What is the difference between the Rolf Method and Massage Therapy?
Massage Therapy is concerned with the relief of muscle tension and pain. Structural Integration (Rolf Method) changes the postural imbalances of the body to correct the sources of tension and pain. The Rolf Method isn't just a vigorous "deep-tissue" massage; it encourages the body to find new ways to organize and balance itself.
Who was Dr. Rolf?
Dr. Ida P. Rolf received her Ph.D. in biochemistry from Columbia University in 1920 and furthered her knowledge of the body through her scientific work in organic chemistry at the Rockefeller Institute. Her extensive research for solutions to family health problems led her to examine many systems that studied the effect of structure on function, including yoga, osteopathy and chiropractic. This, together with her scientific education, her curiosity, her intrinsic knowledge and her hands-on experience, guided her to a new understanding of the value of structural order.
A system of work emerged which Dr. Rolf called Structural Integration. She discovered that she could achieve remarkable changes in posture and structure by manipulating the body's myofascial system, devoting her energy to creating a holistic system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education that organized the whole body in gravity.
What is the Rolf Method 10 series?
The Rolf Method is recommended in a series of ten sessions, each of which focuses on a different area of the body. Each session lasts approximately one hour and can be scheduled anywhere from one per week to one per month.
During a session, the Practitioner will apply pressure to the myofascial tissue using his or her hands, arms, and sometimes elbow to carefully move the tissue. Ultimately the experience is meant to allow the client to achieve full body awareness. It is through this awareness, triggered by skillful tissue manipulation, that an individual can radically change his or her fundamental ease of movement.