Rosen Method is an approach to relaxation and healing distinguished by its gentle, direct touch. The practitioner focuses on chronic muscle tension and the breath, encouraging and allowing the client to become more aware of body sensations and internal experiences. As relaxation occurs, memories, attitudes and unconscious feelings may emerge.

What has been held down by muscle tension is often what has prevented us from becoming who we really are. As clients become aware of and let go of suppressed emotions, they often report relief from chronic muscle tension as well as an improvement in physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.

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The benefits of Rosen Method frequently include less pain and tension, as well as increased aliveness and vitality. It is not uncommon to experience a new sense of clarity about one's life purpose. This leads to an ease in making decisions that improve the quality of one's life.

The most commonly cited benefits are:

  Relaxation of muscle tension and chronic holding

  Increase in flexibility and vitality

  Deepening of physical and emotional awareness

  Movement in areas of personal growth

  An enhancement of the benefits received from other therapeutic modes and psychospiritual disciplines

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You can benefit from Rosen Method if you:

  are under stress

  feel over-extended

  have physical pain and discomfort.

  have unexplained somatic symptoms and suspect your body may be trying to communicate something through these symptoms

  have muscle tension and postural problems

  are looking for physical, emotional, and spiritual growth

  have lost a sense of who you really are and wish to reconnect with your true nature

  are receiving psychotherapy

  are preoccupied with issues from the past that prevent you from living fully in the present

  have become estranged from your body due to body image issues, Gender Identity Disorder (GID), or an overly intellectual relationship to your experience

  have a meditation practice -- Rosen Method allows clients to enter a healing, meditative state while maintaining contact with another person

  would like to explore creative blocks

  want to increase your ease in physical activity

  use your body for self-expression, such as athletics, public speaking, performing

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Because the work is so gentle, there are usually no physical contraindications for Rosen Method.

I do not see clients who are in a state of serious emotional crisis or who have a history of psychosis unless they are also receiving psychotherapy, since the work has the potential to unlock unconscious material. Individuals with addictions or who are using medications prescribed by a psychiatrist are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Rosen Method is not suited for those who have severe mental illness, who are suicidal, who are not being treated for their ongoing substance abuse, or whose life situation is emotionally and psychologically unstable. The work is not normally appropriate for children.

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The training program to become a certified Rosen Method Bodywork Practitioner requires a minimum of 500 hours of study over a four-year period. This includes a series of intensive training sessions or weekly classes, plus an internship program.

The first half of the program focuses on the personal growth of the student. Students must attain a level of self-understanding, in addition to competency in skills, before they are allowed to begin their internship.

The second half of the training includes an internship, during which the student must give 350 documented client sessions. Additional requirements include 25 Rosen Method sessions, 30 supervisions, five client reviews, and a written paper.

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The cost is $80 for a one-hour session.

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I am a Certified Massage Therapist (CMT) and most insurance companies will pay (or co-pay) for doctor prescribed massage sessions. If you have chronic pain or discomfort, ask your insurance company about coverage and ask your doctor about prescribing massage.

Sessions may also be covered under your Flexible Spending Account, offered by many insurance plans.

I can bill insurance companies directly. When you make an appointment, please let me know if you are covered by insurance so we can discuss any forms or information that may be required by your insurer.

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Sessions last one hour. I recommend that clients initially have sessions every week or every other week and that new clients receive at least three sessions. Rosen Method works with holding that has accumulated over a lifetime, and it may take a few weeks before one senses the benefits and changes.

Clients come for many different reasons, and the work is unique for each individual. Some clients come weekly or every other week for an indefinite period of time. Other clients have six to ten sessions, take a break, then resume sessions.

The work does not just happen on the table, but continues between sessions. I advise clients to observe their dreams, bodily sensations, and memories and to use this as a guide when deciding on frequency.

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I practice in my office in Santa Clara, California.

If you are already a client, it's possible to arrange a session at your location. There is an additional charge to cover time and travel. Please call for further information.

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To read more about Rosen Method, please see the Resources section, where you'll find information on:

  Rosen Method Basics (books, articles, intensives, training centers)

   Personal Growth & Transformation

  Movement Awareness

  Rosen Method Movement

  Essential Motion

  Continuum Movement

  5Rhythms

  Alexander Technique

  Feldenkrais

  Trauma, Pain, and Stress

  Scoliosis

If you wish to contact me, please send an email. Include your phone number, where you're located, and some information about yourself.

Email: Jan@BalanceFlow.com

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