How Discovered Structural Integration
Elizabeth
Every practitioner has a story, a moment when curiosity turns into calling. For Elizabeth, that journey began with a simple question about how the body moves, feels, and heals.
What started as an exploration of anatomy and movement soon unfolded into a lifelong practice of embodied awareness, hands-on healing, and self-discovery.
Her path toward Structural Integration was not a straight line, but a deeply human process of learning, unlearning, and reconnecting with the body’s innate wisdom.
In 1999, I received my first series of Structural Integration sessions; I was curious after reading a book by Dr. Ida Rolf. This was when I first learned I had “sit” (aka “sitz”) bones and that I was actually supposed to sit on them! At that time, I had studied drama at Syracuse University for a year and loved all the embodiment training I received. However, I had I switched my major to Exercise Science and the learning was academic again. I loved my anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics classes, but longed for that kinesthetic learning! And I felt that during my Structural Integration Series.
After my undergraduate studies, I still wanted to focus on body; I worked in physical therapy for just under two years. But, the clinic just wasn’t for me. An advisor had suggested osteopathy back during collage, but my curiosity led me to check out massage school first. And, I loved it! The experiential learning, re-connecting body & mind (though they have never really been separate!), and personal discovery led me down a path I never could have imagined. Wanting to give that gift to others, I’ve stayed in the bodywork field ever since. I fell in love with Sensory Repatterning, Sports Massage, and Myofascial Sculpting/Rhythmic Blends. (I also took some “detours” getting a Masters in Expressive Arts Therapy and studying Embodiment Coaching, but bodywork has been a constant throughout.) And while structural integration was always one of the types of work I most enjoyed receiving, I never pursued studying it.
Twenty-three years later, wanting to reinvigorate my practice and longing for intellectual stimulation, I was excited to take a class with Thomas Myers (author of Anatomy Trains). I was delighted to find a teacher who comes from the Human Potential Movement (as my bodywork teachers did), is passionate about his work, excited to share, and living with such vitality. I wanted some of that! After nearly a decade filled with many challenges and quite a bit of personal loss, I felt collapsed and have struggled to get out of that “feeling.” But, it was a bit of a conundrum, because my body was stuck in a collapsed pattern and couldn’t come out of it. Amazingly (or expectedly??) receiving this type of work again has helped me to shift, to come into more and more alignment. And, I feel more energy, more resourced, excited, motivated, and, also at ease.
In 2024, I added 640 hours of training to my previous 1400+ by completing my Anatomy Trains Structural Integration training.. And, I’ve been loving taking clients through the twelve-session series ever since! Will you join me on your own Structural Integration adventure?