Daniel Burnes

HOW DOES A SALES ENGINEER AND CONSULTANT BECOME A ROLFER?

That is a good question. Growing up all my role models I looked up to were successful salesman. I knew that is what I would do. While growing up I was a typical male warrior who competed in sports, work and real life leading to multiple injuries, many requiring surgery.
Finally I displaced my sacrum from my right pelvis. It happened on the job while training on new equipment I sold. That was February 4th, 1997. At first I did not know I was injured. I thought I pulled a muscle or something, but it got progressively worse.

After a month I approached my boss and told him about what had happened and all the witnesses I had. I got coverage and went to my Doctor at the time who properly diagnosed my condition. I was sent to physical therapy which only hurt me more so I quit.

The insurance company called me after a few months and asked how I was doing, I said terrible. They said I had to return to physical therapy. In fact they told me who to ask for at the clinic. I went and made sure I saw that person. They asked what my problem was and I explained my condition and the pain I was experiencing.
They then took me to a private room shut the door and said I could not tell anyone what they were going to do to me. She proceeded to perform Myofascial Release to my Right Psoas and then do Chiropractic Adjustments to me. Neither of which was she certified to perform or insured to perform, but both helped reduce my severe pain temporarily.

After leaving the clinic I immediately called the insurance adjuster to ask to see a Chiropractor and a Myofascial Therapist. They refused saying they do not cover those services. I wanted to move on, so I just signed a release form.
I then reached out to alternative care. This was about 4 months after my initial injury. For the next 7 years I pursued any and all modalities I could find or was referred to. I saw 8 different Chiropractors, 7 different Acupuncturists, dozens of different massage therapists, Hypnotherapists, Emotional Freeing Therapists, Energy Healers, Yoga, Magnetic Therapy, Nutritional Healing, Stretch Classes, Electro-Stimulation Therapy, past life regression, Angel Guides, and I am sure I forgot some.
I traveled as far as Florida and New Mexico to see some highly recommended healers. Unfortunately none of these got my displacement to heal. I had to put an icepack under my back every night in order to fall asleep. The pain was (on a scale of 1 to 10) a 5 on a good day and a 7/8 on a bad day. It affected me in all ways; mentally it drained me, emotionally I was angry and combative and spiritually-well I was drained!

One day I ran into an old friend, as we were talking I kept grabbing my back. My friend asked what was wrong and I told him about my chronic back pain. He told me I needed to get Rolfed! I asked what that was and all he said was it would help me!

Well I had an appointment with my Chiropractor that afternoon and asked him what he thought about Rolfing and he said “It hurts, do not do it.” I then saw my massage therapist and she said the same thing, so I did not call the Rolfer. (This is the biggest misconception regarding Rolfing. Excellent Rolfers, like me, have learned to wait and feel our way into the tissue and allow the body to determine how much will open. I never bruise clients and communicate constantly to keep the sensation at a comfortable level).
Well a couple months passed and I was in Tampa when I aggravated my injury during a rough boat ride over heavy wakes. When I got back home to Minnesota I figured Rolfing could not hurt more than my back did so I made an appointment. Well it did hurt, but I felt better after the first session of the 10 Series.

After the third session I got up off the table and my back did not hurt, not even a little bit. I was stunned! I could hardly believe what I was experiencing! Having no pain at all was emotionally overwhelming! I suddenly realized that I had to become a Rolfer!
My practitioner return and the first thing I blurted out of my mouth was “Where do I go to school to learn how to be a Rolfer” He said “How can you know after just 3 sessions that you want to be a Rolfer” I told him that this was the first time in over 7 years that my back felt no pain!

10 weeks later I was living in Boulder, Colorado and attending The Guild for Structural Integration. I graduated and moved back to Minneapolis to begin my practice in February 2005.