Caroline Irene Widmer

Dr. Caroline Irene Widmer, PhD, was born in 1937 in Julesburg, Colorado. Dr. Widmer died peacefully on Friday, August 23 at Fountainview Center after a long illness.

Caroline became Dr. Widmer in 1975 when she graduated from Georgia State University with a doctorate in psychology. She was in practice as a therapist, and participated in many professional groups, until 2010.

Dr. Widmer brought Rolfing to Atlanta in 1968. She met Dr. Ida P. Rolf in 1967 while taking a course in Gestalt therapy with Dr. Fritz Perls at Esalen Institute. Dr. Rolf invited her to take the Rolfing training; she joined the training with Dr. Rolf and graduated in 1968. Dr. Widmer helped countless numbers of clients and patients over the span of her career from 1968 until 2010.

Caroline had an insatiable desire to learn as much as possible about complementary and alternative healing as well as spiritual matters. She a member of MENSA. She was one of the first trainers for the “est” training started by Werner Erhard. She spent time with Dr. Rolf and other Rolfers at Brugh Joy’s ranch in the 1970s. She was a close associate of Dr. Byron Gentry, with whom Dr. Rolf consulted frequently. Caroline also achieved Reiki master and teacher status.

One of Dr. Widmer’s projects was to tell as many people as possible, “You make a difference!” She had buttons made with that saying, thousands of them. She gave them away, and sold them, at cost, to schools, teachers, civic groups and others. One of her fondest wishes was to make sure as many people as possible received that message. In “Chicken Soup for the Soul”, there is a story about a teenage boy and his father. The son was going through a stressful time, while the father was busy. The boy was on the verge of committing suicide. The father received the button at work that day, came home and gave it to his son. They both found a way to a meaningful connection. This was the kind of message that inspired Dr. Widmer, and that she used to inspire others.

As Dr. Widmer became aware of her declining health, her main concern was that she wasn’t able to be of service, and “make the difference”. In her honor, please carry that mission forward.