Welcome
Amy Adamczak, Certified Advanced Rolfer™, BCSI
ROLFING ® STRUCTURAL AND MOVEMENT INTEGRATION
About Rolfing ® Structural Integration
What is Rolfing Structural Integration?
Rolfing Structural Integration is a type of myo-fascial bodywork that seeks the overall alignment of the body’s structure. Rather than focusing only on symptomatic or painful areas of the body, Rolfers work throughout the body with the intention of integration. Rolfers understand that painful symptoms in the body often indicate compensation for structural imbalance or instability in areas that are distant from symptoms. Treatment in the symptomatic area alone may yield only temporary relief.
A Rolfer will note where your symptoms are, but will view them in light of your whole body, and work to free restrictions in your overall body pattern. A Rolfer’s goal is to elicit balance and support for the whole structure, so parts of the body don’t just relate to other parts, but are functioning as a unified, integrated whole.
When you come for a session, your Rolfer will ask to see you standing and walking to observe how your structure and movement are organized. She will ask about how your body is feeling and your typical activities. She will then work with you lying on a padded massage table, as well as sitting and standing to release myo-fascial patterns in your tissue, aiming to create greater freedom and ease in movement.
The Rolfing 10 Series™
Typically, a Rolfer accomplishes this goal of integration a series of sessions. Dr. Rolf, the founder of Structural Integration, over years of observation of how the body best responds to and integrates structural change, developed a sequential approach to align the body in the gravitational field. She organized the work into 10 segments. Each segment builds upon the last and prepares the body for the next. The initial three segments address the superficial layers of the body’s connective tissue. Segments four through seven free restrictions in the deeper structures of the body. The eighth through tenth segments balance and align the body as a whole, and encourage the adoption of new patterns of movement that utilize the increased mobility and flexibility achieved with Rolfing.
Dr. Rolf’s Ten Series is a collection of goals rather than a fixed set of techniques. The Series guides a Rolfer in understanding and working with each person’s unique structure. Although session content, length, and number may differ depending on the needs and structure of each client, there are certain guidelines and landmarks that characterize a series. The Rolfer uses this recipe and the principles of Rolfing to plan and guide the work.
To learn more about each session of the series, click below.
About Dr. Ida P. Rolf
In 1920, Ida Pauline Rolf received her Ph.D. in biochemistry from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. Throughout most of her life she was intrigued with and explored many forms of alternative healing including homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic and yoga. The notion that proper alignment, physiologic function and anatomical structure are related is the basis of many of these healing methods. Dr. Rolf agreed that the body functions best when the bony segments are in proper alignment. She added her observations that lasting improvement in alignment and an overall sense of well-being required a closer look at the effects of gravity on our bodies. She believed that the imbalances in structure placed demands on the body’s pervasive network of soft tissues: muscles, fascia, tendons and ligaments, thereby creating compensations throughout the body structure.
Dr. Rolf posed this fundamental question: “What conditions must be fulfilled in order for the human body-structure to be organized and integrated in gravity so that the whole person can function in the most optimal and economical way?” Her life’s work was devoted to an investigation into the conditions that must be met for the person as a whole to function optimally. This investigation led to a system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education designed to organize the whole body in gravity, what we now call Rolfing. In order to pass along her work to others and to make the education process accessible she developed an expedient series of ten sessions, which came to be known as the Ten Series.
About Amy Adamczak, Certified Advanced Rolfer, Rolf Movement Practitioner, NCPT Pilates Teacher
Amy received the Rolfing® Structural Integration series in 2000 after an injury from a bicycle accident left her with ongoing discomfort in her neck, shoulder and back. Rolfing SI relieved the discomfort, improved her range of motion, and allowed for a greater enjoyment of her life. Amy was touched by the possibilities that Rolfing opened for her, and wanted to share the possibility for enhanced movement and expression with others.
Amy attended the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration® in Boulder, Colorado. Amy was certified as a Rolfer™ in 2003. The training consists of 725 classroom hours of anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, ethics and Rolfing technique for those who have demonstrated ability in manual therapy, as well as the maturity and sensitivity to work with people using this technique. Amy completed her Rolf Movement® Certification and became a Board Certified Structural Integrator in 2006. She completed the Advanced Rolfing SI Training in 2011. Amy practices yoga and the Pilates Method and became a Pilates Method Alliance Certified Pilates Instructor in 2008. She teaches private lessons in Pilates mat work, small equipment and reformer at her studio. Amy teaches workshops in anatomy, functional movement and core stability for Pilates and Yoga teachers and students.
Amy’s interests in movement, consciousness and healthful living dovetail in her work as a Rolfer. She enjoys gardening, beekeeping, music, hiking, and dogs.
Appointments
To Schedule:
Appointments may be made by calling
419-343-1883
Appointments are available Monday through Friday. Amy has some flexibility to work with your schedule.
Her office is at 3454 Oak Alley Ct. Suite 406, Toledo OH 43606
An introductory consultation session before beginning the structural work of the Rolfing series allows us an opportunity to discuss your goals, health history and what you may expect of the Rolfing process. It is a good time to ask any questions you may have. This session is scheduled in advance of your first structural session. It lasts 45 minutes, and is $45.
Structural Sessions are $200 each. Appointments last approximately 60-75 minutes. Typically, sessions take place once weekly or every two weeks.
Sessions are paid for at the time of the session. It is not necessary to pay in advance for a series of sessions.
Cash and checks and credit cards are accepted.
To schedule your appointment, please call
419-343-1883.
Testimonials
I spent my 19th birthday and the two days that followed flat on my back. Unfortunately, this painful scenario was only a preview of what was to come for the next 25 years. A herniated disc, spondylithesis and inoperable degenerative disc disease left me in constant pain. As an RN, I sought treatment through the usual paths… physical therapy, a back brace, pain medication and consulted the best surgeons. My back, however, was not getting any better. As the years progressed, my pain only got worse. I needed a new solution.
I began researching Ida Rolf and the benefits of Structural Integration after two family members were Rolfed. Their results were overwhelmingly positive, but would it work for me? Could the damaging effects of gravity on my spine be healed or possibly reversed? Was Rolfing the therapy that would improve my quality of life?
That’s when Amy Adamczak entered my life. After careful analysis, she went to work. The Rolfing Structural Integration sessions focused on different areas each week and varied in intensity. Slowly, my body was morphing. Every week, Amy worked patiently and diligently to correct the damaging effects of time and gravity. I felt more flexible, lighter, straighter, and even taller. My headaches were less frequent. And my back pain was abating. I came to understand how my body interconnected in a way I had never learned in nursing school. I also experienced tremendous improvement in my spiritual and emotional well-being. Physical change is only one of the benefits that Rolfing provides.
Amy was always calm, compassionate and comforting. Even during very intense sessions, Amy was professional, gentle and steady. I trusted her implicit ability to “read” my body’s deficits and determine the root origin. Amy’s knowledge of physiology, combined with her intuitive touch, produced tremendous and positive change in my overall health. Amy has given me the gift of improved health and I am immensely thankful.
Mary B. Age 45
I undertook Rolfing SI with Amy Adamczak following an accumulated array of work-related neck and spine maladies that I assumed would be permanent and progressively debilitating. The first three sessions were beneficial… Upon leaving the fourth session I felt as if a dark cloud had been lifted from my being. Subsequent sessions helped to restore a sense of optimism about my physical and general well-being. Two years hence — I’m lighter, more active and more aware of my body. Amy’s work resulted in me feeling younger and more flexible– no small feat given my state of my prior to working with her.
Michael R, Age 35
This has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Getting the treatments from Amy has helped my body to heal and decrease the pain levels I've had in my body for so long. I am feeling much better since having the treatments and Amy is amazing.
Gretchen R, age 59
The Rolfing Structural Integration process I began 2 years ago became a launching point for an injury free training regimen that resulted in progress and achievement that surprised me! The improvement in flexibility and awareness of body mechanics were two major benefits I experienced as a result of working with Amy. I recommend the Rolfing process with Amy for anyone.
Scott S, Age 40, Ironman Triathlete
Rolfing Structural Integration has increased my body awareness. My balance, footwork and athleticism seem to be improved. I have been an athlete my entire life yet I still see and feel some noticeable changes after my Rolfing sessions. It seems my body symmetry has improved and I experience this new feeling while walking, moving or exercising. No wonder many athletes endorse Rolfing as a means to enhance their athleticism.
Tuffy R, Age 70
My situation was an unusual one that was very much improved after my Rolfing Structural Integration sessions. I was in a severe automobile accident that resulted with me having multiple injuries. The worst of these resulted from my femur going through my pelvis, which destroyed my hip joint. I was 22 years old at the time and had to have my left femur and pelvis fused together. This left my without a functional hip joint and eliminated my movement there. With this, I had to modify the way I did many everyday things, such as walking, getting dressed, sitting, putting on shoes, etc. 21 years later I was able to get a total hip replacement. I went through three months of physical therapy and I still had limited movement with this hip due to atrophy and muscle and ligament shrinkage over the years. My entire body was out of alignment because of the way I had to stand and compensate over time when I didn’t have a hip joint. After the surgery and physical therapy, I had a very detailed medical physical examination, and I was referred to a Certified Rolfer, Amy Adamczak. My doctor recommended that I go through a series of Rolfing sessions to regain mobility in my hip and to get my body realigned properly.I was skeptical at first, but decided to give Rolfing a try. I did not notice much change after the first two sessions, but by the third visit I had greater range of motion in my hip joint and noticed that I was walking better. By the time I completed the ten sessions, I gained mobility back in my hip and could do normal things again. I now stand straight because my hips, back and shoulders are aligned properly. I can walk without the limp I had for so many years. Amy has improved my life with her knowledge and Rolfing SI techniques.I sent my wife to Amy because she had neck and shoulder pain, and I would highly recommend Amy Adamczak to anyone who has had injuries, pain, or muscular related problems.
Dan M. Age 46
I suffered a groin injury and sought medical advice from my family doctor. After seeing no results from his treatment, I began seeing specialists, taking lots of medications, having numerous medical tests, X-rays, physical therapy, and even had a surgeon do an exploratory operation to see if he could determine the cause of my pain. This went on for seven years, and not only did I not see any improvement in my pain, but the pain spread from my right groin to the entire right side of my body from head to toe. After 7 years, I was at an all time low both physically and mentally and willing to try anything to resolve this pain issue because it was destroying my life. That’s when a friend told me about Rolfing and what it had done for him. I realized I had nothing to lose, so with my skeptical attitude and aching body I got on my computer and did a little research on the Rolfing Structural Integration process. I selected a Rolfer from the list on the computer and made an appointment to see Amy Adamczak. I told her from the beginning that I had very little faith in what she was doing, and that she had five visits to show me some improvement because I was tired of services that did not produce results.
After the first two visits I really didn’t see any improvement. Desperation for some kind of improvement in my pain situation caused me to follow her instructions and continue. Then it hit me, a couple of days after my fourth session I noticed that some of the tightness in my right leg was going away and the range of motion in my neck was beginning to improve. This was more improvement than I had seen in seven years.
I saw more and more improvement each week. I felt like “Wow!” this is actually working. I continued for a total of sixteen visits and reduced my pain level by about 95%. I haven’t been in for a session for eight months and I still feel great.
Today I am a true believer in Ms. Adamczak’s ability and would encourage those who are in pain to try five or ten sessions to see if she can improve your situation.
The range of motion and strength I have today in the right side of my body is remarkable when I consider the level of discomfort I was in for those 7 painful years. . . . My only regret is that I didn’t meet Amy seven years earlier.
Ed S, Age 35
Rolfing Structural Integration was more than just physically realigning my skeletal structure, it really taught me to be aware of my own body.The realignment did help to eliminate most of my back and knee pain, but there was so much more. I learned how to use my mind to control and manipulate my body in ways that I never dreamt possible. We are all given a body, but few of us really
know what it does or its potential. I would recommend Rolfing, especially
with Amy Adamczak, to anyone interested in opening there eyes to a new world
of self awareness.”
Chad C, Age 28
The tune-ups Amy provided me prior to the three wall handball season prepared me for play. I started off the summer playing twice each week and quickly moved to three times per week without injury. I could not have played all summer without her help.
Francis R, Age 78