Client Testimonials

I don’t believe in miracles, I only believe in what is proven to work. I am not really sure what I expected when I walked into my first Rolfing appointment with Allison Benner. Perhaps more pain and theory or another therapy that helped but didn’t ultimately live up to its promise. Whatever I had thought was wrong. After half of my life being repeatedly injured ( I was a terrible and clumsy motorcycle racer) and the second half trying to repair the damage, I had finally found a process that worked. A healer instead of a practitioner… I rarely had to tell Allison what I needed, she already knew. I turned 71 last week and my back and hips are virtually pain free, and have now been longer than for any period in my long adult life. Joints, muscles, hands and feet are working as they haven’t for decades. And that’s the truth. Thank you Allison.

Allison Benner allowed me to realize I did not have to live with the pain I had been enduring for more than 15 years. After countless sports injuries, a car accident, and working in front of a computer for 10 hours a day, I felt spent and depressed that the condition of my body and spirit would never change. The first time I met with Allison, the pain in my lower back was extremely intense, but had been with me for so long, that I did not realize how bad it had become. I no longer touched, leaned, or otherwise engaged my back and hips. My feet would go completely numb and my calves seized up when I went for a walk. This was because I was holding my posture and joints in such a tense state to mitigate the pain in other parts of my body. My shoulders were constantly sore from holding the same working position, creating a numb sensation in my neck and shoulder blade. I felt that this was simply the way my body worked, and that I had to accept it, which left my body and spirit feeling disconnected. After meeting with Allison for the first time, I realized that I did not have to live this way. The release I felt within my back was immediate and long lasting. Allison worked with me to regain my natural footfall and end the numbness in my calves and feet. She gave me stretches and exercises to do outside of our sessions, and encouraged me to get up from my computer hourly, do pilates, yoga, go for long walks, and dance. I had never even thought I could dance without pain. Now I try to dance at least once a week, hike with my daughter, take yoga classes when I can, and otherwise live my life feeling whole. I was able to have a natural birthing experience with my daughter, which I was once told by a doctor would be impossible given my injuries. Allison has not only helped my body to recover through her Rolfing technique, but has connected me to a network of natural health practitioners in Denver which I now consider part of my continuing healing process. I don't know where my mind and body would be without the thoughtful, caring, and experienced approach Allison Benner offers.

I’m a 64-year-old single male with some very traditional beliefs. 3-1/2 years ago, I mentioned to my chiropractor that I wanted to start exploring a more intensive journey and learn more about Yoga. My goal at the time was to increase my flexibility so I could expand my weight training.

Dr. Josh Vickers connected me to Allison Benner with this quote, “be open-minded, Allison will teach and help you with far more than just yoga.” I can confidently say he was so right!

Allison and I have spent an hour a week together online on zoom over the last 3-1/2 years not only working on expanding my Yoga experience/journey but so much more. The practice with Allison now spans from helping to navigate challenging life situations, relationship dynamics, day-to-day stress, injury recovery, and how all of this impacts our mind and body. I’ve gained awareness, the ability to manage very challenging life events, expanding physical and mental health, as well as emotional growth.

Recently, my youngest daughter left for college and we moved to a new home. While all pretty normal territory for most people, it was different for me. I raised my daughter as the primary care parent until she was 13 and then became a full-time parent. She was my purpose! I knew her going off to college was going to be harder for me than it was for her. The challenging role at work on top of everything else could have been very overwhelming and I risked missing some very positive awakening.

Through the work Allison and I have done, this event ended up being an amazing growth opportunity for both my daughter and I. I see, feel, and experience so much more of what life has to offer. I’m so very grateful for all Allison has done for me and look forward to continuing to explore, expand, and grow my practice with her.

First and foremost, Allison is simply an amazing person and therapist. Before meeting Allison, I believed Rolfing was a place to go and get 'pounded' on with some really deep tissue work that makes you sore for a few days and eventually better. To my surprise, Allison's practice isn't in the same dimension - She is incredibly gentle and extremely focused. Further to my surprise, I've see more immediate and long term improvements in reversing the negative effects of 15+ years of highly competitive club and college soccer in one session than I've ever experienced in multiple PT, chiropractic or massage sessions combined. Finally, Allison has also introduced me to the idea of feeling great. This, I have learned, is a very different experience than just the absence of pain. I currently don't have much pain but have, over the past 6-8 months, begun to feel great :)

Working with Allison using somatic therapy has been a true gift to heal my anxiety stemming from childhood and trauma from a bike accident. I was introduced to Allison after having a pretty severe bike accident, resulting in facial breaks, a concussion, and a very overactive nervous system.  She helped my body slowly tap into the trauma and fear from the accident in a safe and controlled way.  The process of experiencing small amounts of difficult memories at a time helped me revisit the event by focusing on listening to my body and its sensations, with the goal of relieving pain and calming my nervous system.  We have been able to take a very pivotal event in my life (ie. The bike accident) and allow that to dive far back into my own grief of my father’s passing 14 years ago.  We worked on grounding myself by using “tools” to allow my “up energy” (that’s how I experience my anxiety) to move down and out of my body, which in return gave me more stability emotionally and mentally.  

It feels important to mention we did all of this work together virtually.

I now live with a calmer nervous system and am able to tackle life in a way I have never experienced for over 35 years.  I am less charged and reactive, I am more focused, and I have healthier relationship boundaries.  Being an artist, a lot of my unhealthy childhood relationships had shaped and formed major walls that affected me creatively.  With all the work I have done with Allison for 3 years, she has helped me break down these creative walls and allow myself to fully engage and create in ways I have always dreamed.  I no longer stand in my own way of becoming my best self.

I originally went to see Allison for help with an old injury that negatively impacted my balance and posture and caused pain in my hip. As a result of her work, I walk with more ease and energy and feel I have a much stronger, more balanced foundation from which to move. Since then, I've seen Allison for a tennis injury, which definitely aided my recovery. I'm now seeing her in preparation for shoulder surgery. Through working on alignment and muscular organization, I believe I'll have better results both from my surgery and in my recovery. I so much appreciate the assistance I've received from Allison, but what I really got from her is that I didn't have to live with deficits. I've really learned how to take care of myself and have taken addition steps, including Pilates and Yoga, to be able to move with more efficiency and fluidity. I've told Allison numerous times that she has wise hands.