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Course of Study

Rolfing® Certification Program Overview

Our Rolfing Certification Program is comprised of three phases and self-study typically completed in 12-18 months.

Training Program:
731-hour Foundations Program
600-hour Accelerated Foundations Program

Once You are a Rolfer:


Depending on their background, students must first complete one of the two following classes:
• Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration or
• Accelerated Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration

During these courses, the instructor will assess each student's readiness to begin training to become a Rolfer. Students who begin with the Foundations class must wait between three months and a year before beginning the next class. Students who begin with the Accelerated Foundations class do not have to wait before starting the next class.

During the Foundations class, instructors work with each student to establish a mutually agreed upon plan of practice for the period between the Foundations class and Embodiment of Rolfing Structural Integration and Rolf Movement® Integration.

All students must wait between three months and a year after taking Embodiment before they can start Clinical Application of Rolfing Theory. After completion of Clinical Application, the student graduates as a Certified Rolfer™.

The student then continues training with Rolf Movement Certification, Continuing Education and Advanced Rolfing Training to become an Certified Advanced Rolfer™.


Course Descriptions for Training Program Phases:

Note: The Rolf Institute of Structural Integration defines an instructional clock hour as 60 minutes. Depending on one's path of study, Rolf Institute graduates must complete a total of 600 or 731 instructional hours in the program in order to earn certification as a Rolfer.

Phase I: Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration

218 Hours, Six-week intensive, meets four to five days a week

Pre-Admissions Requirement

Completion of the Rolfing Ten-Series with a Certified Rolfer.

Admission Requirements
The following are required before beginning Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration:
  1. Documentation that the student is beyond the age of compulsory education via submission of ONE of the following:
    1. High school diploma or
    2. GED or
    3. Transcript documenting a minimum of 60 semester hours from an institution of higher education.
  2. Submission of a written two- to three-page personal essay describing how your life experience demonstrates your ability to follow a course-of-study through to completion.
  3. Completion and approval of an application and required enrollment forms.
  4. Submission of a resume and 2 photographs (for identification purposes).
  5. Verification of having received the Rolfing Ten-Series from a Certified Rolfer.
Description

This six-week intensive course is designed to provide the entry-level student with the essential skills and academic knowledge required for the successful study and practice of Rolfing Structural Integration. Students study Anatomy, Kinesiology and Physiology from the distinct perspective of Rolfing SI. Students learn guided palpation and touch through training in Skillful Touch, The Rolf Institute® of Structural Integration's proprietary form of clinical practice bodywork.

Students also train in the essential dynamics and professional skills needed to cultivate and maintain professional therapeutic relationships with clients. The class lectures and demonstrations prepare students for The Rolf Institute of Structural Integration's Life Sciences Entrance Exam which all students must pass prior to Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement Integration. During Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration, students gain experience and receive feedback on their touch skills and client/practitioner relationship skills. Initially, students learn touch and palpation by working on their classmates. The final stage of this six-week course includes participation in a Skillful Touch Clinic where students work on actual clients from the community under the supervision of their instructors.

During Foundations of Rolfing® Structural Integration, each student, in collaboration with the instructor, establishes an individual plan to maximize his/her learning experience during the three month study interval required prior to starting Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement® Integration.

Course Objectives

Students will develop:

Class Format
Class size is limited to 20 students.

This six-week intensive course meets five days a week. Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration offers an integrated and innovative approach to learning about the human body. Taught through well-illustrated lectures, experiential exercises and guided palpation, classes are designed to provide the optimal learning experience. The Rolf Institute of Structural Integration instructors emphasize individual learning by providing each student with support for his/her specific learning needs. Students study the foundation subjects as well as develop skills and knowledge in perceptual acuity, efficient body use, and quality of touch. After successful completion of Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration and all other requirements, students may enroll in Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement Integration.

Following completion of Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration students must document fifty (50) additional hours of Skillful Touch practice. Continuing independent study in the life sciences is also recommended.

PLEASE NOTE: Rolfing SI is not taught in Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration or Accelerated Foundation of Rolfing Structural Integration. Completion of Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration or Accelerated Foundation of Rolfing Structural Integration does not entitle the student to use the terms "Rolfer" or "Rolfing."

Costs

Please see Tuition and Costs

Phase I: Accelerated Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration

87 Hours, Two-week intensive, meets twelve days starting on a Sunday

Pre-Admissions Requirement

Completion of the Rolfing Ten-Series with a Certified Rolfer.

Admission Requirements
The following are required before beginning Accelerated Foundaton of Rolfing Structural Integration:
  1. Documentation that the student is beyond the age of compulsory education via submission of one of the following:
    1. High school diploma or GED.
    2. Transcript of a minimum of 60 semester hours from an institution of higher education.
  2. Submission of a written two to three-page personal essay describing how your life experience demonstrates your ability to follow a course of study through to completion.
  3. Completion of at least a 250 hour bodywork program. Students must submit an official transcript that shows at least 47 hours of Anatomy, 21 hours of Physiology, 45 hours of Massage or other approved touch training, and 15 hours of Therapeutic Relationship.
  4. 50 documented hours of post-graduate massage practice experience or comparable clinical experience.
  5. Completion and approval of an application and required enrollment forms.
  6. Submission of a resume and 2 photographs (for identification purposes).
  7. Verification of having received the Rolfing Ten-Series from a Certified Rolfer.
Description

Accelerated Foundations of Rolfing® Structural Integration is an accelerated class designed for trained massage therapists and bodyworkers who want to study at The Rolf Institute® of Structural Integration to become a Certified Rolfer™. Accelerated Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration provides massage and bodywork professionals with the specialized training and skills required to make a successful transition into Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement® Integration.

Through lectures, demonstrations, experiential exercises and supervised practice, students learn new key concepts related to the mastery of the principles and procedures they will learn in Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement Integration. Students are introduced to Rolf Movement Integration and trained in Skillful Touch, The Rolf Institute's proprietary clinical practice form. Each student is assessed individually, receives feedback, and develops a learning plan in collaboration with the instructor to maximize their learning experience during any study interval prior to starting Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement Integration. An informative review of Anatomy, Physiology and Kinesiology is included in preparation for The Rolf Institute of Structural Integration's Life Sciences Entrance Exam, required for entry into The Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement Integration.

Course Objectives

Students will develop:

Class Format
Class size limited to 20 students

This twelve-day (six days a week for two weeks) intensive course is an accelerated, in-depth program designed to tap into the foundation skills students already have, while simultaneously teaching the new skills they will need to succeed in Rolfing Structural Integration. The dual emphasis here is on cultivating a new conceptual base while preparing students to transition their current touch and palpation skills to Rolfing SI. Students are challenged to explore and learn about the specific features and requirements of touch and palpation in Rolfing Structural Integration, including how it will expand and diversify their existing skill set and professional practice. Upon successful completion of Accelerated Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration and completing all other requirements, students may enroll in Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement Integration.

PLEASE NOTE: Rolfing SI is not taught in Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration or Accelerated Foundation of Rolfing Structural Integration. Completion of Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration or Accelerated Foundation of Rolfing Structural Integration does not entitle the student to use the terms "Rolfer" or "Rolfing."

Costs

Please see Tuition and Costs

Phase II: Embodiment of Rolfing Structural Integration and Rolf Movement® Integration

244 Hours, Eight-week intensive, meets four to five days a week.
(Note: first week of class is Monday – Friday)

Prerequisites
  1. Successful completion of Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration or Accelerated Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration.
  2. Foundations of Structural Integration students only must allow a minimum three month interval between completing their class and starting Embodiment of Rolfing Structural Integration and Rolf Movement Integration, both to complete the required fifty hours of Skillful Touch practice and for knowledge integration.
  3. Passing grade on The Rolf Institute’s Life Sciences Exam.
  4. Verification of having received five Rolf Movement Integration sessions from a Certified Rolfer or Certified Rolf Movement Practitioner prior to starting Embodiment of Rolfing Structural Integration and Rolf Movement Integration.
  5. Approval of completed application and required enrollment forms.
    Please note: This application is due eight-weeks before the start of the Embodiment of Rolfing Structural Integration and Rolf Movement Integration class in which the candidate plans to enroll.
Description

The first week of Embodiment of Rolfing® SI and Rolf Movement® Integration focuses on each student's personal embodiment and understanding of the Principles of Rolfing SI as they are experienced in Rolf Movement Integration. The next seven weeks of instruction provide the student with the skills to recognize simple structural patterns in the body's form and in its function, to see structure in relation to gravity, and to achieve a working knowledge of the basic principles and theories of Rolfing and Rolf Movement Integration.

Course Objectives

Students will be introduced to:

Class Format
Class size limited to 16 students

This eight-week intensive class meets four to five days a week. Please note that for the first week, this class meets Monday – Friday. During this phase of their training, students both give and receive a Rolfing Ten-Series and three Rolf Movement sessions. Lectures, demonstrations and clinical applications will provide students with a broadened perspective on the Rolfing experience. Students will integrate structural and functional approaches to Rolfing SI, learning how to determine when each kind of session is appropriate. The subjects of fascial anatomy, efficient body use, client/practitioner communication, and structural analysis are critical to this phase of the program.

As the format of Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement Integration is an intensive, experiential environment involving immersion in the process of Rolfing Structural Integration and Rolf Movement Integration, students are put in touch with mental, physical and emotional states which may be challenging, however, the class is designed to provide a safe container for students to learn all aspects of Rolfing Structural Integration and Rolf Movement Integration. This includes learning to manage their own emotions, while attending to the needs of their class client.

Most class days include lecture, with one to two days each week devoted to supervised sessions. A good deal of class time is devoted to pattern recognition. Students will observe one another and instructor models in order to facilitate perceptual skills. Learning to identify structural and functional patterns and effectively addressing them in the context of Rolfing Structural Integration and Rolf Movement Integration is a strong focus. Another significant part of learning the sessions is the experience of receiving the work from a classmate. Students are uniquely qualified to give feedback to their classmate/practitioner, facilitating learning for both.

Students are encouraged to bring a spirit of exploration and open-mindedness to the Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement Integration class. They will discover much about the Rolfing process, and about themsleves, during this course. They will also forge lifetime associations with classmates and future colleagues as they prepare for the completion of their basic training, the clinical phase, in Clinical Application of Rolfing Theory.

It is strongly recommended that students receive mentoring between Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement Integration and Clinical Application of Rolfing Theory regarding touch, seeing, understanding and applying the Ten-Series.

Costs

Please see Tuition and Costs

Phase III: Clinical Application of Rolfing Theory

269 Hours, Eight-week intensive, meets four to five days a week.
(Note: first week of class is Monday – Friday)

Prerequisites
  1. Successful completion of Embodiment of Structural Integration and Rolf Movement Integration.
  2. Submission and acceptance of the written paper four weeks prior to the beginning of class.
  3. Approval of the Embodiment of Structural Integration and Rolf Movement Integration instructors.
  4. A minimum three-month interval is required between completing Embodiment of Structural Integration and Rolf Movement Integration and beginning Clinical Application of Rolfing Theory.
Description

In this class students work on clients from the community, under instructor supervision. Upon successful completion of this course, students graduate as Certified Rolfers™.

Course Objectives

Students will gain:

Class Format
Class size limited to 16 students

This class meets four to five days per week for eight weeks. During Clinical Application of Rolfing® Theory students apply the knowledge and techniques learned in Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration or Accelerated Foundations of Rolfing Structural Integration and Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement® to clinical and practical situations. Each student will perform the Rolfing Ten-Series on two clients from the community, in the classroom, under instructor supervision. In addition, students will give Post-Ten and Rolf Movement Integration sessions to Community Client Clinic clients, further preparing them for the diverse needs of a "real world" clientele.

Ongoing attention will be given to students developing efficient body use while working, as well as improving client-practitioner relationship skills, quality of touch, and body-reading. Professional ethics, business and practice building skills are also taught in this class, along with public education practices; preparing students to develop independent Rolfing practices.

Clinical Application of Rolfing Theory Is the Clinical phase of your training. Students will be deepening their understanding of the Ten-Series and three Rolf Movement sessions by practicing under instructor supervision with various clients. Where the student's personal process and experience were a focus in Embodiment of Rolfing SI and Rolf Movement Integration, the focus here is on the client’s process and the ability to carry out the Ten-Series in a competent way. Students will be learning to assess and strategize through the principles of Rolfing SI, while developing the various skills required for attending to clients including attention to seeing, discussion, touch and technique. Therapeutic relationship will be a large part of the learning process as well.

This class consists of lectures, demos and practicums designed to deepen the understanding and ability to perform each session according to the individual client’s needs.

Students should be well rested and emotionally prepared for long days of focused study. The training is a full time endeavor, and it is recommended that outside work and activities be kept to a minimum. Some of the weeks are five days to allow time for extra workshops. Punctuality, dedication to the classroom experience and commitment to the work are required. The goal is for students to graduate to perform the Ten-Series and basic Rolf Movement sessions with confidence and competence.

Students who graduate from the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration receive a certificate that documents their status as a Certified Rolfer.

Costs

Please see Tuition and Costs


Course Descriptions for Post-graduate Courses/Certifications:

Rolf Movement® Certification Integrative Studies Program

30 CE credits/210 hours; plus advising sessions

Once certified as Rolfers, students may choose to continue to develop their skills in the Rolf Movement Integration Certification Program. (There may be opportunities for students who have completed Embodiment of Rolfing Structural Integration and Rolf Movement Integration to train for their Rolf Movement certification. Consult with Rolf Institute staff for more informaiton.)

Framed in the principles of Rolfing Structural Integraton, the Rolf Movement Integration program teaches practitioners to utilize a combination of touch and verbal instruction to guide the client's body towards greater ease and freedom. In the Rolf Movement Certification Program, Rolfers deepen their holistic understanding of the body's function in gravity and learn to honor the client's ability to integrate with and adapt to his/her environment.

Rolf Movement Integration Certification is a fundamental, valuable complement to the basic Rolfing Certification. The program emphasizes the significance of supporting the client's full participation in and awareness of his/her own Rolfing process, the ultimate goal of which is the grace and power that emerges when a person becomes present with their own body and environment.

Prerequisites
  1. Rolfing Certification (There may be opportunities for students who have completed Embodiment of Structural Integration and Rolf Movement Integration to train for their Rolf Movement Certification. Consult with Rolf Institute staff for more information.)
  2. Member in good standing

* Additional prerequisites may apply.

Objectives

Expanding movement education reflects the increased role that an understanding of gravity orientation, perception, coordination, expressivity, and nervous system regulation plays in determining lasting shifts in posture and function. Further, teaching Rolfers to understand, embody, and articulate these perspectives serves the greater RISI mission to educate the world about Rolfing Structural Integration.

Class Format

The Rolf Movement Certification Program in the U.S. is offered as a series of workshops focusing on various aspects of a unified movement theory, and taught in different regions of the country. These workshops may be taken independently for Rolf Movement Continuing Education credit from the Rolf Institute. To receive Rolf Movement Certification in this delivery system, a student is required to take a minimum of 30 Rolf Movement continuing education credits/class days, three days of which can be an independent study project or mentorship, over a period of up to six years, plus attend advising sessions.

Students can enter the Rolf Movement Certification Integrative Studies Program at any point in the rotation of offered courses. Each course deepens one’s immersion in the work, and leads to a clearer understanding of a model that contrasts markedly with conventional thinking about body function. The learning is recursive in nature, rather than linear: the process mimics learning to live in a foreign culture more than it does acquisition of skills. A faculty advisor interviews each student as they move through their chosen progression of courses to assist in seeing how the various topics are building integrated embodiment of the work. The open, flexible format allows students to find their own continuity within the program. This may include receiving credit for approved courses taken in regions outside the U.S.

The Rolf Movement Certification Integrative Studies Program is a response to the need for longer class time to accommodate the scope and depth of an expanded curriculum. Understanding movement requires thoroughness in one’s own embodiment and a personal relationship to the varieties of coordinative patterns that clients present. To meaningfully address working with embodiment, Rolf Movement Integration courses emphasize experiential learning and represent an immersion-based approach.

The workshop format allows for time between segments to further embody and apply the work in one’s practice. It also shortens the time students must be away from home.

For more information, please visit the Rolf Movement Certification Integrative Studies Program page.

Costs

Please see Tuition and Costs

Continuing Education

The Rolf Institute is committed to cultivating academic growth and therapeutic skills in all of its graduates. To maintain their Rolfing certification, Certified Rolfers must complete a minimum of eighteen days of approved continuing education over a period of three to seven years in preparation for Advanced Rolfing Training. If certified as a Rolf Movement Practitioner, Rolfers have up to nine years to complete their Continuing Education credits and enroll in the Advanced Training.

Continuing Education studies can cover a broad range of relevant subjects. Certified Rolfers may take workshops in specific manipulative techniques or may explore other related subjects such as CranioSacral Therapy or Visceral Manipulation. Some credit requirements can be met through approved mentoring programs.

Rolfers receive quarterly announcements of workshops and training opportunities, or can find upcoming Continuing Education opportunities on the website.

These continuing education requirements are among the many ways in which The Rolf Institute maintains its high standards and demonstrates them to the community.

Advanced Training Certification

168 Hours

Prerequisites
  1. Certification as a Rolfer.
  2. A minimum of three years in Rolfing practice.
  3. The following Continuing Education:
    • 9 hours Rolfing manipulation credit taught by a Rolf Institute approved Rolfing Manipulation instructor
    • 3 hours Rolf Movement credits taught by a Rolf Institute approved Rolfing Movement instructor
    • 6 hours elective credits approved by the Rolf Institute – 3 of which must be in the category of Cranial Sacral work

* Additional prerequisites may apply.

In order to maintain affiliation with The Rolf Institute, this course must be completed within seven years of initial Rolfing certification, or within nine years if one first completes the Rolf Movement Integration training. Continuing Education credits must fulfill certain categories.

Objectives

This program emphasizes how to make more precise and subtle distinctions as well as how to recognize and manipulate specific kinds of motion restrictions, including myofascial, articular, and functional. Working outside of the Ten-Series is emphasized.

Class Format

Advanced Rolfing Training is a 168 hour course, divided into 24 days that may be arranged in one of several formats. 

The Advanced Rolfing Certification Program is a forum for refinement and development of the work through a deeper examination of the diverse aspects of Rolfing SI, with Rolfers bringing their experiences from their private practice into the classroom setting. The Advanced Rolfing Certification Program provides a format for examining the energetic processes that are a fundamental part of the client-practitioner equation. Each Rolfer learns how to use these processes consciously and intentionally. The focus is on being able to meet the specific structural, functional and energetic needs of the individual client. Attention is also directed to these same aspects of the practitioner's own process. This program is designed to bring a deeper level of understanding to the Rolfer and his/her clinical practice.

Costs

Please see Tuition and Costs