Rossiter: A Unique Approach to Pain Relief 
Kathy Howard, LMBT, Certified Rossiter Instructor/Advanced Coach

“Have you heard? A new Rossiter Center has opened in Greensboro, NC!” “A Rossiter Center?” “Yes, a Rossiter Center at 1400 Battleground Ave, Suite 213.”

What’s all the buzz about Rossiter? People are hearing about it but are not quite sure what to think about this unique approach to pain relief. Although it is unique, for both the recipient and the provider, it is a quick, powerful and effective way to ‘fix’ people’s pain. The Rossiter System is a system of two-person stretching and its primary goal is pain relief. Very often with Rossiter, the client immediately feels relief from pain and has better freedom of movement – after the first technique!

This extremely effective system consists of a series of more than 170 powerful stretching techniques that two people do together to quickly and powerfully change large volumes of connective tissue in short amounts of time. The Rossiter “Coach” (therapist) has the knowledge of the body, anatomy, and tissue and can help coach the “PIC,” Person In Charge, (client) become an active participant in his or her own health. The PIC must be willing to work hard to fix their body with the Coach’s verbal encouragement and instruction. Now that’s teamwork!

A Rossiter System “workout” (not a “session”) is different from a traditional massage session. There is no need for the client to undress. All Rossiter workouts are done with the client fully clothed on a mat on the floor (a few techniques are done in a chair). During a Rossiter workout, the therapist and client use a team approach to create space in the body and eliminate pain. More connective tissue is able to change during a Rossiter workout than with conventional massage. With Rossiter, a foot is the tool. With massage, it might be sharp fingers, knuckles or elbows. Another difference is that instead of listening to Yanni or Enya, one might hear James Brown’s “I Feel Good” as the inspirational background music during a Rossiter workout.

Rossiter techniques are based on three concepts: weight, locking, and movement.
1. The Coach (therapist) uses the foot to add weight to the client’s body before and during each technique. The foot is a powerful tool that provides firm weight over a broad area. With the weight and warmth of the foot, the tissue is anchored in place during each stretch. This allows the tissue to stretch more easily and freely.
2. Before each technique is done, the PIC (client) moves into a position called locking. Locking is a specific position to engage a head-to-toe sheath of fascia/connective tissue that truly integrates the body’s network of connective tissue. After the lock is done, the stretching technique begins.
3. The PIC is in charge of finding the pain in the body and working hard to stretch it out. Each technique requires determined and conscious participation in movement from the PIC. As the Coach instructs and encourages the PIC to find the pain, stiffness and tightness, the PIC takes responsibility for healing and recovery by stretching through the pain. The Coach encourages maximum effort and participation to achieve the best results, as any good coach would.

The Rossiter System is designed to be spot specific. It addresses specific problems in specific areas of the body with specific techniques (that have specific names) that simultaneously relieve pain and integrate pain relief into the rest of the body. By working with the connective tissue system, The Rossiter System excels at creating and recreating the original “space” that the body is designed to have. As soon as you put back into the body its originally designed space, pain goes away and the body feels more flexible, fluid and loose.

Results are much better if Rossiter can be done on a person before they have been subjected to drugs, splints, cortisone and other injections, and especially surgery. Results are far better on tissue that has not been medically compromised. Those who are likely Rossiter candidates include people who are motivated in personal health and fitness and like participating in health-care decisions. Other potential candidates are older clients who want their younger-feeling bodies back, committed athletes and musicians. However, anyone in pain could likely benefit from Rossiter.

Classes and Rossiter “workouts” are now available at The Rossiter Center. Continuing education credits are given to massage therapists, personal trainers and certified dental assistants. Because massage therapy can be so physically demanding on the therapist, these new tools can bring the work of massage therapy to higher levels of power, effectiveness, and speed. The Rossiter System can also be taught to lay people who can use these techniques on their friends and family at no cost for the rest of their lives.

Recent testimonial – Angela W. Griffin, March 2008
“AFTER FIFTEEN YEARS of CONSTANT SHOULDER PAIN …. Rossiter has cured me! One session … and I am pain free! I am SO excited. Rossiter is the most amazing thing that has happened to me in years. I have tried Massage Therapy, Deep Tissue Work, Physical Therapy, Pain Killers, Ice Packs, Heat Packs, Massage Tools, A TENS Machine, Stretching Exercises, Liniments … I have been to at LEAST 10 different doctors through the years and spent literally thousands of dollars to get even a LITTLE relief. I am STILL just blown away that after ONE SESSION with you … my pain is GONE!

Kathy Howard, LMBT, has been practicing massage therapy in Greensboro, NC, for ten years. She expanded her practice in 2006 when she became the first person in North Carolina to be a certified coach at the advanced level of The Rossiter System. These Rossiter workouts were so effective ‘fixing’ her own neck and back pain; she went on to become a Certified Rossiter Instructor in 2007. Kathy achieved that recognition after completing the requirements of teacher training with Richard Rossiter, founder and creator. Kathy Howard is dedicated to getting people out of pain and helping them achieve balance in life. She can be contacted at 336-708-1727 or Kathy@Rossiter.com.