ABOUT
MELISSA SURO
Certified Advanced Rolfer
I have been certified as a Rolfer and Rolf Movement Practitioner since 1996. I received my advanced Rolfing certification in 2001. I have been a dancer in tap, jazz and ballet along with being a gymnast. I received my B.A. from the University of Rochester majoring in Health and Society. I work with professional athletes on improving athletic performance, clients on pain management and helping clients improve postural alignment from daily stresses. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, having fun with my family, gardening, biking, snowboarding, training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and cooking healthful meals.
THE ORIGIN OF ROLFING
So where did this word ‘Rolfing’ come from, anyway? Yes, it is an odd name, yet when you realize it is formed after Dr. Ida P. Rolf (1896-1979), you understand the origin. Dr. Rolf, received her Ph.D in biochemistry from Columbia University in 1920 and embarked upon a relentless desire to find health solutions for her and her family. She experimented with many forms of treatment including homeopathy, osteopathy, yoga and chiropractic. Through her work, she came to realize the basis of these remedies are all founded in proper anatomical structure.
She understood that imbalances in alignment block the bodies ability for overall well-being. When the body is out of alignment, gravity is creating demands on the body’s interconnected network of tissues: muscles, fascia, tendons and ligaments. Her focus was devoted to soft tissue manipulation and movement education which she coined “Structural Integration”, which we now call Rolfing.
She founded the Rolf Institute in Boulder Colorado to teach others her work and create a certification system to legitimize the practice. Melissa Suro received her certification from the Rolf Institute in 1996.
