The Rolfing method is based on the idea that good health is good movement, and good movement is a product of differentiation. When our anatomy is stuck together movement isn't possible, and when its unstuck (or differentiated) it is. Hands-on soft tissue (fascia) manipulation is employed to introduce movement where there isn't any.

One and the same. Rolfing was pioneered in the mid-twentieth century by an American named Dr. Ida Rolf. Ida referred to her discipline using its formal title: Structural Integration. However, her followers used a far more affectionate name: Rolfing. As history shows, the nickname stuck and the discipline is now more or less exclusively referred to as Rolfing.

Most of the time, no. The amount of pressure applied is always as minimal as possible, so my hands remain sensitive and best able to read the response of a client's tissues. Having said that, there's no correlation to be drawn between pressure applied and discomfort experienced. I've leant into a 5 foot 5, 50kg female without her noticing, yet laying a finger on the burliest of blokes may send them shrieking!

In the early days of the discipline, Rolfing treatment developed a reputation as a painful experience. Fortunately, it's come a long way since then. What matters most is that the Rolfing technique, as a chronic pain treatment, isn't as painful, long-lasting or debilitating as chronic pain itself.

The ideal interval between sessions in the initial stages of your Rolfing process is 2 weeks. The releases experienced during a Rolfing session need time to settle into the body; days, weeks and indeed months depending on how much tissue is moved. A fortnightly session gives your body the time it needs to adjust to the change whilst building momentum in the beginning of your process.

Rolfing treatment is unique amongst chronic pain management techniques. Medical treatment comes in two forms: medicine and surgery. All other forms of healthcare, such as Rolfing, are collectively known as complementary therapies as they are seen to complement mainstream medical care. As Rolfing therapy involves hands-on fascial tissue manipulation alone, it's best thought of as an alternative to medicine, not alternative medicine.

Right away! The 'ten series' refers to a series of 10 structured sessions and is the method Ida Rolf herself formulated to administer her work. The discipline has continued to evolve since her passing, but the ten series remains relevant as a metaphor for a sustained commitment to the Rolfing process. Most clients feel the change in their body right from the very first session. Given time, and enough sessions, these changes can snowball into a truly life-changing transformation.