Born in Poland, Joseph Heller attended school in Europe until age 16, when he immigrated to the United States. Living in Los Angeles, he attended the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena and graduated in 1962 with a degree in engineering. He worked for 10 years at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena as an aerospace engineer. During his service at JPL, Heller became interested in humanistic psychology. After leaving JPL in 1972, he became director of Kairos, a center for human development in Los Angeles. He spent two years studying bioenergetics and gestalt. He also trained under Buckminster Fuller, flotation tank therapy developer John Lilly, self-esteem trainer Virginia Satir, and body movement pioneer Judith Aston.
He became a certified Rolfer in 1972 and spent the next six years studying structural integration under Rolfing founder Ida P. Rolf. He became the first president of the Rolf Institute in 1975. During his training with Rolf, Heller began developing his own system of bodywork. He left the institute in 1978 and moved to Northern California, where he founded Hellerwork. He conducts classes and continues his work today at his headquarters, 406 Berry St., Mt. Shasta, CA 96067.
[Article by: Ken R. Wells]
