Rolf Institute History
Dr. Ida P. Rolf, a biochemist and Rockefeller University fellow, founded the Rolf Institute in 1971, in Boulder, Colorado. Rolfing® is a brand of Structural Integration. Rolfing®, Rolf Movement® and Rolfer™ are registered service marks of the Rolf Institute® of Structural Integration (RISI).
Driven to find solutions to her own health problems, Dr. Rolf spent many years studying and experimenting with different systems of healing and manipulation. Dr. Rolf posed this fundamental question: “What conditions must be fulfilled in order for the human body‐structure to be organized and integrated in gravity so that the whole person can function in the most optimal and economical way?” Her life’s work was devoted to an investigation into the conditions that must be met for the person, as a whole, to function optimally. This investigation led to a system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education designed to organize the whole body in gravity. She discovered that she could achieve remarkable changes in posture and structure by manipulating the body’s myofascial system.
Dr. Rolf eventually named this system Structural Integration and later it was nicknamed “Rolfing” by clients and practitioners. In order to pass along her work to others, and to make the education process accessible, she developed an expedient series of ten sessions which came to be known as the Ten‐Series.
Rolf Institute Focus
• To select, train, and certify qualified and competent practitioners of Rolfing Structural Integration.
• To provide continuing education for practitioners of Rolfing Structural Integration.
• To promote programs of research in Rolfing Structural Integration.
• To educate the general public concerning the principles of structural integration and the useful and beneficial nature of Rolfing Structural Integration.
Description of the Rolfing® Structural Integration
Rolfing Structural Integration offers a combination of hands‐on bodywork and movement education. It manipulates the body’s connective tissue to rebalance the body and bring relief from chronic pain, stress, and injury. Using their fingers, hands, and elbows, Rolfers slowly work through deep layers of tissue to change structural patterns in the body by transforming fascial patterns and releasing restrictions. Results can be dramatic, and the process is not necessarily painful as it has been shown to be more effective if the body is more at ease during the work.
Rolf Movement Integration offers education about one’s body, so one can recognize habitual movement patterns and learn to move with greater ease, flexibility and freedom of expression whether simply walking or performing some special activity. Professional athletes, dancers, children, business professionals, and people from all walks of life have benefited from Rolfing Structural Integration.
1. Principles of Intervention - Rolfing training begins with the Ten Series developed by Dr. Rolf. Over the years, the faculty at the Rolf Institute has articulated the core principles on which the original series was based, including variations of Dr. Rolf’s original protocol. By understanding these principles Rolfers can work effectively inside or outside of the Ten Series and incorporate intervention strategies that reflect the unique needs of each client.
2. Gentle Varied Touch ‐ As Rolfers work with the deep myofascial structures, some people may experience the work as uncomfortable; however, Rolfers have continued to develop a broad range of techniques that produce profound results with less discomfort.
3. Joint Mobilization ‐ The Rolf Institute faculty has created a range of soft tissue techniques that release the motion restrictions that impede whole body organization. These techniques increase Rolfers’ effectiveness in working with many common structural problems.
4. Personal Experience ‐ Rolfing is a holistic technique in that changes in structure can impact the whole person, physically, emotionally, and energetically. Ultimately, each client’s individual experience plays a central role in Rolfing’s transformational aspects.
5. The Integration of Structure and Function ‐ In Rolfing Structural Integration, the Rolfer releases these patterns through manipulation as they manifest in the client’s structure. In Rolf Movement Integration, the Rolfer helps clients become aware of their inhibiting movement patterns and teaches them how to change them. Rolfing is as concerned with how people experience and use their bodies in their daily lives as with their structural organization in gravity. This unique blend of both, the functional and structural aspects of Rolfing, is a distinctive feature of the training at RISI.
Rolfing Certification and Accreditation
The Rolf Institute is the sole certifying body for Rolfers, offering a comprehensive 731-hour certification program. This certification enables graduates of the training program to become members of The Rolf Institute, who may offer this work to the public,referring to themselves as Certified Rolfers™ and Rolf Movement® Practitioners. To determine if a practitioner is a Certified Rolfer, consumers look for the trademark, ROLFER™, ROLFING®, ROLF MOVEMENT® and THE ROLF INSTITUTE®.
The Rolf Institute Rolf Program is accredited by The Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation. In order to graduate from an accredited program all three class of the program must be attended at the Rolf Institute in Boulder, CO. International school programs are not accredited by COMTA; their graduates, however, are Certified Rolfers.
The National Certification Board approves the Rolf Institute for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork
(NCBTMB) as a continuing education provider.
Rolfing Research
Rolfing Structural Integration has become the subject of important research, and studies have been conducted at major universities, such as UCLA and the University of Maryland, which document the positive physical and emotional effects of the work. Research has demonstrated that Rolfing creates a more efficient use of the muscles, allows the body to conserve energy, and creates more economical and refined patterns of movement. Research also shows that Rolfing significantly reduces chronic stress and changes in the body structure. A study showed that Rolfing significantly reduced the spinal curvature of subjects with lordosis (sway back); it also showed that Rolfing enhances neurological functioning.
Rolf Institute Educational Studies
The Rolf Institute training program offers Rolfing certification in three formats: Certified Rolfer™, Certified Advanced Rolfer™ and Rolf Movement® Practitioner. The Rolf Institute has the largest number of faculty of any school that trains people in structural integration. The Institute has centers in Europe, South America, Australia, Canada and Japan.
Training programs are available for entry‐level students, with no prior background in bodywork, and for professional bodyworkers. Advanced training is mandatory for Certified Rolfers. Continuing education is also available for professionals in all types of structural integration as well as other types of bodywork.
Tuition for the complete program to become a Certified Rolfer™ ranges from $15,055 to $17,300. Certified Rolfers receive training in ethics standards and are required to follow a “Code of Ethics.” Certified Rolfers who become members are licensed to use the Rolfing trademarks.
Demographics
There are over 1700 Certified Rolfers in 35 countries, internationally. In the U.S., Rolfers practice in all 50 states, with concentrations on the East and West Coast and in Colorado. Client population ranges from infancy to old age, and is distributed equally between genders. Clients could also be animals, including dogs and horses.
Contact
For more information about The Rolf Institute, please contact Susan Winter, Manager for Marketing and Public Relations, at 303‐449‐5903 x 109 or at swinter@rolf.org.
(This information was taken directly from the Rolf Institute website.)
