Structural Integration is a form of hands-on bodywork and movement education that reorganizes and balances the body by lengthening and reorganizing the body’s connective tissue, called fascia.
We address fascia because it permeates and surrounds muscles, organs, bones, and nerves, giving shape and form to the body.
Ideally, fascia distributes strain evenly throughout the body during everyday movement. Over time, injury, stress, repetitive patterns, and life experiences can disrupt this balance, leading to areas that feel tight, restricted, sticky, or less responsive.
This work is distinct from massage. While sessions can be deeply relaxing, my intention is to support and restore your body’s natural alignment. Through addressing the body’s interconnected systems, we can release, realign, and balance, thus potentially resolving discomfort, reducing compensations and alleviating pain
Communication is an essential part of the process. I will work with you throughout each session to ensure the pace and depth stay within your comfort and capacity.
Benefits of Soma Structural Integration
Resolves chronic pain and tension
Improves athletic performance
Improves posture
Promotes better breathing
Relieves joint pain
Assists with recovery from surgery
Increases flexibility and range of motion
Enhances body awareness
Allows you to feel more at ease in your body
A Brief History
The roots of Soma Structural Integration come from the pioneering structural explorations of Dr. Ida P. Rolf, and her work known as Rolfing®. She studied as a biochemist, and explored healing modalities such as osteopathy, chiropractic medicine, yoga, the Alexander Technique, and more.
Her life’s work led her to develop the “recipe” of Structural Integration a method of ten sessions that realign the body’s structure in gravity.
Dr. Rolf had many apprentices to her work, one being psychologist Dr. Bill Williams. He further developed Structural Integration and began to weave in principles of body-mind connection. Soma Structural Integration was founded on a deep acknowledgment of body, mind and spirit as an inseparable, whole, and multidimensional system.
Today, the Soma Institute of Structural Integration teaches and trains practitioners on Whidbey Island, WA.
A therapeutic container for exploration of your unique body’s patterns
The Soma Series of Structural Integration is especially supportive for those with chronic pain or tension, compensation patterns from injury or surgery, and those wanting more whole body connection and awareness.
Soma honors the roots of the work taught by Dr. Rolf, with added layers of mind-body connection, movement education, and one additional session.
Each session has a unique focus, freeing restrictions or holdings in a particular region of the body. The sessions build one upon the next to support your connection to your core and center.
Throughout this process, clients are guided into evolving movement patterns to move with more ease and awareness.
The Soma Series can be split into three distinct sections: Sleeve, Core & Integration.
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These sessions aim to loosen and balance surface layers of connective tissue.
Session one is devoted to enhancing the quality of breath by addressing the ribcage, shoulders, and diaphragm. This session begins to address the upper leg, hamstrings, neck and spine as well. This results in a more upright posture, fuller, deeper breathing and ease.
Session two helps give the body more support by balancing the foot and muscles of the lower leg.
Session three typically involves a side lying position with the intention to balance the shoulders, widen the ribcage, and lengthen the sides of the body.
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To bring about the most profound benefits of Soma, we restructure, educate and enliven the center of your body: legs, pelvis, entire spine and muscles that support you from deep within.
Session four explores the territory of the inner leg from arch of the foot to the bottom of the pelvis, thus starting to balance the pelvic floor.
Session five focuses on balancing the front of the body, the abdominals, the psoas muscles, and the hip flexors.
Session six address the back of the body and builds more support and movement from the legs, pelvis, and lower back.
The seventh session addresses the deeper structures of the neck and head.
We work to lengthen the center of the body. Often after the Core Sessions more balance and freedom of movement is available. Walking takes a fraction of the energy typically expended.
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These final sessions are the key to the lasting “effects” of Soma. By focusing largely on integration and connectivity, we allow your body-mind to fully connect to this new way of moving and being in the world.
Integration is the sensation, feeling, and action of wholeness. These final sessions are designed to facilitate new neural connections by working into and across joint structures. We strive towards allowing grace, coordination and ease in movement. Additionally, less stress and increased energy as the body’s structure becomes better aligned with gravity.
Session 8/9 are focused on either the upper or lower parts of the body
Session 10 focuses on releasing and balancing the intricate structures of our arms and their connections to the shoulders.
Session 11 focuses on all joints of the body — the places of connection.
From Soma Series Clients