I've had chronic pain for most of my life. Sitting hurt. Standing, even more so. No matter where I was or what I was doing, I was constantly uncomfortable in my own skin. I'd seen physicians, chiropractors, massage therapists, all of whom offered temporary relief of symptoms but none seemed able to determine the underlying cause. After my first session with Richard I sat up from the table and sobbed. For the first time in years, I felt real relief. Not only were my shoulders finally free of pain, they felt light, unbound. I got up and walked around and felt like I was floating.
I feel I’ll never be able to properly thank him for all of the work he has done. I honestly never thought it was possible to feel as good as I do now.
Richard is kind, patient, and above all, professional. Rolfing is intense work and it can feel strangely vulnerable to have your movements examined, but Richard remained the utmost professional during every session.
—Brittany G.
I stand differently now. I walk differently as well and with much greater ease. I’m just much more relaxed. I’m also calmer and more patient around my kids.
One of the things I really appreciate about Richard is his personal hygiene and the cleanliness of his studio—it sounds funny to say, but it just stands out and you don’t always find that.
—Andrea M.
I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical coming to Rolfing, but in my very first session when Richard started to work on my back I began to immediately notice a difference. He began by working underneath my back, guiding me to release down over top of his hands. He’d free up one area then move on to another. It felt like my whole back was one big piece of elastic and he was gently releasing each strand. It never felt painful as the reputation of Rolfing suggests it might be.
It was such a huge thing for me to finally find something that provided both immediate and long-term relief from chronic back pain.
—Morgan C.
My 10-session series with Richard went far beyond what I was hoping for. I’m 60 years old and by the 5th session I was already feeling what I can only call an alivening of flexibility and a renewal of childhood nimbleness.
—Lawrence M.
When I relocated for work from Los Angeles to the Pioneer Valley, I was concerned about whether I would be able to find a practitioner who could help me rehabilitate certain nagging injuries. To my great relief, shortly after arriving in the area I found out about Richard Shaw. I began with the initial ten-session Rolfing program which progressed over several months.
Now I’ve settled into a once a month visit which is highly effective for me. Richard is a world-class body worker. His office is meticulously clean and well organized and he is the consummate professional. He begins each session by listening attentively to the issues I have been experiencing with my body since the last visit, and then he performs a comprehensive analysis of my posture and gait. Only then does he decide on a strategy for that day’s session.
As he works through each session, Richard takes the time to ask questions, check in with me and to monitor how my body is responding to the work. He explains what he is doing and allows me the opportunity to ask questions and make comments. He strikes an excellent balance between knowledgeable professionalism and empathetic concern for the client’s comfort and overall experience. The results I have experienced working with Richard have been excellent. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a top-notch Rolfer.
—Scott B.
Getting up off the table after my 7th session, I had to remember how to walk, I was so tall and light and it was all so new. I felt like Eve at the creation taking her first steps!
—Amy G.