Favorite Find #3: Hellerwork

I was first introduced to this type of bodywork when I was watching a TV show (60 Minutes?) and saw the story of a concert pianist who regained the use of his hand through Rolfing. This was after 20 years of only being able to play with one hand! Hellerwork is a technique that branched off from Rolfing. There was a Hellerwork demonstration at an LA RSI Support Group meeting I attended. I ended up making an appointment for a session and it turned out to be one of the best things I would do. It was Hellerwork that made it possible for me to move from the “if this is all my life is going to be what’s the point of going on” phase to the “this is still really a challenge but I can at least begin to have a life again” phase. The Hellerwork sessions were sometimes very painful, but I was in so much pain when I started that I didn’t really care. As it turned out I was finally able to get the pain down to a far more manageable level and begin to get my independence back. Never mind the fact that I hadn’t been able to drive, my husband had to turn on the water faucets and turn door knobs for me. I felt like an old woman when I was only in my twenties. Sometimes just the weight of my arms was too painful and I had to prop them up on pillows.

The downside is the cost. I barely managed to pay for a minimal frequency of sessions and eventually had to drop them. Hellerwork is on my list of things to return to when I have some extra $$. Luckily I had achieved a significant breakthrough during the time I was able to pay for the sessions. When you have limited funds you have to prioritize your options and go with the one that will give you the most bang for your buck at the current time.