Rolfing and Structural Integration

Rolfing® is a type of bodywork (massage) that was created by a woman named Ida Rolf in the 1960's. Rolfing® is a system of unwinding the postural patterns of the body and realigning the body with the forces of gravity through a series of 10 or 12 bodywork sessions lasting usually about an hour and a half or it can vary by practitioner. Rolfing® uses myofascial release techniques.

Some schools of structural integration are exempt from state licensing or may give you the training needed to become licensed in your state. Structural integration is so very different from Swedish massage which is used in basic massage school and is the bulk of the licensing exam.

There are now two schools of Rolfing® - the Guild for Structural Integration and the Rolf Institute of Structual Integration was created in 1971.

Ida Rolf's many followers took her work and created their own offshoots of Rolfing®.

• Hellerwork® - developed by Joseph Heller included the psychological aspects using "Voice Dialogue" from the Stone's.

• Zentherapy® - from William "Dub" Leigh who combined zen meditation, some movement therapies from Feldenkrais with Rolfing. Also uses Triggerpoint Anatomy Therapy to supplement sessions.

• Kinesis Myofascial Integration (KMI) -Created by Tom Myers, one of Ida's early students. He first studied the lines of fascia and created a system for studying them called 'Anatomy Trains'. The work then developed into a whole system of structural integration based on what he was learning from studying the fascia into something he calls Kinesis Myofascial Integration (KMI)

• Soma -SOMA Neuromuscular Integration® as a modality formally began in 1977. Bill Williams Ph.D. and Ellen Gregory-Williams Ph.D. together developed SOMA as a distinct form of Structural Integration. Ten-session Structural Integration began 55 years ago by Dr. Ida P. Rolf. Karen L. Bolesky M.A., L.M.H.C., L.M.P. and Marcia W. Nolte C.L.M.A., L.M.P. began Co-Directing the SOMA Institute in 1986 and moved the school to Washington State.

• Aston Patterning® - Created by Judith Aston in 1971 as requested by Ida Rolf. She later broke away from Rolfing® and went on to create Aston Patterning® .

Articles on Rolfing® :Hellerwork: Structural Integration for Mind, Body, and Spirit By Shirley Vanderbilt Massage and Bodywork Magazine

SI: Finding Balance Interdisciplinary Structural Integration By Jeffrey Burch Massage and Bodywork Magazine

An Open Universe: Structural Integration An In-depth Look at Ida Rolf’s Legacy By David Davis Massage and Bodywork Magazine

Somatic Education, Movement Therapy,and Massage Freeing the Body from Habitual Patterns By Mary Ann Foster

Soma From Ida Rolf’s Legacy to a New Paradigm for Structural Integration By Karrie Osborn

Share your story, article or information on Rolfing® by filling out the form below.

Have information on this type of massage?

Share your information on the history of this type of massage or some of it's uses and resources on the type of massage.

Enter Your Title

Share your Information or Story [ ? ]

Close Help Entering your information or story is easy to do. Just type!... Your story will appear on a Web page exactly the way you enter it here. TIP: Since most people scan Web pages, include your best thoughts in your first paragraph.

Upload A Picture (optional) [ ? ]

Close Help Do you have a picture to add? Great! Click the button and find it on your computer. Then select it.

Add Picture Caption (optional) 

Author Information (optional)

To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.

Your Name	(first or full name)
Your Location	(ex. City, State, Country)

Submit Your Contribution

Check box to agree to these submission guidelines.


(You can preview and edit on the next page)

|| FAQ's  ||  Career Guides  || Websites  || Supervision || About Me ||

Visit My Other site : www.thebodyworker.com

Privacy Policy