FAQs

What is Somatic Therapy.

A Somatic Therapist or Somatic Therapy Practitioner is a licensed professional, such as a social worker, counselor, public school educator, yoga instructor, or bodyworker, who has received specialized training in trauma-informed techniques. These techniques help establish a therapeutic connection between the mind and body, supporting the therapeutic process.

What is Rolfing®?

Rolfing® is the original form of Structural Integration created by Dr. Ida Rolf. "Rolfing®" is the nickname given by Dr. Rolf's students, which now serves as a registered trademark to distinguish those who have received and continue to receive this specialized training. Others who practice her techniques but did not attend the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute go by the title of structural integrator, or SI Practitioner.

Rolfing® teaches you how to access your body’s deep understanding of posture zones and how each one expresses and orients to gravity. It gives you perspective on your kinespheric space and provides nervous system regulation. All of these factors play a part in determining lasting shifts in posture and function.

Rolfing® Uses 3 techniques in tandem to help bring more order to a body cluttered with compensation patterns that are no longer useful. The 1st is Manual therapy, working with the fascia of the body to loosen and free up tension. 2nd, Mind-body awareness to connect the nervous system to the newly free flowing fascia, and 3rd, movement. To show the brain and the body its new path to least resistance.

Is Rolfing® Painful?

All GAIN no pain!

It’s important to understand that Rolfing® has historically been associated with intense deep pressure. However, with advancements in research, Rolfing® has evolved to embrace a gentler approach. As your Rolfer®, my goal is to connect with the appropriate tension layer and apply just enough pressure to trigger a relaxation response. One of the key aims of Rolfing® is to foster a strong mind-body connection. Your comfort is essential to achieving your therapeutic goals. I encourage you, as the client, to let me know if there is anything I can do to increase your comfort. Throughout the process, I will consistently check in with you to ensure that you are comfortable.

What is a Rolf 10 Series?

The Rolfing® Ten Series consists of ten sessions designed to realign and balance the body’s structure and function systematically. Developed by Dr. Ida P. Rolf, this series aims to address and release restrictions in the body’s fascial system, which is the connective tissue surrounding muscles, bones, and organs.

Here’s a brief overview of what each session typically focuses on:

Session 1: Opening the Breath - Focuses on improving the function of the breath by releasing restrictions in the ribcage, diaphragm, shoulders, and arms.

Session 2: Grounding—This session addresses the feet and lower legs to establish a stable foundation and support for the body.

Session 3: Side Body—This session focuses on aligning the head, shoulder girdle, and hips to create a vertical line and balance the body’s front and back.

Sessions 4-7: Core Sessions - These sessions delve deeper into the body, focusing on the inner midline of the legs, the psoas muscles, the front of the body, and the pelvis.

Sessions 8-10: Integration - These final sessions integrate the changes made in the previous sessions, ensuring the body works as a cohesive unit.

The goal of the Ten Series is to achieve your therapeutic goals in posture, movement, and overall well-being 

Is Rolfing® safe if you are pregnant?

Each Practitioner is different so please ask this question before you try any form of bodywork that doesn't have pre-natal in the title. That being said, my techniques are absolutely safe for pregnancy. 

What is Craniosacral and SER therapy?

 Sometimes tension is caused by painful emotions, phycological stress, or trauma. This may require a gentle and deeply relaxing strategy to help that particular brand of tension to unwind. 

Craniosacral therapy was developed by Dr. John Upleger as an offshoot of Cranial osteopathy. Designed to enhance the functioning of the craniosacral system. It uses gentle touch compression and manipulation of your head, neck, spine. and any area you have symptoms.

SER (Somatic emotional release) therapy is a method that uses the therapists' hands to listen for and detect emotionally driven. symptoms of tension, then utilizing either gentle compression, dialogue or guided imagery to resolve, realize, transform or let go.  

This therapy is a gentle, non-invasive and hands-on treatment that seeks to provide deep relaxation,and relief from headaches, body aches and pains, anxiety, side effects of medical treatments, PTSD and more. 

What is Ki-Hara

Movement is one third of the structural integration paradigm. To deepen my movement strategies, I traveled to Chicago IL to train with Carrie Collins and certify as a Ki-Hara trainer.  Being a Rolf practitioner and student, I also take Rolf movement trainings in pursuit of a Rolf Movement certification. I utilize both of these strategies simultaneously. 

The Ki-Hara method is a form of Peripheral Nervous system Facilitation (PNF). refined by Anne Tierney and Steve Sierra of Innovative Body Solutions, Inc.  this program uses resistance while stretching techniques, This means the muscles are being contracted and lengthened at the same time to keep stretching safe and effective, while conditioning your muscles to be more stable and explosive. Additionally, as a Rolf Practitioner I will include mindful awareness tips and ques, to teach your body and mind to isolate muscle groups, find and solve compensation. 

What should I wear to a session?

The first rule to follow is, please be as comfortable as you can be, I can work with in most parameters of dress. but here are some guidelines that will help you determine what's best for you.

Best NOT to wear anything too loose or too tight, structured or constricting. Such as

• Denim
• Thick spandex
• Open fly briefs 
• Skirts
• Extremely oversized clothing

Wear something you feel comfortable being viewed in and could sleep in

• Simple shorts or soft cotton pants with a simple waist band. 
• simple T shirt / Tank top
• full coverage bra 
• full coverage briefs or boxer briefs

How often should I book sessions?

There are no hard and fast rules and ultimately it is up to you when and how often you receive body work but here is a guideline for optimality: 

If you are interested in going through a Rolf 10 series: it is optimal that you space your sessions out once every 2 weeks or less.  depending on your goals once a month might be fine. 

If you are coming in for regular maintenance, then again, this depends on you and your goals. If you are an athlete with a very active workout schedule, then every week to two weeks is optimal. If your goals are more for self-care and stress relief, or minor aches and pains, then once a month or more is fine. 

If you are seeking body work to solve a specific pain problem, I will try to solve that with in the first session, but sometimes multiple sessions are needed, if that is the case, we together can come up with a good plan to achieve your bodywork goals. 

Pandemic Protocol Update 8-14-2022

Now that we are getting back to a new normal in the wake of the pandemic, I will continue to take precautions to avoid the spread of any contagious virus. 

Here are some guidelines to consider ...

• Please reschedule if you come down with any cold or flu symptoms.  Receiving bodywork when you feel symptoms of illness or infection has the tendency to intensify your symptoms.  
• Please arrive for your session on time or not more than 5 minutes early/late. Sessions will begin and end on time to ensure I can sanitize the space. Also, you will avoid crossing paths with other clients and eliminate the need to use the waiting room, which is a common space in the building.  
• The building no longer requires masks. If you are still wearing a mask, there is a single use bathroom available to avoid the public restroom setting. 
• Please consider washing your hands when you arrive in the building. Hand sanitizer is available as needed. 
• I am always happy to book follow up sessions and take payments at the conclusion of our sessions.  However, if you book your sessions using the provided app or sign up for a reoccurring schedule; store your CC info or send a Venmo payment, you would be helping me keep a tighter schedule. 

Please understand there may be an elevated risk of disease transmission including and not limited to Covid 19 because bodywork involves touch and close physical proximity over a sustained period of time. When you book an appointment with me you do so at your own risk.

To minimize this risk, I have a few rituals. 

• When I arrive to my space, I drop of my personal items then go wash my hands.
• I then clean my office using Lysol, Clorox, microban24, and multi-surface disinfecting pledge on the furniture, walls, and carpets.  
• Before I place linens on the pillows and treatment table, I use hand sanitizer.
• I will be wearing a mask while working with clients at the table, and I will maintain a safe 6-foot distance if i am not wearing a mask. 
• After a session I will strip the table and pillows of the used linens, wash my hands, sanitize all surfaces and use hand sanitizer before I re-dress the treatment table with linens.