Rolfing – What’s In A Name?
“You’re a what?” people often reply when I tell them what I do for a living. They usually look uncomfortable because they think their hearing is amiss. I go for it again, “I am a Rolfer.” I have had many conversations during which I have attempted to demystify the word “Rolfing” and give people a sense of what it is that I do for a living. Rolfing is actually a slang term coined by Ida Rolf’s students during the 70’s. Dr. Rolf, the founder of Rolfing, was a biochemist who graduated from Columbia University and became a research scientist at Rockefeller University. Her work evolved from her desire to tap human potential through the physical body.
Dr. Rolf was not happy with the word “Rolfing” because she feared that it did not sound scientific. I’m afraid she was right. In my experience, the word ”Rolfing” brings forth looks of confusion and doubt. “What is that exactly?” is a common response. Dr. Rolf wanted her work to be known as “Structural Integration,” which is, without doubt, a more scientific description and more appropriate.
Rolfing involves manipulating fascia. Historically, the American Medical Association viewed fascia as nonessential. Medical students would routinely cut it away to view other more important structures during cadaver dissection. Now, do to Dr. Rolf’s influence, the AMA is beginning to understand fascia’s significance. Fascia is the connective tissue that plays the most central role in holding the entire body together. A major component of the soft tissue, fascia runs throughout the body in planes that tie together the entire network of body parts.
Structural integration consists of physical manipulations to reposition those fascial coverings that hold muscles in place. You can think of it as intensive treatment that is done to enhance overall bodily organization. Breathing, posture, alignment and movement can all be improved as the result of a Rolfing series. But that is not all. Most people store years of accumulated physical stress in their bodies. For example, you might have rounded shoulders due to years of leaning forward when working at a computer. Many people feel that one side of their body is the “bad “ side meaning the side that keeps becoming injured or is more compressed than the other. These are just a couple of examples of how stress shapes out bodies.
Rolfing also enhances your mental and psychic functioning. Picture yourself breathing more fully and moving with greater ease and stability. This mental exercise will give you an idea of what Rolfing can do for you. Rolfing improves posture and body alignment, bringing your head, pelvis, knees and ankles into a new relationship, with the vertical axis directly in front of your spine, leaving your body with a longer, leaner look.
The integrative aspect of Rolfing helps you to feel stable and connected to the ground you stand on, while providing your body with a sense of lightness and upward lift. Rolfing helps to improve your relationship with gravity so that it no longer exerts a relentless downward pressure on your body. Additionally, Rolfing has a calming effect on the nervous system, rendering you more at peace with yourself.
You can think of Rolfing as a physically restorative process that brings with it the mental and spiritual benefits of a body at peace. Whether you call it Rolfing or Structural Integration it represents an opportunity for positive transformation.
For help with tapping your potential call us at 973.509.8464 • 212.529.1901 or book on line to schedule an appointment.
Body Memory
The body stores memories of trauma in the soft tissue. We may re-experience the sensations of our injuries when we are touched. Certain parts of our bodies may be tightly held, affecting our breath, structure and movement. When trauma occurs, the nervous system carries a message to the muscles to tighten. The traumatic experience becomes part of the body memory – a relationship between the fascia and the nervous system.
Ideally, if we have a traumatic experience, we process the information and can get on with our lives. Sometimes this information overwhelms the system and gets stuck. We may feel fear all the time, or perhaps our breath is shallow. The trauma becomes part of the body memory.
Rolfers use deep pressure through their hands to release chronic tensions within the fascia. As the tensions in the myofascia become more balanced, not only does alignment, breath and movement improve, but the nervous system has a chance to heal. As the muscles are released from their shortened state, the physical remnants of trauma are cleared. Rolfing or Structural Integration can help the nervous system to integrate the traumatic event.
Acupuncturists also work through the fascial system. Specifically, needles are inserted into points along energetic pathways called meridians. These pathways correspond to fascial junctions (where muscle joins with muscle or bone) and forms lines of stress within the soft tissue. Through these energetic pathways, acupuncturists work to regulate the nervous system and organ function. Acupuncture can also be used to regulate the tensional forces within the fascia and organize the structure. As the balance within the fascia and the nervous system are restored, body memories can shift and we can heal from trauma. Structural acupuncture is a relatively new practice, and David Frome is among the pioneers of this field.
In the healing arts, no one can erase traumatic experience, but we can create the opportunity for healing. At Frome Physical Therapy, we are committed to supporting you in Caring For Your Health. Call us now (973.509.8464 212.529.1901) or schedule online for your next appointment.
By Rebekah Frome • Acupuncture, Physical Therapy, Rolfing • • Tags: body memory, fascia, Frome Physical Therapy, heal from trauma, release chronic tensions, structural integration, trauma