A visit to a Practitioner of Structural Integration


It is a fact that not all clients will have the same feelings all through the SI 10-Series. Most of the outcomes look the same, such as having a straighter spine, more length and flexibility, stronger core, and also a freshly developed body awareness. There are generally more exceptional experiences down the road map. Before we can illustrate this idea, here is what one might find in a first session.

What Meredith knew about the Rolf Method of SI was very little. Meredith only knew that the work was inspired by a woman named Ida P. Rolf some years ago, and that she developed a method to enhance posture and flexibility. Meredith also had the idea that Rolf method of SI was painful. Ironically, though, those who talked about its intensity had not for once undergone it, and those who had experienced it didn’t accentuate on the level of discomfort it posed on them. Meredith made the decision to try the treatment out as a result of the unexplained and chronic pains her body was experiencing.

After Meredith had completed and submitted the health questionnaire and explained her reasons and fears with her SI Practitioner, it was now time for her evaluation. She removed her dress, leaving only her undergarments (she was already wearing a bikini bathing suit under her clothes), and they took some before pictures so there could be a comparison of the dramatic changes once the ten sessions were complete. Meredith, through the eyes of her practitioner, was shown her body. She observed that her body was greatly disorganized; her shoulders were not on the same level, her right shoulder rotates dramatically to the left, while her pelvis rotates to the right. When she was told to take a deep breath, she observed that she could not breathe from both her chest and abdomen at once, which isn’t optimal. Looking from her side, she also saw that her body’s midsection projected out at the front, and this is because of the slumping of her upper back which appeared to be ahead of the pelvis. Since her shoulders came forward, the neck and head had no other choice but to follow as well. He demonstrated that if her head were rightly balanced on her spine, her back muscles could relax and not have the responsibility of holding it up.

Meredith was ready to begin and laid on the table as directed by her practitioner. He then started work on her ribs. Doing this, she had a burning feeling as if there was stretching of her skin. He also worked around her right armpit and told Meredith to slightly move the arm, to encourage additional lengthening of the tissue. When she did this, she felt a sharper and precise discomfort. His hands had known the exact place to locate tightness and tension. First along the front of the ribcage, then along the side, and back under her shoulder blade. Not quite long after, she started to feel lighter as if her body had more room, as she laid on the table. She can now breathe deeper, and with little effort. There was an easy movement of her right arm. Her left arm appeared blocked when she proceeded to move it. Prior, she had not thought of a problem with the left arm, but the difference between both arms were so evident. As the session progressed, she felt more comfort. Her hips and back of her thigh were also worked on. He enlightened her that the years of her usage of high heels, had made her knees to lock, or hyperextend. This resulted to stoppage of blood circulation in her lower legs, exposing her to danger of cold feet.

The practitioner made a connection between her locked knees and the forward jut of Meredith’s upper body. As he progresses in his work, Meredith felt another burning sensation on the back of her neck for a little moment, but then immediately felt a new sensation of length and freedom after. She felt straighter when she stood up, even more than when she had no initial thought of her bent posture. Her legs appeared to slide under her as she walked around the room, and there was no knee-lock as she had experienced earlier. When she looked in the mirror, she saw that her back looked and felt better, even though her upper torso was still pulling back. She had a lively body feeling. He provided her a mental image to use to have a taller and expansive thought. She sat straighter and she enjoyed it and when asked to return to her original position, prior to the session, it wasn’t pleasant when she slouched. Meredith left the office with a feeling of floating through life, and highly anticipated her return for session two. She is now understanding the effects of gravity.