Strange thing to hear from a Rolfer I bet, especially since the field of Rolfing was more or less built on the belief that postural symmetry was the key to pain-free living. Folks often come see me to work on their posture, believing that better posture and greater symmetry will help them become pain-free, or keep them pain-free for life. Paradoxically, when you work hard at "good" posture, that very effort is often the culprit underneath your pain. Not an asymmetry or imbalance in your posture. Fact is, if you have less-than-perfect posture, you'll most likely be fine.

Rolfing In Austin, Chronic PainMike WilliamsMay 1, 2024improved posture, pain relief, chronic painComment

You Can't Smash Your Tension Away

I’m just going to be blunt here: you can’t overpower and smash chronic tension out of your body. Doesn’t matter if you find the strongest, smartest, most skillful bodyworker on the planet. Why is that? You’re working against your biology in two key ways: (1) you and your nervous system have constructed that tension for a very solid set of reasons that smashing won’t eliminate, and (2) your fascia, the stuff that holds you together, is designed to provide you more stability & adaptability than human hands can change.

Pain, pain relief, Rolfing In AustinMike WilliamsJune 6, 2022rolfing for physical pain, body wisdom, RolfingComment

Triage vs. Transformation

One of the best decisions you can make is to seek outside help when you’re in a painful situation or stuck in a non-productive cycle. And, it helps to have eyes on exactly what it is you want out of the partnership, and for yourself, as a result of the work you do together. Your mindset, your intentions, and your awareness will all determine how effective working with a new coach or practitioner, or starting a new practice, will be.

Soma Sapien Journal