The Rolfing® Association of Canada (RAC) is the professional association that represents Rolfers™ doing the practice of Rolfing Structural Integration (SI) manual therapy in Canada.
Our members are graduates of the Dr Ida Rolf Institute (DIRI), and they are bound by the same code of ethics and standards of practice as all Rolfers internationally.
2024-25 Volunteer Board of Directors
Jason Brhelle – Chair
Kathleen Coulombe – Vice Chair
Fawn Sewell – Treasurer
Lorelle Demont Loomis – Secretary
Jen Hayes – Outreach and Communication
Officers are elected at the Annual General Meeting, usually held in late winter/early spring of each year. Other volunteer opportunities are available! Please contact us if you are interested in serving.
Vision of the Rolfing® Association of Canada
The RAC is a national not-for-profit organization representing all Rolfers™ in Canada. The RAC is building a strong national presence for Structural Integration (SI) as a professional category of manual therapy. SI is one of the many types of touch therapy available to the Canadian public.
The RAC is working towards offering regular Basic, Advanced and CE Rolfing trainings in Canada. Part of this work also includes educating the Canadian public, insurers, legislators, and health care systems about the strengths and skills of Canadian Rolfers as manual therapists doing SI.
Mission of the Rolfing® Association of Canada
The RAC is committed to advancing the profession of SI in Canada by:
- SUPPORTING all Rolfers™ in Canada with professional services such as trademark licensing, continuing education (CE), advanced training, practice building, and community events promoting Rolfing SI.
- DEVELOPING Basic Rolfing SI trainings in Canada to increase the number of Canadian Rolfing practitioners.
- EDUCATING the Canadian public about Rolfing SI as a touch therapy that supports wellness and recovery from soft tissue injury and chronic pain.
- PROVIDING awareness to insurers, legislators, and the healthcare system of the benefits to the population when Rolfing SI is included into wellness insurance packages.
History of the Rolfing® Association of Canada
The RAC formed in 2007 as a Regional International Office (RIO) of the Dr Ida Rolf Institute (DIRI) in Boulder, Colorado. The RIO agreement with DIRI authorizes the RAC to represent Canadian Rolfers™, to offer Rolfing SI trainings, and to promote Rolfing SI in Canada. The governance of the RAC is provided by a volunteer board of directors who are certified Rolfers™ & Advanced Rolfers™.
The Dr Ida Rolf Institute (DIRI) (http://www.rolf.org)
The DIRI is located in Boulder, Colorado. It’s the original SI school established in 1971 by Dr. Ida P. Rolf (IPR) to teach and certify people doing the work of Rolfing® SI.
Today, Rolfers™ can be found practicing all across the US, Europe, Brazil, Australia, Japan, Canada, and many other countries. DIRI is the centre, the hub of all Rolfing work; it is the place that IPR chose for her legacy to continue on as an educational institution.
Together, DIRI and the RIOs (RAC, BRA, ERA, JRA) are focused on sharing the benefits of Rolfing SI internationally.
What is the Rolfing® Service Mark?
The Dr Ida Rolf Institute (DIRI) was granted the service mark “Rolfing” in 1979 by the United States Patent Office in order to differentiate “Rolfing” as the type of SI manual therapy taught exclusively at DIRI. DIRI then acquired the service mark for “Rolfing” Canada and many other countries around the world. The only Canadian professionals allowed access to the trademarks “Rolfing”, “Rolfer” and “Rolf Movement” are those who have graduated from DIRI (or an affiliated RIO school) and maintain good annual standing with the RAC and DIRI.
