It's taken me almost a month to write this review because my experience with Brian was so…read moreupsetting. I almost didn't write anything except I ran into another woman who also had a difficult experience with him, so it seems important to offer up my experience so that other women might have a fuller picture and another perspective before going to see him.
Brian asked me to explain why I'd come to see him. As I began describing some of my concerns, right off the bat, he told me that all of the words I was using to describe my discomfort were wrong. I tried to reframe it but again hit a wall of criticism regarding my vocabulary. I have worked with massage therapists, physical therapists, acupuncturists, trainers etc and have never been so criticized about my attempts to describe my pain. Indeed, I was using the language I have learned from them and in anatomy training as a yoga teacher. I was so confused by his aggressive demeanor that I excused myself to the restroom.
When I returned, I remarked that we must have gotten off on the wrong foot. Instead of having a restart, he told me that he had found my inquiry several days earlier about rescheduling our appointment very rude and he'd been very put off by it. (I had called to ask if he had other times available, and when he didn't, kept the original time.) I apologized, even though I thought it odd since schedules often change as things come up and we had in fact kept the original appointment.
After several more exchanges, he asked me to take my shirt off so he could look at me. I had a yoga bra on and did so. He asked me to stand facing him and then finally said, "I'm sorry to insult you again, but I bet you do all that yoga belly breathing." When I described how I've been taught to breathe he apologized. He had me rotate around slowly. He told me I could put my shirt on. I asked what he had learned, "Well there are some things we could do." Already feeling vulnerable and having had my shirt off for a while, I'd have appreciated more specific information. I felt very uncomfortable.
Again I described some of the reasons I'd been encouraged to look at rolfing and told him about the trainer who had recommended it. He dismissed the trainer and my experience with him, saying that he didn't know me enough to assess me, and seemed to dismiss the trainer altogether. He continued to contradict all of the vocabulary I was using. I am not a professional bodyworker so was simply doing my best -- I couldn't believe he could be so critical.
After several similar exchanges, I said that it just didn't seem like a good fit. He said, "Well you're not particularly warm and fuzzy but I guess you hear that all the time." I have never been told that before and said so. I really was shocked. I prepared to leave and said, "Thank you for your time. It was nice to meet you," probably more of a nicety and a way of exiting. He said, "You don't have to say 'It was nice to meet you' - just say 'I met you.'" That's when I started crying, he was so aggressive. I really was shocked to find this behavior in a bodyworker, or frankly in anyone who works with people. It felt very misogynistic and I would not recommend him.
