On this page, you'll find some answers to questions I've been asked by people considering this work.
Sessions take place in my office, where I have a special low bodywork table and a bench that is used for seated work. At the beginning of a session, I ask about any after effects of the last session or other issues you want to discuss. Then I do a structural analysis, that is, I look at you and evaluate the holding patterns in the body, with an eye toward the structures that are the focus of the session. I may ask you to walk so I can see your movement patterns.
You then lie down on the table in your underwear. I work on you using my hands, forearms, and sometimes elbows to encourage the connective tissue to release. You usually lie on your back or on your side; clients are face down only in one of the ten sessions. I don't use oil to work on the connective tissue, and I use slow movements. Here are some pictures.
Often, I ask for movement so you actually release the tissue yourself while moving against the pressure of my hand or arm. For example, I may ask you to bring your toes up while I work on your lower leg.
Communication during the session is important. I will ask you how you feel and you will let me know if anything does not feel right, be it too intense or otherwise uncomfortable in any way.
At the end of the session, I almost always include some seated backwork. I may then suggest one or two movement awareness exercises or other ways in which you can integrate the session. For example, if we've just worked on releasing your neck backwards, I may suggest you be aware of your head position for the upcoming week each time you sit down to eat or each time you open a file at your computer. Note, however, that this work is not about forcing yourself to be straight using muscle tension. Instead, you will find that with some awareness your body wants to move into a more aligned posture, which feels more comfortable and causes less strain.
In this way, you integrate the changed alignment into your daily life.
Structural Integration has a reputation of being painful. This is in part because in the early days of the work, some practitioners tended to work very intensely. In the 60s, going through pain, screaming, and emotional release was considered part of the process.
Nowadays, Structural Integration practitioners believe that you as a client must be completely in charge of the session. At times, the work may cause some discomfort as we stretch the shortened tissue so it becomes more resilient. I like to compare this to going to the edge in a yoga pose or other stretch. At other times, the release you get may just feel good. Either way, you’re in charge at all times and I’ll ask you how you feel and to tell me whether we’re moving out of your comfort zone.
Most practitioners (including myself) do not require their clients to sign up for ten sessions. Instead, I suggest that you try one session first. If you like the effects, I suggest you take two more. If you still believe this work is for you, I will suggest you consider signing up for the ten series.
As a rule, the work is most effective if the sessions are at least one week and not more than a month apart. However, the actual spacing of the sessions depends on you, your body, and your schedule and on the sessions in questions. For example, it works well to have the first three sessions close together and then have a break before starting with sessions 4-7.
The connective tissue in children and teenagers differs from that of adults, but Dr. Rolf believed that they would benefit especially from receiving the work. I've had very good results with teenagers who were in pain because of wearing heavy backpacks and know the work is great for children.
I always suggest a getting acquainted session. After that, I expect that the children make their own appointment with me. I find that if a child is not motivated enough to make the appointment, they usually don't really want to receive the work. Forcing a child would make it very difficult to achieve the letting go that is so essential for the work.
In general, a session for a child or teenager is shorter than an adult session. There's less surface to cover, and the attention span is shorter. I charge less as appropriate.
Some of the informational literature on Structural Integration emphasizes the psychological changes caused by this work. Some people I know that received the work perceive the changes in their physical body only. Many other people I’ve talked to have had some beneficial changes, they felt they could more gracefully respond to life's demands and were more able to "stand their ground" in difficult situations.
These changes may well have been caused by being less tense or in less pain, or better posture may cause an uplifted feeling of the whole person.
My personal experience has been that as I became more aligned with gravity, I was better able to see what was appropriate for me and I changed my life accordingly. For me, it eventually led to the pursuit of a career as an SI practitioner.
Structural Integration usually costs slightly more than a massage because of the time we spend in training. My education to become a practitioner lasted over a year and included five months of on-site, full-time training at the Guild for Structural Integration.
In the Bay Area, sessions range from $100 to $150. I allocate an hour and a half for a session, more for the first.
Some insurance companies pay for Structural Integration (which is billed as Myofascial Release) for certain medical conditions such as chronic problems resulting from an accident. In addition, you can submit your receipts with a letter from your doctor to your pre-tax medical plan if you have one.
I do not bill insurances directly but can provide receipts with the appropriate diagnosis and treatment code.