Beth Franzese
My Story
They say the body is the temple of the soul; i think of myself as a temple renovator.
My dance journey began at the age of 3, inspired by the Sugar Plum Fairy. By the time I was 14, I was teaching local children folk dance and ballet. I became a professional modern dancer, but my art was hampered by excessive physical tension, a result of mild scoliosis, improper body mechanics, and emotional armoring. In my early twenties, I was in a minor car accident, and soon after that began having chronic pain in my leg and lower back. My quest for a type of bodywork that would help free me from pain began.
I tried massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, and energy work, several practitioners of each modality. Nothing alleviated my pain for long, but I became fascinated by the idea of working with people’s bodies, and studied Shiatsu at the Ohashi Institute, developing a small practice. I also searched for change through corrective movement and tried a variety of movement therapies, including the Susan Klein technique, Bartenieff movement, and traditional athletic training. They say the body is the temple of the soul; I think of myself as a temple renovator.
I found the teaching of human movement and postural improvement much more interesting than that of dance technique. I was still in pain. A fellow dancer told me she was being Rolfed. “It takes all the junk out of your muscles.” That intuitive description of Rolfing® matched what my body needed. My Rolfer™ took photos of me at the first session; and I was appalled at how twisted and contracted my body looked. As a dancer, I’d prided myself on good posture.
The first session left me pain-free for longer than any other method had. Over the course of my series, I felt relief for longer intervals, and eventually, the pain subsided. The bonus was that my body became more flexible, my posture more erect and symmetrical, and I gained half an inch in height.
Along with the physical changes, I was able to feel emotions that I had been previously numb to, and then to make progress in psychotherapy that had eluded me. I knew I had found my life’s work. I was certified as a Rolfer™ by the Rolf Institute in 1985 and as an Advanced Rolfer™ in 1991. In addition to decades of continuing education with the Institute, I studied craniosacral therapy with John Upledger, visceral manipulation, Gyrotonic, Chinese medicine, and Qi Gong. I hold a B.S. in Exercise and Movement Science from Hunter College and am certified in Active Isolated Stretching. I also am an LMT, though I do not provide traditional massage.
I studied various martial arts, most notably Aikido, for 20 years, holding blackbelts in Tae Kwon Do and Aikido. My joy in my work continues to grow. I hope to share all the benefits I’ve received from Rolfing® with my clients.