Structural Integration - Deep Tissue Bodywork, Posture and Movement Education

"When the body gets working appropriately, the force of gravity can flow through. Then, spontaneosly, the body heals itself."
Ida Rolf, Ph.D.


Rolfing Structural Integration 10 Series Testimonial

May 1, 2014 : Blog

This article begins by outlining what Rolfing Structural Integration is and then goes into detail about this woman’s personal experience of receiving the work. She has a great general description of the work and I would encourage anyone interested to follow the link below to read the whole piece. I will include an excerpt here where she delves into her personal experience with going through the traditional 10 series of sessions.

My experience: Sessions 1-6

Rolfing isn’t like any other bodywork modality I have experienced before. The sensations are totally new, interesting, strange, and enjoyably intense. It is amazing how my Rolfer, local Practitioner Ms. Laura Barnes here in Naples, FL, (239) 825-8555 can feel old injuries within my body, sometimes in spots from so long ago I had forgotten about them.

I originally decided to do the series of sessions in order to correct an old shoulder/collar bone injury that healed incorrectly from a car accident 24 years ago as it has become troublesome and painful.

Visually I can see my shoulders evening out over the weeks. I can also feel my body shifting at times. When I am finished with each session I walk out of the office feeling like a million bucks and as if I am floating on a cloud. By the next day the adjustments begin to set in and I become achy, almost in the same way your body has to readjust after a hard work out. I am also finding that stretching and moving produces lots and lots of creeks and pops. I sound a little like I am filled with rice crispies.

Week after week I am feeling more even and more balanced. Additional to my shoulders beginning to correct – I have been pigeon toed my whole life (toes pointed in). This is no longer the case. It has been completely corrected.

Sitting at work 2 days after my second rolfing session, I heard a very loud crack come from my jaw. I just sat there for a minute afraid to move, as I wasn’t sure what just happened. When I did I was amazed to find that my mouth felt like it opened significantly wider! Over the years singing teachers had said to me time and time again “Open your mouth wider” – I always responded the same “That is as wide as it goes”. They were clearly seeing something I had never seen – a restriction in movement.

During session #8 she adjusted the inside of my sinus cavity and jaw. This is a unique experience. Done safely with latex gloves the nasal cavity is stretched a bit. It is a very strange feeling. Not comfortable at all, but not painful. I have seemed to have less allergy issues since that session.

Session’s 9 and 10: Because of my particular issues we worked extensively on my shoulders. The session was intense and I could feel movement that had not been there in eons. Exactly one week to the day after this session as I am sleeping, my shoulders feel stiff and I feel like I need to stretch and move them. Putting my left hand on my right shoulder, I pushed downwards. Crunch! I stopped instantly. Again I was a little afraid to move as that was loud enough to have been a broken bone. As I did move, it crunched some more, only more quietly. The snaps moved up my neck and over to my left shoulder, which gave a respectable clunk itself.

Then, as I lay there something amazing happened. For the first time in 24 years…….. my shoulders felt completely relaxed. No tension, no knot that wouldn’t go away – just blissful nothingness.
I highly recommend this form of bodywork to anyone who has had an injury. I also think that when everyone reaches the age of 30 or so it is a super good idea…. Think about it like this…”

Read the rest of the article [here]