Many people who were adults in the seventies, heard at some point about the technique know as “Rolfing”. The term was coined after the woman's name who created it: Ida Rolf. Today the word Rolfing is a service mark of the Rolf Institute and its graduates. When alive, Ida referred to the work she created as “Structural Integration.” It is basically a recipe of deep tissue body work given without oil or lotion, over ten consecutive sessions. Each session builds on the one before, addressing different aspects and layers of the body over time. Clients wear a bathing suit, or their undergarments and are frequently required to participate by moving as prompted by the therapist. Sometimes the client is seated or even in a standing position while receiving the work. The goal of Structural Integration is to create improvement in range of motion and posture with less effort and greater awareness on the part of the client. Some believe that this goal is achieved by changing the quality of a substance in the body referred to as connective tissue or fascia, by stretching and opening up this tissue in places where it has accumulated adhesions, become dehydrated, shortened and/or tight. Once a sense of lengthening happens in these areas, the receiver can often stand up straighter and breath more deeply. The lasting effects of these improvements depend greatly upon the clients willingness to pay attention and practice what they've learned about their body during the series. Some clients find it helpful to refresh this awareness with an occasional tune up visit with their Structural Integration practitioner.
Donna has studied this technique with The Rolf Method School in Boulder, Colorado known as The Guild for Structural Integration as well as in San Diego at The International Professional School of Bodywork. She completed her Structural Integration certification in the summer of 2006.