About Rolfing® Structural Integration
Rolfing® Structural Integration is a form of manual therapy that addresses the body in a way that balances and integrates form and function.
Dr. Ida P. Rolf, a biochemist, believed that the fascia, or connective tissue surrounding every component of the body is the medium in which patterns and injuries get “stuck”. For example, if a person habitually slouches to one side, they will end up with shorter tissue on the side they slouch to, and longer, tight tissues on the opposite side. When that person stands, these patterns are apparent to a Certified Rolfer’s® trained eyes. By using skilled manual therapy, a Rolfer® can help to elicit a change in structure. The client, feeling how good it is to have freedom of movement, will become more aware of how they move. They will change the patterns because their tissue feels different. With this new information the nervous system creates changes that are essentially permanent.
Most Certified Rolfers® are trained to look at the connective tissues, muscles, bones, nerves and viscera to observe imbalances and primary restrictions through movement assessments. Once those are identified, the practitioner and client work together through manual therapy, movement education and discussions to facilitate change.
At Central Oregon Rolfing® Structural Integration LLC, we focus on your needs by tailoring anywhere from 1 to 10 sessions of manual therapy to address your concerns. Every session is different and is designed for each individual.
In the first session, you will be asked about your history (i.e. accidents, traumas, surgeries or health issues). In each session, we will look at your structure, how you stand, breathe, walk, and if there is pain or limited range of motion. After the hands-on work, we will evaluate movement and structure again.
After sessions, people have experienced freedom and ease of movement, better posture, increased energy, relief of chronic pain, an improved sense of themselves in the world, heightened awareness of their patterns, increased breathing capability, emotional stability, improved digestion or even complete cessation of issues such as sciatica, back, neck or headache pain, plus many other wonderful benefits. There are no guarantees, but we can try!
It is like sculpting. It requires patience and listening on the part of both the practitioner and the client. It is a flow. It is movement and breath. It is profound, yet gentle. It is opening and letting go. This is the beauty and the magic of Rolfing® Structural Integration.