I don’t believe in miracles, I only believe in what is proven to work.

I am not really sure what I expected when I walked into my first Rolfing appointment with Allison Benner. Perhaps more pain and theory or another therapy that helped but didn’t ultimately live up to its promise.

Whatever I had thought was wrong.

After half of my life being repeatedly injured ( I was a terrible and clumsy motorcycle racer) and the second half trying to repair the damage, I had finally found a process that worked.

A healer instead of a practitioner… I rarely had to tell Allison what I needed, she already knew.

I turned 71 last week and my back and hips are virtually pain free, and have now been longer than for any period in my long adult life. Joints, muscles, hands and feet are working as they haven’t for decades.

And that’s the truth.

Thank you Allison.

"My 7 year old son, Dean, is a very active and wild boy. He has complained of headaches and backaches in the past (too many flips on the trampoline!) Allison suggested Rolfing. When she began working on him, I was so amazed at how much of his body tissue was twisted and knotted! After all he is still so little and perfect, right?! After she had Rolfed him only once, his complaints went away. I am so grateful to Allison and Rolfing because now I can do something to prevent injury down the road for my active kid." - Danielle, Dean's mom

First and foremost, Allison is simply an amazing person and therapist. Before meeting Allison, I believed Rolfing was a place to go and get 'pounded' on with some really deep tissue work that makes you sore for a few days and eventually better. To my surprise, Allison's practice isn't in the same dimension - She is incredibly gentle and extremely focused. Further to my surprise, I've see more immediate and long term improvements in reversing the negative effects of 15+ years of highly competitive club and college soccer in one session than I've ever experienced in multiple PT, chiropractic or massage sessions combined.  Finally, Allison has also introduced me to the idea of feeling great. This, I have learned, is a very different experience than just the absence of pain. I currently don't have much pain but have, over the past 6-8 months, begun to feel great :)

"After working with Allison through the ten series I was able to reach a new level of physical health.  With each session, I could feel dramatic changes in the range of motion in each area of my body. All of my muscle groups started to feel more fluid and after a few months I was the strongest and most pain free I had been in years. Allison was able to correct my form on certain exercises and show me how to properly build up the strength of my lower back. All along, Allison had been emphasizing how important it was to stretch a little each day and would give me little things to do as homework in between sessions. As I became more flexible I noticed a huge increase in the stability of my body.

Allison's other passion is Yoga and she blended it seamlessly with my physical development. Allison was able to tailor a routine specifically to my needs and I use it regularly. Rather than just fix my problem, Allison was genuinely interested in educating me to avoid further problems and have a better quality of life. I recommended my sister to Allison who has had chronic back pain due to 15 years of gymnastics and three back surgeries with varying degrees of success. After going through the same process of Rolfing and Yoga my sister is now pain free and my entire family credits Allison with her new look on life. Fifty years down the road I will credit Allison with my families continued health and well being.  She has been an amazing resource and I always look forward to learning something new from her."

I received Rolfing a number of years ago, which was helpful but extremely painful. I started having hip pain again and was referred to Allison by a co-worker, who raved about Allison's expertise and gentleness. Since then, Allison has helped me in so many ways. Her sure and subtle work has helped unwind old habits and inefficiencies that have hindered my movement and balance. Hips, back, ankles, feet, jaw, ribs – all are more functional, fluid and flexible as a result of Allison's work. Allison's experience with yoga, dance, breath and other healing modalities inform and compliment her work. She approaches each person in their wholeness, educating, encouraging and celebrating along the way. Allison provides an amazing array of ideas, referrals and resources: practices, exercises, poses, props, shoes and classes, all to support one's health and healing. I feel so fortunate to have found Allison and to continue to benefit from her extraordinary gifts, and would encourage anyone who would like to inhabit their body better to experience her work.

Both my husband and I are such believers in Allison's abilities that we have referred at least seven of our friends and family members to her. Each person has been thrilled with the help they they've received and amazed by the depth of her knowledge.

I originally went to see Allison for help with an old injury that negatively impacted my balance and posture and caused pain in my hip. As a result of her work, I walk with more ease and energy and feel I have a much stronger, more balanced foundation from which to move. Since then, I've seen Allison for a tennis injury, which definitely aided my recovery. I'm now seeing her in preparation for shoulder surgery. Through working on alignment and muscular organization, I believe I'll have better results both from my surgery and in my recovery.

I so much appreciate the assistance I've received from Allison, but what I really got from her is that I didn't have to live with deficits. I've really learned how to take care of myself and have taken addition steps, including Pilates and Yoga, to be able to move with more efficiency and fluidity. I've told Allison numerous times that she has wise hands.

Good health was something I had in abundance. Then I had abdominal surgery and within a year’s time I could hardly walk or sit due to shooting pain down my left leg. I had gone to a physician, chiropractor, physical therapist, and massage therapist as well as undergoing tests and getting orthotics to no avail. The massage therapist I saw had been a professional dancer and suggested I try Rolfing as it had been very beneficial to her during her dancing career. She did some research and recommended I try Allison and I am so glad I did! While it has been a long road with many discoveries, including the fact that I needed to learn how to walk, balance and breathe correctly, I am back to my active self with a few limitations and modifications. Unfortunately, one does not undo 50+ years of doing things incorrectly overnight. Allison has been wonderfully compassionate, caring and creative throughout the process. She is highly professional and is invested in using all her skills to help discover and resolve my physical issues.

Somatic Experiencing with Allison has been a total game changer. Allison holds safe space to touch on fear and anxiety, then guides you back to a feeling of safety, helping you connect pathways that you may not otherwise have access to on your own. As someone who often intellectualizes feelings, it’s been an important step in my healing journey to be guided into fully feeling. I have been dealing with attachment anxiety throughout my life and have worked with a variety of practitioners. Working with Allison has helped me find a deeper, more embodied healing than I have with traditional talk therapy.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Allison for two years now. I originally came to her for problems in my low back associated with a herniated disc. Her methods and practices have given me so much physical relief, but a session with her goes beyond her physical touch. She is not only a healer, but a teacher as well. Her knowledge of the body and all it's systems, and how our brain communicates with all those systems is what truly makes her special. She shares this knowledge with you as she works with you. Whether it's a recommendation for an exercise at home, or a better pair of shoes, or a great book to aid you in your healing, she is there to help you get well. I have not only benefited from her therapy, but her knowledge as well. I have learned so much about my body and am in a much better place physically and mentally because of her. Before I met Allison I thought perhaps I would have to resign myself to living In pain. After working with her, I know that couldn't be further from the truth. I hope she never stops doing what she's doing! 

"I see Allison because I have had lots of surgery on my ribs. She helps me by loosening scar tissue so my muscles can move better. I can take bigger breaths and move my arms better. Rolfing doesn't hurt. It feels good most of the time, especially my neck." - Sawyer Benson

"Allison has worked with my son for several years now. Sawyer has thoracic insufficiency which requires surgery at least twice a year. He always looks forward to his appointments. Rolfing has benefitted him in several ways; more flexibility and movement in his rib cage and increased range of motion in his arms. I can't prove the correlation, but since Sawyer has worked with Allison he has not been hospitalized with pneumonia. That's amazing!" - Melissa Benson, Sawyer’s mom