August 2002 [Volume 1, Issue 6]
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In this issue of To Your Health:
What Is Rolfing?
"Rolfing" refers to a specific type of massage that relies on deep pressure on tissues that cover muscles and internal organs. Also known as "structural integration," Rolfing aims to align different areas of the body relevant to gravity, i.e., the head, torso, legs, etc.
Rolfing
is named after Dr. Ida P. Rolf. Over 50 years ago, she created a system
of healing based on soft tissue manipulation and movement education that
organized the whole body in gravity. She named this system "structural
integration." Over the years, practitioners of this art coined the term
"Rolfing" in honor of Dr. Rolf, and the name has stuck.
Structural integration focuses on the tissues surrounding the muscles ("fascia") rather than the muscles themselves. The aim of this technique is to align and balance the body by lengthening and repositioning the fascia.
To learn more about Rolfing and other forms of massage therapy, go to https://www.massagetoday.com/aboutmt.
Lending a Helping Hand
So, you think massage therapy only takes place in stuffy offices for $60 or more an hour? Think again. Time and time again, massage therapists around the globe are showing their spirit of giving. Case in point: a group of MTs who provided free massage to firefighters battling the raging forest fires in Colorado this summer.
From June 14-17, Andi Tilmann and other massage therapists and students from Full Circle School of Alternative Therapies in Edwards, Colorado provided massage to firefighters. Most of the massage volunteers worked five consecutive hours each night.
According to some of the firefighters, they've been firefighters for /years and never had massage in camp, and never had a community be so grateful or offer them so much support.
Reference: Colorado firefighters find relief in the hands of massage therapists. Massage Today, August 2002: Volume 2, Number 7. Available free on line at https://www.massagetoday.com/archives/2002/08/03.html.
This Month's Massage Q & A
Question: I'm still in high school, but I'm interested in becoming a massage therapist. What do you suggest?
Answer: Finish high school first, then train as a massage therapist. In the meantime, I suggest you take any anatomy and physiology courses that are available to you, and see a massage therapist for one or more sessions.
Also, bear in mind that becoming a massage therapist is not an obstacle to going to college, if you can and want to attend.
Question: Can you share your thoughts and experiences on the pros and cons of being employed and self-employed in the massage field?
Answer: The pros and cons seem pretty clear to me: Working for someone else gives you a bit more predictability and security (maybe!), as well as an opportunity to learn from supervisors and co-workers. But, of course, you have to do things their way.
Working for yourself gives you a great deal more freedom, but it takes time to build a practice, and there's a lot of potential insecurity and unpredictability.
Note: Information provided in the Massage Q & A section is drawn from comments posted on the "Ask a Massage Therapist" forum, where massage therapist James (Doc) Clay fields questions on the profession. The forum is located at https://www.massagetoday.com/ask/
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