The transformative path
Structural Integration
A progressive series that works with your body’s connective tissue to improve posture, relieve chronic pain, and restore natural, efficient movement — change designed to last.
What is Structural Integration?
Structural Integration is a new way of exploring your body and the interdependent relationships among its parts. Rather than treating one sore spot in isolation, the work brings the locomotor system to a higher level of integrated function — so the whole structure can support itself with more ease.
It is based on the pioneering work of Ida Rolf, and shares its roots and approach with Rolfing® Structural Integration. Over years of injury, habit, and stress, the body’s fascia can shorten and bind, pulling us out of balance. This work moves methodically through that web of tissue, releasing restrictions and re-educating how the body organizes itself in gravity.
What is a 3-series Structural Integration?
The 3-series is a focused protocol of three sessions, each 90 minutes long. We begin with a body reading — observing how you stand, hold, and move — and from there I build a customized, fluid plan for your body and your goals.
Each session has its own focus and builds on the last, working progressively through the fascial planes: from the superficial layers, toward the deeper structures, and back to integration of the whole body.
Session 1
The pelvic girdle & legs
We begin with the foundation — opening the surface fascia of the legs, hips, and pelvis to establish a stable, balanced base for the work to come.
Session 2
Breath, the shoulder girdle & arms
Attention moves to the breath, ribcage, shoulders, and arms — freeing the upper body so it can move and breathe with more ease.
Session 3
The spine & deeper structures
The final session works the spine and deeper structures, integrating the changes from the first two sessions through the whole body.
A longer series is also available
For those who’d like to go further, a longer 12-series is also available. Full details are coming soon — please ask if you’d like to learn more in the meantime.
How the 3-series works
The 3-series asks for a commitment to all three 90-minute sessions, scheduled about one week apart. Spacing them this way gives your body time to adjust and settle between sessions.
The work moves progressively through the fascial planes — superficial first, then deeper, then back toward integration — always with the whole body in mind rather than any single area. Because change of this kind is active work, it helps to come with energy and a readiness to take part in the process.
What a 3-series is good for
People come to this work for many reasons. A 3-series may support:
- Postural and structural imbalances
- Musculoskeletal complaints that are non-acute, chronic, or longstanding
- Recovery support for orthopedic injuries
- Scar tissue and fascial restrictions
- Limited range of motion or movement performance
- Body image, posture, and self-awareness
- A renewed sense of wellbeing and vitality
- Healthy, supple tissue as you age
What you can expect
Better posture
Release the holding patterns that pull the body out of alignment.
Lasting pain relief
Address the structural causes of chronic tension, not just the symptoms.
Freer movement
Restore length, balance, and efficiency through the whole body.
Body awareness
Learn how you hold and move yourself so change continues at home.
Common questions
What does a session look like?
When you arrive, we’ll talk through your history and what you’d like to work toward, then you’ll change into comfortable treatment clothing. I’ll begin with a body reading and some movement testing to see how you’re organized. From there we move through hands-on treatment, with you getting on and off the table so I can assess changes in real time. We finish by integrating the work and re-assessing, and I’ll send you off with simple home care. Plan for a 90-minute session, which includes roughly 60 minutes of hands-on treatment.
What should I wear?
Treatment is done with clothing on, so bring something you can move in comfortably. For men, movable athletic shorts without zippers work well. For women, a sports bra or full-coverage bra with shorts is ideal. If you’re unsure, just ask and I’ll help you decide.
Will it hurt?
You’re always in control of the pressure. The work can range from gentle to intense, and deeper fascial work can feel “spicy” at times — but it should never be more than you want. Please keep me informed: if anything goes above about a 5 out of 10, let me know and we’ll ease off.
How is it different from massage?
Rather than working only where you feel symptoms, Structural Integration follows the body’s myofascial lines — the connected sheets of fascia that link distant areas. That means I may work somewhere that seems unrelated to your sore spot, and you might feel unusual sensations as long-held patterns begin to unravel. It’s a whole-body, progressive process rather than relief in the moment.
Is this the same as Rolfing®?
Structural Integration shares its roots and approach with Rolfing® Structural Integration — both grow from Ida Rolf’s pioneering work and move systematically through the body’s fascia to reorganize posture and movement over a series of sessions.
Can I still get regular massage therapy?
Absolutely. Many clients combine Structural Integration with ongoing RMT treatment. Patricia offers full Registered Massage Therapy services as well.
Important health considerations
This work can be physically and emotionally taxing, and it tends to go best when you’re in a good place — with enough energy and support around you. It can sometimes bring up an emotional response, which is completely normal. To keep you safe and comfortable, please be open and forthcoming about your health so we can plan the right approach together.
Please get clearance from your physician first
If any of the following apply to you, let’s wait until your doctor has given the okay:
- Active or acute inflammation or injury
- Autoimmune conditions in an acute phase (such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus)
- Current infections
- Contagious conditions or rashes
- Circulatory issues
- Heart conditions (such as congestive heart failure, a recent heart attack, or bypass surgery)
- Acute digestive issues (such as diarrhea, colitis, or Crohn’s flare-ups)
- Recent surgery
- Acute or severe nerve impingement, or loss of motor control
- Uncontrolled psychiatric conditions
- Severe trauma or crisis accompanied by severe pain
Please let me know — we may adapt the work
These don’t necessarily rule out treatment, but they help me tailor it to you:
- Surgery six or more weeks ago
- Scar tissue
- Implanted hardware such as mesh, plates, screws, pacemakers, or shunts
- Autoimmune conditions that are not in an acute phase
- Localized joint inflammation
- Severe chronic conditions such as osteoporosis
- Pregnancy
- Joint instability
- Neurological issues such as neuropathy, balance problems, or vertigo
- A current or past experience with cancer
For the curious
A little background: fascia & myofascial meridians
If you’d like to go deeper, here’s some of the thinking behind the work.
What is fascia?
Fascia is the body’s biological fabric — the connective-tissue network that holds us together. Picture roughly 70 trillion cells all humming in harmony, held in place by a three-dimensional web of fibrous, gluey, wet proteins that bind them together.
— after Tom Myers, Anatomy Trains
What are myofascial meridians?
Myofascial meridians, mapped in Tom Myers’ Anatomy Trains, describe the connections that run through the fascial body — potential lines of pull that distribute strain and transmit force from one area to another.
Following these lines lets me see how one structure can affect another that seems far away: how neck pain might relate to an imbalance in the pelvis, or how a fallen arch in the foot can contribute to low-back pain. It’s a big part of why this work is whole-body rather than spot-focused.
— Anatomy Trains, Tom Myers
Ready to begin?
We’ll talk through your goals, read how your body is organized, and map out a plan that fits you. Reach out whenever you’re ready.