The Difference Between Hellerwork and Rolfing; Hellerwork The Gentler Form of Rolfing

BOTH come under the heading of structural integration.

BOTH are focused on repairing the fascial layer of the body to improve the structure.

BOTH use connective tissue (fascia) bodywork invented by the early osteopaths (a technique no longer practiced by American osteopaths).

BOTH have the goal of restructuring and realigning the body using the series invented by Ida Rolf.

Joseph Heller once Ida Rolf’s student and co-creator of the Rolf Institute and training course broke ties over the emotional aspects of rolfing and the idea that it needed to be forceful and painful to work.

Ida Rolf claimed that it wasn’t that she wasn’t interested in emotions but that she couldn’t get her hands on them.

Hellerwork was specifically designed to address the emotional aspects of the series of 11 sessions to unwind the body and realign the body.

Voice dialogue became part of the Hellerwork training and Joseph Heller assigned themes for each of the sessions that corresponded to the work being done in each session.

Hellerwork also includes body movement lessons to help people understand what it is that they are doing to cause the body to go off from its alignment and give them ideas of how to keep the work that they have received. How to sit, stand walk with grace and ease.

There was always a complaint that Rolfing was too rough. I hope that after all these years of research that we all realize that trying to force tissue actually damages the fascial layer which is why Hellerwork is referred to as “The Gentler Form of Rolfing”

Hellerwork is a complete bodywork system that addresses the fascia, emotions and movement making it more holistic.

Kay Hogan M.Ed.
Hellerworker
Alexander Technique Teacher
Natural Vision Educator
www.kayhogan.com
925-676-3696