Hellerwork - is a type of bodywork created by Joseph
Heller, a former NASA aerospace engineer. Like Rolfing, Hellerwork uses deep-tissue massage to help reduce stress and ease
mobility.
Heller was originally taught Rolfing by Ida Rolf, Ph.D., a Columbia University trained biochemist,
who created the therapy in the 1930s. In 1976 he became the head of the Rolf Institute, now located in Boulder,
Colorado, which oversees the training of Rolfing practitioners. Two years later he developed
his own variation on the method, which added verbal dialogue and movement exercises to the hands-on work.
How Does It Work?
Like Rolfing, Hellerwork is based on the premise that physical and emotional stress--as well as gravity--can
throw the body out of vertical alignment and cause the connective tissue known as fascia to become rigid and inflexible. (Fascia
encases muscle and connects muscle to bone.) These problems can then lead to more stress, illness, and a loss of general well-being.
Hellerworkers seek to realign the body by using intense pressure and stroking to stretch shortened and tightened
fascia back into shape. The goal is to make the fascia softer and more flexible, and to restore its natural balance in relation
to muscles, tendons, and bones.
The two components that distinguish Hellerwork from Rolfing verbal dialogue and movement exercises complement
the massage component. Through verbal dialogue, Hellerworkers help clients explore attitudes, feelings, and past traumas that
may be contributing to their current physical and emotional state. Using movement exercises, clients are taught how to sit,
stand, walk, run, bend over, and perform other ordinary actions in a stress-free, efficient way. This threefold approach aims
to realign the body and release deeply held tensions, which, it is believed, will help increase energy, flexibility, and overall
health and well-being.
Health Benefits
Proponents of Hellerwork claim that it can relieve respiratory conditions and problems related to muscle tension
and stress, as well as treat sports injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, and back and neck pain.
While some forms of bodywork, such as massage, have shown clear benefits in studies, few studies have been done
with Hellerwork. Even so, many Hellerwork patients are very positive about its effects.
To learn more about Hellerwork please contact:
Hellerwork,
Suite 211, Coppergate House, 16 Brune Street,
London E1 7NJ Tel 020-7721 7770
