"I hear that it's painful."
"I don't think she could take it!" "I want bodywork
that is less invasive."
This is a lot of what I hear when people
share what they think about Rolfing®. It is my observation that the general
public has the wrong idea of what this work is all about. Educating people
about Rolfing is a very rich and inspiring part of my job. I have been a
Rolfer® for over 15 years.
What most people don't know is that Rolfing
is gentle, safe and effective bodywork that can help people get
"unstuck" in a hands-on, attentive, loving and conscious way. It
is supportive, direct and educational. It is becoming more widely accepted
as a powerful tool that allows the body the opportunity to regain balance,
freedom, movement and ease. I recently worked with a client who was told
by her chiropractor that she "wasn't ready for Rolfing" and that
it was too rough for her. She trusted her own "gut" feeling
after we had spoken on the phone, got Rolfed and became pain-free after
many years of chronic discomfort.
Why did that chiropractor think Rolfing
wouldn't be good for her? Why do people think it's painful? What is
Rolfing anyway?
Rolfing is a ten-session series that
loosens up and re-organizes the soft tissue of the body. This tissue
includes muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia, which is the thin
membrane that holds the body together. It serves as a web that gives
support and allows, freedom of muscular motion. That is, until the fascia
is injured. Then it creates a glue-like substance that begins to inhibit
movement and, over time, noticeably decreases range, comfortability and
sometimes overall health and well-being. Damage to fascia can result from
birth trauma, sports injuries, car accidents, surgery, years of
accumulated stress from poor posture, a bad fall or difficulty in the
body/mind connection. Release of fascia "gluing" allows the
body, in many cases, "to throw a wrench in the motor" and almost
immediately stop the downward spiral of ill health starting with the first
session. As a person continues the process, circulation increases, as does
muscular fluidity.
Rolfing is done by manipulating the fascia
web by using pressure and lifting and/or spreading motions. This pressure
is not poking or necessarily deep but is a gentle urging of the connective
tissue to the point of release. That point is a conscious decision of the
client; no one else can make that happen. I work at the level that the particular client can work. Release happens when someone is ready for
it...physically, emotionally and mentally. There is no forcing "the
process."
I believe that in the early days of
Rolfing, this was not the case. Its reputation was one of harsh treatments
and pushing to the edge. Rolfing has evolved over the years and like most
things that stand the test of time, has metamorphasized to the current practice
of partnership, shared vision and goals and total trust. With comfort and
enhanced self-expression as the goals, the work certainly cannot be
invasive or overzealous. The discomfort people speak of during this
process is seen as the body's resistance to change. Heightened awareness
of one's comfort replaces the old holding patterns and the chronic
uneasiness of the old imbalance. Freedom and re-educating daily movements
are the issues: my clients can't wait for their next session!
Rolfing is an inherently individual
endeavor. There is no typical Rolfing experience. However, there are
patterns of change. When athletes get Rolfed they report more naturalized
movement, more energy and greater body awareness. Actors and singers share
stories of increased performance, improved breathing and freedom of
movement. People living with chronic pain speak of renewed health, relief
from constant discomfort and a new sense of strength instead of tentative
behavior. People who have experienced sexual and/or physical abuse speak
of releasing memories, regaining a previously "disowned" body
and a sense of body-esteem and safety.
I teach people how to live in their bodies
more easily. That's what Rolfing is all about. That's a big step on the
road of personal evolution!
____________________
Sharon Sklar may be contacted at her West
Hartford office at 860-561-4337. Call her to receive more information or
to attend a free, monthly informational session. You may also contact the
Rolf Institute at 1-800-530-8875. Here's to YOUR health!
