ROLFING
by Greg Bishop
Rolfing is a method of bodywork and movement education designed to relieve chronic stress in the body by organizing its structures in gravity. Rolfers achieve this structural balance through lengthening of the myofascia or soft tissue in injured and compressed areas. Though many therapies have been successful in releiving chronic stress in certain areas, Rolfing is the first and only therapy to successfully acheive whole body organization in gravity. Our bodies tend to compress into injury, over use, chronic tension or emotional holding. This throws our center of balance off and forces recruitment of tissues designed for movement to be used for balance. Continuous holding or stabilizing is interpreted by our bodies as an area of injury that needs reinforcement. This causes tissue to build up making it less mobile. An ankle injury can cause misalignment and knee , hip, back or neck pain. A sore hip can influence legs, hips, ankles, shoulders and neck. Years of poor posture or overuse can also throw the whole body out of alignment. rolfers are trained to evaluate patterns and lines of stress to help clients find support, balance and freedom of movement. Rolfing Structural Integration involves ten sessions of bodywork. Each session focuses on specific areas of the body and is designed to support the changes of the next session. Rolfers use fingers, hands elbows, and even
knees to apply pressure to soft tissue structures and create space and flexability in areas of lost mobility and flexability. Rolfing has had a reputation as being very painful, but Rolfing techniques have evolved over time, and though momentary discomfort can still be felt, most clients are pleasantly surprised by the subtlety and gentleness involved.
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