The Advanced Rolfing Fort Worth tenth session is the opportunity to complete the series of treatments the patient has experienced thus far. No new work is introduced in the tenth hour, only completion of the change in the body. When working with the different types of structural dispositions available in our society and the world at large it is important to maintain continuity throughout the Rolfing session work. The basic Certified Rolfing 10 series is not so basic in its application only in its attempt to prepare the body for the necessary advanced components of the Rolfing session work.

When working with functional asymmetric clients or dysfunctional asymmetric clients it is important to understand that extending the Rolfing working to all segments of the body is ideal and a necessary function of what Rolfing is and Myofascial Release and/or other attempts to replicate Certified Rolfing are not accomplishing which is Structural Integration. The head, neck, shoulder girdle, arms, hands, spine, pelvic girdle, legs, feet and numerous other landmarks and structures are all part of the Rolfing session work, are dynamically interrelated and connected, so they must all be addressed in a systematic manner that demands and necessitates integration. It is the application of the combinations of tilt, shift, and rotational techniques with Rolfing that will optimize structural integration and they are all applied with each of the segments of the structure in mind, if not you end up with a client that is no better than or worse off than before the work started.

The shoulders and arms have been briefly discussed before but I will say that patterns in functional and dysfunctional asymmetric Rolfing clients are mirrored in the opposing side of the opposite girdle. The neck and spine has the potential and predictability to flip patterns in dysfunctional asymmetric patterns so that what was once a Type I segment has now begun to function as a type II and visa-versa. These segments are addressed by initiating Rolfing techniques that reverse and or reduce the direction in an attempt to normalize functions in the spine and neck. Also the cranial segments have the capacity to shift and rotate depending on the segment so the integrative approach transitions from the tip of the toes to the top of the head. There are a number of issues that can be addressed by the systematic techniques of Rolfing. Practitioners that are not Certified Rolfers are likely to charge less for their services while accomplishing nothing or do more damage than anything, hence the old adage that “you get what you pay for”. This completes the Advanced Rolfing Fort Worth Ten Series.

John Barton, Certified Rolfer & Rolfing Fort Worth-Dallas