Every body has a shape. Before I met Rich Goodstein, a Santa Barbara–based Certified Advanced Rolfer, I saw my body as merely a vehicle that carried my head around, its shape two-dimensional. Rolfing, though, focuses on the dynamic, three-dimensional architecture — the body as a house and a home.
Rolfing is a type of bodywork based on a kinesiological framework, similar to asana yoga and osteopathy. Though it shares commonalities with massage and acupressure, Rolfing is unique in its concentration on the fascia, the “organ of structure” interconnecting the entire body. As we age, physical habits cause the fascia to become rigid. The postures we settle into over the span of months, years, and decades sculpt our bodies into a particular shape.
“My clients arrive experiencing restriction, inflexibility, even pain,” Goodstein explained. “Their bodies aren’t working the way they used to. Their activity has diminished over the years. While other treatments may have temporarily alleviated their discomfort, they haven’t resolved the root problem, which is a misalignment of the body as a whole.”