Certified Advanced Rolfing®
Rolfing® is a process to bring the body back into alignment with gravity. Injuries and learned behaviours can cause us to compensate for the pain or discomfort in an area, resulting in different segments of our body becoming misaligned. The strain that is transmitted to other parts of the body by these compensations often result in comments such as "I must be getting old" or "I never had a problem like this before." By removing scar tissue and freeing up adhesions while lengthening muscles, the Rolfing® process enables us to feel "good again." A properly aligned body moves easily and pain free. Some clients choose to complete the "series" while others prefer "drop-in" sessions.
The " Series" vs. "Drop-in"
The "Series" is a succession of 10 appointments, a process developed by Ida P. Rolf over a period of 30 years and thousands of sessions. Each appointment builds on the previous and prepares your body for the next. This process addresses your entire body. The first 3 sessions loosen and open up the body's superficial (surface) muscles, thereby allowing deeper muscles greater freedom of movement. Sessions 4 through 9 address the body's deeper muscles and Session 10 ties all the work together. Your Rolfer® will work on different areas of your body at each session and will return to an area for deeper work as you progress through the series. Because this process removes scar tissue and muscle adhesions, you may at times feel some discomfort.
During a "Drop-in" session, your Rolfer® works on your specific concern to provide relief. While the time period of the relief varies with each person, drop-in sessions are a very worthwhile treatment and can show the client the benefits of Rolfing® and a glimpse of what the "10 Series" could do for them.
How Does Rolfing® Feel?
Sensations in the area being worked may range from pleasurable warmth to momentary discomfort. At times there may be little sensation at all. How you will feel during Rolfing® depends on several factors such as injuries to the area or tension caused by chronic stress. After Rolfing®, people report feeling lighter and better balanced. Movement feels easier, as if the joints have been lubricated and the limbs have become weightless. Feelings of "well-being" reflect the body's higher energy level. Chronic discomforts often disappear immediately or soon after the series is completed.
Does Rolfing® Last?
Yes. Photographs show that the changes in the body after the basic Rolfing® series are still present many years after the series is complete. On the other hand, as bodies change, and people sometimes have injuries, accidents and stressful times, additional work may be useful.
Dean received his Rolfing® Certification from the Rolf Institute® of Structural Integration in Boulder, Colorado, in 1998. He received Certified Advanced Rolfing® from the Guild of Structural Integration in 2008. In 2016 Dean received his Certified Advanced Rolfing from the Canadian Rolfing Association. Attending workshops to enhance his work is ongoing.