You've got questions, I've got answers! > Everything you ever wanted to know about Rolfing > What is Rolfing?
Rolfing is a form of hands-on bodywork whose goal is to open, balance, and align one’s body primarily through working with the fascia, or connective tissue. Think: a cousin of deep tissue massage, mingled with yogic insight about how to lengthen the body, with deep roots in old school osteopathic manipulation.
Still curious?:
The thing I love about Rolfing is that it’s very specific, strategic, and holistic in how it approaches the body. No one part is looked at in isolation: we Rolfers want to know how your feet are affecting your neck and how your neck plays into your low back... we want to work with the whole system that makes up you and to unwind the less-than-helpful patterns that may have been imprinted through your lifetime. We’re interested in the big picture- that is, your whole body- because working this way creates deeper and longer lasting change.
Rolfing is a great modality for those of you who consider yourselves to be relatively goal oriented. I do cringe a bit at the words “goal-oriented” as it can bring to mind a rigid type-A view of the world, so let me clarify; Rolfing is definitely a journey (ugh, another word that can get the eyes rolling!) that ideally happens with an openness to the present tense. However, we sign up for the journey in the hopes of going somewhere. Rolfing’s basic gist is that by changing the structure of the body, the functioning of entire person can be enhanced.
As a Rolfer, my sincere goal in working with clients is for their alignment and posture to improve, for pain to significantly decrease or disappear, and for movement to become more supported, balanced, and fluid. If what you’re looking for in bodywork is to zone out and breathe deeply of scented candles, I would not recommend Rolfing be your first choice. If, on the other hand, you are looking high and low for a way to feel sincerely, capital B, better- welcome!
For overachievers:
If you still want to know more, here's some other media on Rolfing:
Oprah and Dr. Oz (yes, Oprah always gets the top of the list)