Method

Structural Integration - A Method of Complementary Therapy

Structural Integration views the body as an interconnected whole — from structure and movement to perception and awareness. At the center of this approach is the fascial system, a network of connective tissue that links the entire body.

Through hands-on fascia work as well as awareness and movement exploration, patterns of tension can begin to shift, movement can become easier, and new possibilities for relating to your body can emerge.

The aim is a more balanced organization of the body in gravity — so that movement can become more effortless and you can feel more supported within yourself.

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What May Change

Would you like to move more freely, become more aware of your body, or find a different way of relating to tension and discomfort?

  • Effortless movement: Move with greater ease and less unnecessary effort.

  • Working with discomfort: Support your body in dealing with tension, pain, and physical strain.

  • Uprightness: Develop a more balanced relationship with gravity and a greater sense of support.

  • Body awareness: Become more aware of the connections and patterns within your body.

  • Well-being: Discover how changes in your body can influence your experience of everyday life.

Fascia

Fascia is a connective tissue network that extends throughout the entire body. It surrounds and connects muscles, organs, and other tissues, forming a three-dimensional web. Richly supplied with nerve endings, fascia plays an important role in body awareness, movement, and the body's organization.

Habitual patterns of posture and movement, physical strain, injuries, or other influences can affect the tension and movement patterns within this system. As a result, movement may feel more effortful and discomfort can arise.

In Structural Integration, we look at these connections throughout the body as a whole. Through targeted fascia work, awareness, and movement exploration, new possibilities can emerge for the body to organize itself more effectively and use gravity as a source of support.

Two black-and-white stick figures: The left one leans backward, displaying an unfavorable body posture with a somewhat unhappy facial expression. The stick figure to the right looks straight ahead, stands upright and solid on both feet, smiles, and appears content.
Wooden jointed artist's mannequin in dynamic motion, visible from the knees up against a gray background.

Three Key Aspects

Three interconnected ways of working form the foundation of Structural Integration:

  • Structural work: Through hands-on work with the body's fascia, we support the relationships between different parts of the body. This can encourage a more balanced organization and a more natural sense of uprightness.

  • Functional work: Through movement exploration, habitual patterns of movement and posture become more conscious. This can open up new and often more effortless ways of moving in everyday life.

  • Psychobiological work: By paying attention to bodily sensations and experience, connections between the body, emotions, thoughts, and lived experience can become more apparent. This may open the door to new perspectives and possibilities for growth.

Duration and Procedure

  • The traditional series consists of 10 sessions lasting 70–80 minutes each, allowing for a gradual exploration of structure, movement, and body awareness. The first session lasts approximately 90–120 minutes. In addition to getting to know each other and discussing your concerns, we will develop an overall picture of your current situation. Sessions are typically scheduled one to several weeks apart. It is also possible to begin without committing to the full series.

  • In each session, we work hands-on with the body while you are dressed in comfortable underwear. Following a brief conversation, the main part of the session takes place on the table. Movement exploration, awareness exercises, and dialogue support the process and help integrate changes into everyday life.
  • Each session builds on the previous ones. The early sessions focus on breathing, uprightness, and the more superficial layers of fascia. As the process unfolds, we work with deeper structures as well as individual patterns of movement and posture. Toward the end of the series, the focus shifts to integration and bringing these changes into daily life.
  • The effects of the work often continue to unfold beyond the session itself. New experiences in body awareness, posture, and movement can support the body's own capacity to find greater balance and well-being.

  • Structural Integration is a method of Complementary Therapy. It does not replace conventional medical treatment but can complement it in a meaningful way — before, alongside, or after medical care.

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Further Information:

Learn more about Structural Integration/Rolfing® as developed by Ida P. Rolf, and about fascia at www.structural-integration.ch.

Learn more about Complementary Therapy at www.komplementär-therapie.ch.

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