Frequently Asked Questions

Who invented rolfing® and where does it come from?

Ida P. Rolf, PhD is the founder of Rolfing®. She asked the question: "What conditions must be fulfilled in order for the human body structure to be organized and integrated in gravity so that the whole person can function in the most optimal and economical way?" She believed that imbalances in the structure created compensations that would ultimately lead to poor health and poor movement.

What is Conscious Embodiment bodywork and how is that different from Rolfing®?

I consider Conscious Embodiment to be more of a process. It is deeply informed by Rolfing® but incorporates principles from somatic movement. It is not something done to you. It is something we co-create together. Without the client’s enrollment and active engagement the work is just rubbing a sore spot. The work is for those more deeply interested in their own process.

what is somatic movement?

Many clients ask me how they can maintain that open and light feeling after their sessions. The best way is to learn how to move the way the body was designed. But apart from the functional movement trend, exercises that train or "fix' are not the outcome of somatic movement. I like to start from the premise that the body is a deeply intelligent organism that knows how to find its way back to equipoise. There are no "should's" or "techniques". Instead we practice how to listen and have a conversation with the body. The results are uncanny and lead to resilience, adaptability and enhanced coordination. You are the expert of your body. I reveal to you the ways you can reconnect with yourself.

what can i expect?

My practice is a manual therapy. This means my hands are going to come in contact with your body. Unlike massage I will not be looking for tight muscles and loosen them. Instead I work on the fascia, cranial-sacral rhythms and movement patterns. The fascia is like a network of fibers that run all around, through and along the parts and channels in every nook and cranny of the body. I look for where the strain patterns are to give the body different possibilities. I am looking for the key that unlocks the pattern. Once the key is revealed, both the client and I notice the changes. It's pretty cool.

I heard Rolfing® hurts. Does your work hurt?

Rolfing® has had a pretty negative reputation over the years of being the bodywork that hurts. In fact some people believe that if it doesn't hurt, it isn't beneficial. That cannot be further from the truth! Deeply held fascia that is thick and built up over the years isn't going to be a walk in the park, but it doesn't have to be painful. With somatic movement I can show you how together we can unclench that tough stuff and let it go. I never want to work in the realm where you feel like you are suffering. That is not the goal of my practice. The goal is to feel better and to leave better than when you arrived.

what do i wear to a session?

My preference is that you show up in yoga or gym shorts, a tank top (something sleeveless), a sports bra or a light weight t-shirt. You may change when you arrive.

what forms of payment do you accept?

I accept check, cash and visa/mastercard.

what do you charge?

I charge $170 per hour for my services. My sessions are one hour in length.

My massage therapist says s/he is doing Rolfing®

Rolfing® is protected by the service trademark. Only those of us that have graduated from the Rolf Institute may call ourselves Rolfers and the work we do Rolfing®. Rolfing® isn't a technique. There are no Rolfing® moves. Be sure to get the work from qualified people. You can check the institute's website at www.rolf.org to find a Rolfer in your area.