals and how quickly we can work together to address them. We develop reasonable goals early in the series and evaluate the progress as we proceed. The classic series is ten sessions, plus or minus a few. This is a good number to anticipate. Some return for work as needed and others may have work on an on going basis for individual reasons.

IS THERE SCIENTIFIC PROOF ABOUT ROLFING® ®?

Several scientific studies of Rolfing® have been conducted. For example, in a controlled study at the UCLA Department of Kinesiology, Drs. Valerie V. Hunt and Wayne W. Massey established that the aim of Rolfing® ®, "to create and maintain a more balanced energy system which conserves energy rather than expends it" was, in fact, achieved. They found that,

Movements were smoother, larger and less constrained.
There were less extraneous movements.
Body movements were more dynamic and energetic.
Carriage was more erect and there was less obvious strain to maintain held positions.
Other research projects include a study of Rolfing® and its positive effects on the autonomic nervous system published in Physical Therapy, the journal of the American Physical Therapy Association, March 1999 issue.

DO THE CHANGES LAST?

YES. Photographs show that the changes of the basic Rolfing® series are still present many years after the series is complete. Studies done by the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Colorado show that even after ten years the changes from the ten sessions of Rolfing® are still present. Since the basic series addresses patterns accumulated since childhood and past injuries you have had, you won't recreate that history again.

HOW DO I MAINTAIN THE CHANGES?

I believe a person should create a self-maintenance program involving movement and/or exercise for many reasons, including maintaining good body alignment. People who like Rolfing® and feel they benefited from the basic series will benefit by receiving a few sessions a year, often a series of three sessions close together is good. Some people with more complex or chronic problems (like scoliosis or severe arthritis) may need more work. There is also an advanced series of five sessions developed by Dr. Rolf.

HOW FREQUENTLY SHOULD SESSIONS OCCUR?

Once a week or every other week is most ideal. I like to do a session every week up to the seventh session and the last three sessions every other week.

HOW LONG ARE SESSIONS? HOW WILL I FEEL AFTER A SESSION?

Sessions usually last for about 90min. I include some movement education with every session. Sometimes people get very energized after a session (they're experiencing "lift"), or very tired (they are surrendering to gravity). It is best not to eat right before a session.

CAN I RECEIVE OTHER BODYWORK WHILE I'M DOING THIS?

It is probably better not to receive any other form of deep tissue work during the basic series. Rolfing compliments chiropractic, osteopathy and other therapies.

CAN I PERFORM MY REGULAR EXERCISE?

Regular exercise is usually OK. Sometimes during a series, your balance and coordination are shifting with your body as your structure changes. Athletic performance improves during and after a series of Rolfing®.
Going for walks can actually help integrate the changes from the sessions.

WHAT IS FASCIA?

Connective tissue, also known as fascia, is found in every system of your body. It forms the tendons and ligaments, and wraps the muscle fibers, organs, and bones of your body. If you removed every cell from your body that wasn't connective tissue you would still maintain your shape and structure. The most superficial fascia lies deep to your skin and maintains your current shape. One of the fascia's amazing properties is that it can be reshaped by pressure and aligned through proper movement. This is the reason Rolfing maintains its effects throughout the body for a lifetime. Most traumatic injuries, emotional stress, and bad habits are relieved as the connective tissue is brought back to a more balanced state and symmetry is brought throughout the entire body. 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROLFING®, CHIROPRACTIC AND MASSAGE?

Of these three, Rolfing® is the only one that deals with changing the structural aberrations that cause pain. Massage therapy focuses on releasing muscle knots, increasing circulation, and decreasing stress via relaxation. Chiropractic uses thrust adjustments to get vertebrae and other bones back into alignment. However, if the soft tissues and fascia that surrounds the bones is out of balance, it will continue to pull the bones into incorrect alignment. Rolfing® encourages proper alignment through balanced tissue tonus.
Rolfing® is a technique that works on the connective tissue, not only the surface structures, but also deeper structures that massage does not address. The goal and result of Rolfing® is to balance the over-all structure of the body. Massage and Chiropractic do not generally produce balance and alignment in the body. Rolfing® is a compliment to these disciplines.

CAN CHILDREN AND SENIORS RECEIVE ROLFING®?

Absolutely. Rolfing® is gentle enough for both. Children's treatments are much shorter in length and can be effective for early postural problems like pigeon toes, duck feet, scoliosis, etc. Seniors can benefit from better posture, increased flexibility and range of motion.

ROLFING® FOR ATHLETES?

Athletes ask their bodies for maximum performance. Their daily chosen activity repeatedly stresses and exercises the body in the same way. Rolfing® creates new movement options for every one, and athletes notice these changes more than the average person. The professional athlete gains speed, fluidity and flexibility in his body along with a decrease in injuries he or she may suffer.

ARE THERE BENEFITS IN ROLFING® FOR PERFORMERS?

Yes, there are benefits for people in the performing arts from the Rolfing® process. The freedom that the Rolfed body feels allows the performer to more fully embody their art. For the musician, this might mean he/she can play smoothly, without personal fears getting in the way.