FAQs

 

Who is Rolfing for?

People all kinds of backgrounds benefit from Rolfing. Athletes seeking better performance or recovery from an injury find tremendous value, but so do ordinary folks who just want to keep working toward their own fitness and adventure goals. Here are some links to articles and videos of people who have been helped.

A Competitive Edge: Rolfing for Athletes https://www.adventuresnw.com/a-competitive-edge-rolfing-for-athletes/

Olympic Hopeful Tolu Wusu Talks About Rolfing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQUC68hmE8w

Golden Tate of Seattle Seahawks Talks about Rolfing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaW_mHuQEdI#action=share

It’s a Hard Knock Life: Bodywork for Active Kids

https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/active-families/its-hard-knock-life-bodywork-active-kids/

What kinds of issues do you work with?

I have worked with a lot of issues. Physical pain: neck pain, back pain, knee pain, foot pain, headaches, sciatica, shoulder pain, nerve pain. Physical pain is usually accompanied by some mental or emotional pain: ‘can I really get better? will I be able to do the things I used to do? can I still do the things I love to do? can I learn how do things differently so I don’t get hurt like this again?’ My experience is that yes, you can feel better, and, for the most part, you can still do the things you love, and do them in a way that keeps that injury at bay.

I also work with people who have experienced concussions, whiplash, and surgery. These issues can be addressed during the ten series or independently, depending on the severity.

People with ADHD and other neurodiversity can benefit from this work, as well. I take on these people on a case by case basis.

Finally, I work with people who feel pretty good, and are just interested in feeling better. Rolfing is about optimizing our relationships with our bodies and our selves.

What is a session like?

A session starts with determining your goals. Once we’ve got a clear idea of what we’re aiming for, we start with a movement assessment. I’ll ask you some questions about your body that you perhaps had not considered previously. You’ll do a few simple movements and notice what they feel like. Then we will do some work on the table. I use varying degrees of pressure to allow your body to find a new way of moving and ask you to do very small movements to help. After that, we may do some work in sitting and standing, and then we will revisit those movements we did at the beginning of the session so we can track what’s happened. After that, I usually give you a bit of homework to help you continue to feel better between sessions.

How many sessions do I need?

The gold standard of Rofling is a ten session series. The ten series allows us to thoroughly assess and intervene in the entire body and on superficial layers, like the muscles and tendons, as well as the deeper layers like the fascias of the organ systems and the nervous system. This is like the 100,000 mile tune up for your car. It is a complete overhaul and prepares you for your next set of adventures in life.

I also do a five series of advanced work for people who have already had the ten series as well as tune-up sessions on an as-needed basis.

Children who have not yet entered puberty do not usually require the ten series. Most kids just need a short session or two to get them through those bumps and bruises and back on track.

Bio

I began my journey in bodywork as most people do, with an injury. After years of being a competitive cross country skier, mountain runner and soccer player, I had a knee injury that just didn’t get better, even though I was working in a physical rehab setting at the time. I had done all the stretches and exercises, and even had surgery, but still I had knee pain and weakness. Finally, I found Rolfing, and after just two sessions, I was back in action. I continued the full series of ten sessions because I just loved discovering how good I could feel. A few months after that, I was in my car, driving from Anchorage to Boulder to study at the Rolf Institute (now Dr Ida Rolf Institute). I enjoy sharing this work, and have studied broadly so that I can bring a range of skills to help people heal.

I became a Certified Advanced Rolfer, Rolf Movement Practitioner, and Board Certified Structural Integrator. I served on the DIRI faculty from 2005-2017. During those years I learned from master teachers and practitioners. I particularly enjoy teaching from a place of curiosity and affirmation. Prior to embarking on the field of structural integration, I was a scientist and technical writer. You can read some of my articles and thoughts in the links below.

In addition, I have studied the fascial systems of the viscera (organs), the nerves and the cranium in order to include these structures in the work. This allows me to work sensitively with the body’s nervous system and allow the work to permeate deeply and to be, thereby, integrated into everyday life.

I have also been a SourcePoint Therapy practitioner since 2008. SourcePoint Therapy facilitates all my work. SourcePoint helps by facilitating an assessment of the main events for each session and integrating the work very quickly, enabling greater function with every intervention.

Currently, I am living in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, because the mountains have called my family to come ski. I have also lived and practiced in Anchorage, AK, Boulder, CO and Middlebury, VT.


Education

International Association of Structural Integrators
Board Certified Structural Integrator

2007

2006—2019

2006—Present

2005

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy

Board Certified Structural Integrator; Boston MA

2004

Additional Rolfing® movement training with Hubert Godard

2003

Rolf Institute of Structural Integration; Santa Monica CA
Certified Advanced Rolfer™

2002

1998—Present

Visceral Manipulation

Rolf Institute; Boulder CO
Certified Rolfer™

1995

Rolf Institute; Boulder CO
Rolf Movement® Practitioner

1995

University of Washington; Seattle, WA
Master of Science, Speech and Hearing Science

1990

University of Vermont; Burlington, VT
Bachelor of Arts, Communication Science and Disorders, Magna cum laude

1988


Publications

I tried it: Rolfing® Structural Integration
BOKUR, Debra
Publication: Healing Lifestyles & Spas

How the Principles of Anusara Yoga are like the Rolfing® Structural Integration Series
ALLEN, Duffy

Overview of Research Designs for Rolfing® Structural Integration
ALLEN, Duffy
Publication: Structural Integration / Language: English
Date: 12-2004 / Vol: 32 / Issue #: 4 / Page: 17-19

Co-Laborare
ALLEN, Duffy / PRADO, Pedro
Publication: Structural Integration / Language: English
Date: 03-2005 / Vol: 33 / Issue #: 1 / Page: 25-28

What Did Dr. Rolf Want?
SCHREI, Robert / McCALL, Ray / MAITLAND, Jeffrey / ALLEN, Duffy
Publication: Structural Integration / Language: English
Date: 03-2008 / Vol: 36 / Issue #: 1 / Page: 35-38

Self-Care for Rolfers™
ROSSI, Cornelia / SALVESON, Micheal / SCHLEIP, Robert / BERG, Valerie / WALKER, Thomas / ALLEN, Duffy
Publication: Structural Integration / Language: English
Date: 09-2009 / Vol: 37 / Issue #: 3 / Page: 2-5

Advances in the Theory and Practice of Rolfing®
PEDRO, Prado
Publication: Structural Integration / Language: English
Date: 09-2008 / Vol: 36 / Issue #: 3 / Page: 40-53

Strategies for Using Movement
ALLEN, Duffy
Publication: Structural Integration / Language: English
Date: 06-2012

Other Publications by Allen, Duffy - Ida P. Rolf Library for Structural Integration


Skills and Teachers

As complementary skill to Rolfing and Rolf Movement strategies, Duffy has also studied Craniosacral therapy, Visceral Manipulation, Somatic Experiencing, and SourcePoint Therapy.

Rolf Movement teachers include:
Hubert Godard, Kevin Frank, Rebecca Carli, Pedro Prado, Carol Agneesens, Lael Keen, and Gael (Olgren) Rosewood.

Visceral Manipulation teacher:
Elizabeth Gaggini

Biodynamic Craniosacral teacher:
Michael Shea

Structural Integration teachers:
Carol Agneesens, Tessy Brungardt, Neil Powers, Pedro Prado, Peter Schwind, Elizabeth Gaggini, Jonathan Marine, Jan Sultan, and Michael Salveson.

Mentors in teaching:
Pedro Prado, Ray McCall, Thomas Walker and Jonathan Martine as well as Kevin Frank and Rebecca Carli.

SourcePoint Therapy is taught by:
Bob Schrei and Donna Thomson.

Somatic Experiencing teachers:
Lael Keen and Russell Jones.

And, for my start down a path less taken in physiology; James Oschmann.

Also, every student in every class I have ever taken or taught.