What should I wear for Rolfing® Structural Integration (SI)?

More and more I am finding that working through soft clothing is usually possible. People are more comfortable walking around the room in sweatpants or shorts than in their underwear, so I see a better representation of how you actually move. I prefer some fabric around the top of the leg for comfortable work in that region, as well. Tight slippery spandex can be challenging to work through, however. Think lounging comfort. Underwear still works fine, too. Boxer briefs are great for men. I just want you to feel comfortable. I will probably  still ask you to take your shirt off so I can see your spine, so women should wear a bra, please.

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How far apart should I plan to have my Rolfing®SI sessions?

Typically people come once a week when they are doing a 10 series. Some people integrate well and want to come twice a week for awhile when they have something they really want to work on. Many of my clients just catch me whenever our schedules match and feel well served by that. Long term clients often like to come every month or two just to keep up with the maintenance. In Girdwood, by the nature of my random visits often for 5 days or so, people tend to squeeze in two or three sessions in that week if they have an issue we're working on. Then they get a good long time to integrate until my next visit. We can work with whatever schedules allow. 

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Where is your office?

I have offices in both Girdwood and at my home in Kennicott. See my "contact "page for address and map.  I am also willing to do home visits anywhere in between those places as I travel regularly to visit my Girdwood clients. In this way, I can offer Rolfing SI and yoga to communities that may not have a practitioner of this type. Don't be afraid to ask me to come to you!

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How much does it cost?

$165 ($160 cash) Rolfing® session at my office

$260 Rolfing® session home visit

$120 private healing yoga session at my office

$200/ private healing yoga session home visit

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Should I do anything special before or after my session?

It is a good idea to be well hydrated and to have had an hour or two to digest your last meal before coming, but don't stress if that doesn't work out. Clean bodies are also expected. More importantly, being a little bit gentle on your body for 48 hours after a session will help you get the very most out of the work. We say that the work keeps working for that period of time- you are integrating it and still changing. So doing something with a lot of pounding on the joints such as running is not the most beneficial thing to do right away.

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What is the difference between Rolfing® SI and massage?

One of the most common misconceptions about Rolfing® Structural Integration is that it is nothing more than a type of very deep massage. There are many varieties of massage, which can be particularly effective for loosening tight tissue, reducing stress, detoxing the body and evoking an increased feeling of relaxation and well-being. Since these benefits are also a byproduct of Rolfing SI, the general public experience confusion as to the precise difference between our work and the proliferation of effective touch modalities currently available. Ray McCall, a Certified Advanced Rolfer® in Boulder, once said that what Rolfers® do can be summed up in three words: palpation, discrimination and integration. We palpate, or touch the tissue, feeling for imbalances in tissue texture, quality and temperature to determine where we need to work. We discriminate, or separate fascial layers that adhere and muscles that have been pulled out of position by strain or injury. Finally, we integrate the body, relating its segments in an improved relationship, bringing physical balance in the gravitational field. Other soft-tissue manipulation methods, including massage, are quite good at the first two, but do not balance the body in gravity. As Dr. Rolf used to say: "It is easy to take a body apart, but it takes skill and understanding to put it back together." The true genius of her method is the art and science of reshaping and reorganizing human structure according to clearly defined principles in a systematic and consistent manner for long term results.

 

In addition to our skill as structural integrators, we are also educators, a point Dr. Rolf stressed frequently in her training classes. The role of teacher is something every Rolfer® takes seriously. In each session, Rolfers® seek to impart insights to clients to increase their awareness and understanding, to help the client make the work we do their own. Our job is to make ourselves obsolete, by empowering our clients to take charge of their own physical and emotional health. Influencing the structural evolution of man on a global level was Dr. Rolf's fondest dream.*

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*Text courtesy of the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute of Structural Integration®