Information for New Clients

Please wear underwear (boxer briefs, briefs, athletic shorts, yoga leggings; no boxers), and whatever top covering, or not, reflects your gender expression (bra, sports bra, tank top, trans tape; no t-shirts). No compression garments. The most important thing is that you are comfortable walking around and moving on and off the table during the session. There is a changing room available and a bathroom down the hall.

I intend to maintain a fragrance-free space in my practice to support accessibility.

Please refrain from wearing any lotions or scented body products to your session. This includes, for example, moisturizing lotions, sunblocks, body oils, perfumes, colognes, body sprays, strongly scented hair products, and other products with scents, including essential oils. Unfortunately, applying these products before your session will negatively impact my ability to work with you. There may be other clients coming after you who are allergic/sensitive to scents as well. Thank you for your attention and care towards this important issue.

If you wake up feeling sick the morning of your appointment, please contact me by phone or text message to reschedule your session.

I am fully up-to-date on Covid vaccines and boosters. There is a HEPA air filter in the office space, and Thornes has updated all of their HVAC system with a top-of-the-line filtration system. I am happy to wear a KN95 mask for your safety; please let me know during your intake call if you would like me to mask during your sessions.

There may be times when you need to miss an appointment. Please text me at least 24 hours prior to your appointment time or use the online scheduler to cancel or reschedule. If you cancel within 24 hours or no show, you will be charged your regular fee (what you last paid for a session) via Venmo or the credit card you entered with your appointment. Please note that if you are more than 20 minutes late to your session, you can choose to either pay in full for a shortened session or reschedule/no show and pay for the missed session at your regular rate.

Exceptions will only be made in the case of communicable illness that began within 24 hours of your session (especially respiratory, gastro-intestinal, or skin rash) or emergencies beyond your control. If you have an active respiratory or gastro-intestinal illness or skin rash in the days before your appointment, please reschedule at least 24 hours ahead. 48 hours is always preferred as it will allow me to fill your spot. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Rolfing originally got the reputation for being painful back in the 1960s-70s. Since then, we’ve learned a lot about the neuroscience of change and have adapted as a modality. Rolfing should not hurt. We will always work together to find the level of engagement that works for you. One of the things we will practice is how to distinguish between intensity, pain, and discomfort. Like any good learning, we want to keep your body engaged and interested, but not to a degree of danger or pain where you can no longer learn something new.

No. There are many ways that Rolfing differs from massage. One key difference is that Rolfing is educational: we are teaching your body to access new options and possibilities for movement, sitting, standing, and being. Another is that Rolfers work holistically, observing how patterns express through the whole body, and then working specifically through the fascia to reorganize those patterns. Sessions are collaborative and engaging, meaning that you will be asked to pay attention to what you are experiencing, whether it’s a certain kind of touch or a movement cue. As it’s often said, “instead of tuning out, let’s tune in.”

Some clients find that creating extra space in their lives for integration and reflection upon their experiences is supportive. This can look like time for journaling; taking a walk; resting; taking an epsom salt bath; hydrating; eating foods you know support you; and connecting to the people, activities, and places that resource you. If you enjoy exercise, doing so during your Rolfing series can be beneficial, especially if you can take the opportunity to notice any new possibilities in your coordination and movement. Generally it is best to wait until about 24-48 hours after a session before pushing your limits with an exercise or training regimen. If you are interested in receiving Rolfing during in-season competition, let’s discuss further so we can schedule your sessions appropriately.

Rolfing Structural Integration was developed by Ida P. Rolf, PhD in the mid-20th century. Dr. Rolf received her PhD in biochemistry from Columbia University in 1920s, where she studied fascia, the dense, fibrous connective tissue that supports our whole structure and surrounds and interpenetrates bone, nerves, blood vessels, muscles and groups of muscles. Seeking solutions for her health problems and those of her family members through study with chiropractors, osteopaths, homeopaths, and yogis, she came to understand that functional alignment, physiologic function, and anatomical structural are related. Building on this, she turned her attention to how the repetitive motions of our everyday lives, lived under the pressure of gravity, can put undue strain on our fascia, causing it to shorten, thicken, and tighten — and thereby restrict movement. She asked, “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?" From here, she began to develop her method — what she called “Structural Integration” — in which, through soft tissue manipulation and movement education, the fascia can be restored to support a lasting improvement in alignment and overall sense of well-being. Dr. Rolf continues to be recognized as a pioneer and leader in soft tissue manipulation and movement education.

Since her death in 1979 at the age of 83, the Rolf Institute© of Structural Integration in Boulder, CO, has continued to share her work by certifying Rolfers© and Rolf Movement Practitioners, supporting research, and building upon her inspiration. Today, there are more than 1,950 Rolfers and Rolf Movement Practitioners worldwide.

Rolf Institute of Structural Integration

International Association of Structural Integrators