Hellerwork for a Fit Mind, Body and Spirit

By Anita Boser, President of the American Hellerwork Association

Everyone knows that consistent physical activity is essential to good mental, physical and even spiritual health. Unfortunately, the very activities that individuals engage in to maintain and improve their health and fitness also make them vulnerable to stress and strain, especially on tendons, ligaments and joints. Hellerwork, a dynamic, three part system of deep tissue bodywork, movement education, and dialogue can provide a natural, holistic way to enhance movement and flexibility, improve posture and alignment and relieve pain, enabling health conscious individuals to safely enjoy their fitness programs and routines.

The Hellerwork bodywork modality was introduced in 1978 by Joseph Heller. Joseph worked as an aerospace engineer for ten years before studying Rolfing with Dr. Ida Rolf. He became a Rolfer in 1972 and became the first president of the Rolf Institute in 1975. Dr. Rolf’s technique was to use deep manual pressure or structural integration to release blocks in the body’s connective tissues and decrease structural tension by realigning the body.

Although Joseph Heller patterned his bodywork approach on the ten-session Rolfing program, he felt that restructuring alone wasn’t enough to achieve a long term permanent change. He incorporated movement education into the work to keep his clients from drifting back into the movement patterns that had unbalanced them in the first place. Also, he encouraged clients to explore attitudes and beliefs that might have contributed to their physical structural problems. This unique combination is designed to produce permanent change for lasting good health and personal growth.

During the eleven 90-minute session Hellerwork series, tension and stress are released and the natural structural balance of the body is restored to a more aligned and relaxed state.

To fully understand the process, it helps to learn about fascia, the connective tissue that Hellerwork primarily affects. Like a multi-layer body stocking, fascia is a plastic-like tissue wrapping muscles and weaving in layers throughout the body. In its optimal condition, fascia is loose and moist, and facilitates movement and flexibility.

However, due to chronic physical or emotional stress, lack of movement, or physical trauma, the fascia can become rigid and lose its flexibility. When this happens, the layers of fascia will stick to one another, often causing “knots,” pain, adhesions and restriction of movement. Our own movement patterns determine how our fascia gets stuck. Also, because it is literally “connective” tissue, tension, stress or knots in one part of the body can affect many other areas of the body, as well.

An unbalanced or misaligned body may even react to the simple force of gravity as a stressor. This is often what causes people to stiffen and shorten as they age.

The Hellerwork practitioner releases tension in the fascia by manually stretching it back to its normal position. This release returns the body to a more aligned position, helping the client to feel an uncommon, but normal state of relaxation and well-being.

The movement education teaches the client to become more aware of their body and movements. During sessions, clients will spend part of the time standing, sitting and walking; they are coached on their movement patterns. Simple but effective suggestions and visualizations are used to help the client rebalance their movements for optimal alignment and efficiency. Video feedback may be used to enhance this process.

The conversational dialogue component helps the client become aware of emotions and attitudes and how they affect the body. The focus of the conversation begins with, but is not limited to, the theme of each session. This helps the client become aware of how emotions can impact the body. By becoming aware of these emotional patterns, the process of change in the mind and body can begin.

Each of the eleven Hellerwork sessions has a theme and each one is designed to focus on a specific area of the body to facilitate better alignment, flexibility and balance. The themes of the sessions are: Inspiration; Standing on Your Own Two Feet; Reaching Out; Control and Surrender; The Guts; Holding Back; Losing Your Head; The Feminine; The Masculine; Integration and Coming Out.

There isn’t one standard reaction to Hellerwork, but typical responses include an increased range of motion, more energy, increased relaxation, a more graceful walk, slightly increased height due to better alignment, ease of breathing, and enhanced awareness.

The Hellerwork practitioners are a unique group of extensively trained health educators and professionals who are committed to actualizing the principles of Hellerwork, not only in their sessions, but also in their daily lives. For more information or to find a Hellerwork practitioner near you, email info@hellerwork.com.

Anita Boser is a certified Hellerwork practitioner in Issaquah, WA and is the President of the American Hellerwork Association. Contact Anita at bosers@seanet.com or 425-765-2713.