News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Matt Faldmo's journey into a career promoting wellness began with his efforts to improve his own well-being.
"I started with nutritional therapy," he recalled. "I didn't realize how much the food I was putting in my body was affecting me. So it started with food and nutrition."
Matt Faldmo has established himself as a Rolfing practitioner.
He has added a variety of modalities to his practice, located at Daybreak Wellness in Sisters, in an effort to meet the varied requirements of people in need.
"Everybody is so different and they need different approaches sometimes to get to a place of better health and wellness," Faldmo said.
Faldo specializes in Nutritional Therapy, Biofield Tuning, Sound Therapy - and Rolfing Structural Integration is one of his approaches.
Rolfing is a holistic approach to bodywork aimed at realigning and balancing the body's structure for better posture, movement, and overall well-being. It involves hands-on manipulation of the fascia - the body's connective tissues. Faldo likens fascia to the body's "suspension system" - the largest organ in the body, running from bones through muscle. It creates structure, shape and posture for the body.
"It's the thing that if it's not working, the rest of the body isn't working," he told The Nugget.
Faldmo says that Rolfing treatments are effective in making movement more efficient - for everyone from athletes seeking better performance to people just wanting to live better day-to-day.
It's about "moving effectively and efficiently, no matter what the movement is," Faldmo said.
He offers himself as evidence.
Faldmo has always sought first-hand experience with each modality he practices.
"I want to try everything," he said. " I want to see how it works for me."
He acknowledged that he was initially wary about Rolfing.
" I was skeptical at first," he said. "It changed the way I moved my body."
Those chafes were important to him, because Faldmo is active and athletic.
"Movement became more efficient," he said.
Constraints that he was putting down to aging could be addressed.
"I realized all those things could change," he said.
Rolfing work centers around what is known as a 10-series, which Faldmo's web site describes as: "a structured series of sessions designed to systematically address different areas of the body. Each session builds upon the last, addressing specific patterns of tension and movement imbalances. By the end of the series, clients often experience significant improvements in posture, flexibility, and overall well-being."
However, Faldmo told The Nugget that there are other approaches if a person is not ready or able to commit to the full 10-series.
Faldmo conducts an initial interview with a prospective client.
"That first interview is kind of figuring out what their goals are and where they want to go," he said.
Faldmo said that Rolfing also "helps orient the nervous system in space. People can disconnect from parts of their body. So it's a way for the nervous system to reset, too."
Rolfing developed a reputation in the 1980s and '90s of being exceptionally rigorous and even painful. Faldo said that practitioners are working hard to dispel that reputation.
"It definitely doesn't need to be painful," he said. "It can be very intense, but it definitely can be tailored to the individual."
Tailoring treatment to the individual is a key element of all of Faldmo's work, and it is based on clear and thoughtful communication.
"If your practitioner is not listening to you, that's not a good practitioner for you," he said.
Faldmo lives in Sisters with his wife Jill and two daughters, ages 12 and 14. The family settled on Sisters after a long search for a town with just the right elements of outdoor opportunities, community, and good schools - and Sisters fit that bill.
Faldmo practices in Bend and in Sisters at Daybreak Wellness, 615 N. Arrowleaf Trail, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
For additional information and appointment booking go to https://deschutesrolfing.com.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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