Q: What should I wear to a Rolf session?
A: For men – a pair of running shorts. For women – a pair of running shorts, underwear and a sports bra. Blankets and sheets will be provided for extra warmth.
Q: Is Rolfing painful?
A: This is the FIRST question that I am asked when I tell people that I am a Rolfer/Structural Integrator. It is not my intention to inflict pain. The association of pain to Rolfing is based on anecdotal accounts of sessions performed during the beginning of Rolfing Structural Integration. Sessions were frequently linked to popular emotionally intense types of therapies in the late 1960’s. Part of this reputation can be attributed to an often-quoted complaint of Dr. Rolf during her training classes that her students failed to work deep enough.
Apparently, many assumed that what she meant was that they needed to work harder and deeper. However, we now realize that deep work is not necessarily synonymous with physical intensity.
My clients and I are in communication with each other so they can inform me if they are uncomfortable. My intention is to access the body’s connective tissue (fascia) and work with the client to explore new patterns of movement.
Several factors determine the level of comfort or discomfort during a Rolfing session. One is the degree of trauma in the body’s system; another is how long fascial distortions have been in the client’s body. Long-term distortions create more widespread compensatory patterns, which may require more sustained pressure to release.
A general guideline for the vast majority of Rolfing clients is that the intensity experienced is transitory, moving quickly from brief intensity to a decrease in sensation and finally to an easing of long-standing holdings which can prove both profound and transformative.
To paraphrase Peter Schwind, a Certified Advanced Rolfer from Munich, Germany, “The art of Rolfing Structural integration is to master a wide range of styles of touch and know when a lighter [or] more intense touch is required.” Continuous communication with the client and pacing the level of intensity are essential, profoundly affecting the client’s reaction to the transitory discomfort when seriously restricted tissue is softened, differentiated and reintegrated.
Q: What are some contraindications to Rolfing?
A: While Rolfing therapy offers a number of health benefits, there are certain conditions when Rolf Structural Integration is not recommended. If you are suffering from the following conditions, it is wise to delay your Rolfing Sessions until these conditions subside:
- Active cancer
- Auto-immune diseases (e.g. lupus, scleroderma)
- During steroid treatments and within 6 months of such treatments
If you have any questions or concerns about whether it is safe to start your Rolfing sessions, please check with your doctor. If your doctor has questions about Rolfing, I will be happy to speak with them.
Q: Is Rolfing covered by insurance?
A: Most insurance companies do not cover Rolfing/Structural Integration, though there are exceptions. However, Rolfing generally can be covered by a Health Savings Account (HSA). Please check with your health advisers for your particular situation.
Q: Does Rolfing last?
A: YES!! Rolf Structural Integration is ‘progressive’, meaning positive changes continue after the hands-on work has stopped. For example, lung capacity continues to increase and range of motion continues to improve during the following 12 months as the body experiences a new alignment in the gravitational field.
During and after the 10 Series sessions, I give my clients resistance stretching, yoga and Rolf Movement homework in order to “keep” or “hold” the positive changes that have already been made.
Q: How long do Rolfing sessions take? How frequently are Rolfing sessions scheduled?
A: Rolfing sessions are approximately 75 minutes in length and are generally performed once per week for ten weeks.
Art of Rolfing® 