Rolfing – A Different Kind of Massage Therapy

For many people, there is little to no different between traditional massage therapy and rolfing.

For those who are rolfing practitioners or “rolfers”, as they are sometimes called, as well as for those who are rolfing proponents, rolfing is a completely different type of therapy.

While it still involves the manipulation of soft tissue in the body, rolfing differs from massage therapy in its basic principles.

Essentially, the purpose of rolfing is to loosen up the soft tissue in the body so it does not interfere with the function of the muscles.

Through a period of ten one hour long sessions, the rolfer will help the patient to lengthen their tissues and muscles.

This also puts the body in alignment with gravity, something that rolfers also attribute to physical comfort and general wellbeing.

Rolfers also offer advanced and maintenance sessions for regular recipients of rolfing treatments.

Meditation as an Alternative Therapy

The list of alternative therapies that are not readily or legitimately recognized by the medical community is long.

Most members of traditional medical organizations like the American Medical Association would never recommend treatments like herbal therapy, homeopathy, or acupuncture to their patients.

What is surprising is that in recent years more and more traditional medical practitioners have pushed their patients to practice meditation.

Meditation is recommended to a very wide variety of patients suffering from any number of symptoms and illnesses.

For example, patients with chronic pain from severe illnesses like cancer or arthritis often will practice meditation to alter the brain’s perception of pain.

Patients with emotional disorders, like Generalized Anxiety Disorder, are often prescribed meditation as a way to calm the mind during severe anxiety attacks.

Other benefits of meditation are heightened self-awareness and observation as well as relaxation and concentration.

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