Structural Integration and the Legacy of Dr. Ida Rolf

Every legitimate Structural Integration practitioner, someone certified in at least 730 hours of Structural Integration-specific training, traces their lineage back to one person: Dr. Ida P. Rolf. 

In the mid-20th century, Dr. Rolf developed a system of hands-on work with the body's fascia (connective tissue) designed to improve alignment, ease chronic tension, and support more efficient movement.

After her death, several schools emerged to carry her work, the Rolf Method of Structural Integration, forward. Each training program teaches practitioners in her original method.

The Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® (DIRI) is one of these training programs. They trademarked the term Rolfing®. It refers specifically to structural integration performed by practitioners who are graduate members of that Institute and licensed to use the name. 

Today, the field is organized around the International Association of Structural Integrators (IASI), a professional body that recognizes training programs that meet rigorous standards rooted directly in Dr. Rolf's teachings. There are now 15 IASI-recognized training programs around the globe.

All IASI-recognized Structural Integration training programs share the same lineage and they descend from Dr. Rolf's original curriculum, taught through different schools. That means a practitioner trained at any IASI-recognized program has studied the same foundational body of work, regardless of which institute issued their certificate.

Cheat Sheet

• If your practitioner graduated from any IASI-recognized program, they practice the Rolf Method of Structural Integration. 
• If your practitioner specifically graduated from the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute, they can also pay to use the registered trademark term Rolfing®. 
• If your practitioner did not graduate from an IASI-recognized program, they are not practicing Structural Integration.