Back Pain Relief

by SharonHartnett | May 29, 2014 | Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration

Are You looking to find some Back Pain Relief?

Lumbar strain and injury can result from accidents, overuse and certain traumas.

The severity of your pain can range from mild to severe, from discomfort to muscles spasms. Wherever you are in your process of healing, Structural Integration can help you to find longer lasting pain relief.

Structural IntegrationRelieving Back Pain

Want to find more freedom and grace in your step? It’s smart to investigate finding a way to correct your posture in order to live in more ease in movement. A healthy spine and relaxed surrounding soft tissues will help you to feel happier and healthier all the way round.

Structural Integration in particular is a method of bodywork that aims to restore balance, increase energy, and improve flexibility. If you are experiencing extreme pain, usually the fascia, musculature and ligaments are overly short or overly-extended. Structural Integration is comprised of a ten series of treatments that work on the fascial web that spans the whole body from superficial layers to the deeper containers holding the viscera, skeletal systems and other internal structures. Through the touch and treatment by the practitioner, neurologic receptors fire and the fascia shifts into a gel-sol transformation. What this means to clients is better and softer functional movement. The connection and release of fascial adhesions also relieves the musculature to relax back into its natural form. Fibroblast repair allows for better circulation and fluid exchange.

Gameplan:

If your back is in severe pain now, speaking to your physicians office would be helpful to see if you need to go in for a visit. If they advise you to stay home, it is helpful to ice your back immediately after an incident, apply some compression and get some rest. Massage therapy can be very helpful if it is a soft tissue injury.

If your back issues feel more chronically uncomfortable, finding a healing plan would be the best bet. Usually chronic softer pain is an indicator that muscles and approximate tissues are overly short, tense and overstretched. From a holistic perspective, rotations and twists in one part of the body could be causing misalignments throughout the rest of the body. Finding a massage therapist who knows how to work with fascia would be a great bet to helping you to find your line and more comfort in day to day movement. For each session of Structural Integration, a certain recipe of techniques is applied with a uniquely tailored experience to bring you back to center. When the whole body is addressed holistically each week, the body begins to relate to itself in a more healthy way. Each session is built on the foundational ones behind it to help you to find the freedom and movement you long to feel. Look up Structural Integration Therapists in you area. Write down your questions and make sure they are addressed in a phone interview. If there are no SI therapist near you, research myofascial and Craniosacral Therapists (upledger). They can also focus on unwinding painful patterns and restoring health and wellness in your tissues. If your skeletal structure feels out, you may want to find a reputable chiropractor to make adjustments after the soft tissue restoration.

For more information, call Sharon Hartnett LMT

www.massageincolumbusohio.com

740 966-5153

Columbus, Ohio

Rolfing and Structural Integration in Columbus Ohio

by SharonHartnett | Nov 4, 2013 | Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration

Lately I have been getting calls asking if Structural Integration (SI) work is the same thing as Rolfing®.

So in order to clarify this, I have decided to write a short post on the subject. I hope this helps.

The Rolf Institute® blossomed as Dr. Rolf’s students began to branch out her work into the community and eventually throughout world. The original pioneers of this work called themselves, “Rolfers®”. The school and all its teachers did a great thing in expanding her education and healing work outward. As with most types of bodywork however, the work began to evolve and different practitioners created their own new approaches to her foundational template. Thus, the spread of this craft based on fascial work sprouted new wings and took off in different directions. Currently, there are many schools, some who keep with the 10 series as Dr. Ida Rolf taught, and others with different formulas. These new practitioners call themselves “Structural Integration” Therapists because they attended the newer schools Also, the “Rolf®” name belongs to the Institute. But- what is similar is that all Structural Integration is originated from the original 10 series. The goal is to create better structural alignment and functioning and ease of movement for the clients.

Ida Rolf’s teaching: She found much success in this work because of the its wonderful ability to re-organize the connective tissues in the body which envelopes and contains all the working muscles, organs and just about everything within. Dr. Rolf established her 10 series “recipe” to be the foundation of this work to address the body from a superficial level to down deep in the core of the body. By focusing on a certain area of the body each session, the body learned how to let go of certain dysfunctional patterns from one week to the other, until they whole body began to relate to itself in a very new way without the habitual stresses from before.

What is the difference between Structural Integration and Rolfing?

At Lighten Up Therapies in Columbus Ohio and Johnstown, Sharon Hartnett practices Structural Alignment with the basic 10 series as originally taught by Dr. Ida Rolf. She works with the same idea of moving from superficial to deeper, but perhaps with a lighter touch. Communication is key with an ongoing dialogue to make sure the client is comfortable and able to move through the changes well. Connective Tissue massage (fascial work) is beneficial too and may be requested also in hourly sessions. It’s also helpful for people who want to continue their massage on a regular basis.

There are different schools out there and “fascial” work seems to have taken root and is now being taught in regular massage schools. If you are interested though in the “original” series, make sure you ask to see if the work is the same. There are many Structural Integration Practitioners such as Sharon who have not veered off the original intent and have helped clients discover positive change. Dr. Ida Rolf created her work a certain way based on years of experience with great results. The recipe works!

Wishing you the best of finding the best Structural Integration Therapist for you in your area

* This is based on my opinion after conversations with other Structural Integrations who have studied at a variety of schools. If there are other opinions, please add to my blog.

Warmly, Sharon Hartnett

www.massageincolumbusohio.com

(740) 966-5153

Structural Integration in Columbus: Change Your Posture

by SharonHartnett | Mar 29, 2013 | Massage, Structural Integration

Looking to find a Massage Therapist for Structural Integration (SI) in Columbus, Ohio?

You have come to the right place. Sharon Hartnett LMT has over 17+ years doing Structural Integration Therapy. In the late 1990’s she found a local Rolfer in Mclean, Virginia who introduced her to the 10 series. She fell in love with the positive postural changes and increased movement in her body that she decided to study Structural Integration herself. She has been providing SI sessions with clients ever since.

Relieve Chronic Pain and Find Better Posture

Learn how Structural Integration Developed

Dr. Ida P. Rolf, a pioneering biochemist began to develop Rolfing in the 1930s after suffering from spinal arthritis. The direction of her work was focused on the role of fascia and unwinding tension patterns around muscles and joints in order to release pain and discomfort. While working in the 1960’s teaching her fascial work at the Esalen Institute in California, the term “Rolfing” was coined. Her original thinking and experience of manipulating the connective tissue brought students from around the world. She taught these practitioners how to support the body to function efficiently so that the force of gravity could flow through and support both the form and functioning. Soon later, the Rolf Institute was found. And as with most great work, different schools have branched out, extending the original work with same intention and yet with individualize perspectives.

Why Structural Integration Therapy?

Structural Integration is a system of bodywork that will encourage the body back into alignment and structural integrity. Clients walk away feeling more freedom in their movement, a sense of lightness, greater flexibility, relief from chronic pain and more energized. The Structural Integration model views the person as a whole that is self-regulation and self-organizing. Between sessions, clients are given exercises to help them continue their work out into the world. the body knows where it needs to go in order to find maximum motion. It just needs to be re-edcuated how to do that so it can relate more optimally in fluidity. After 10 sessions, clients take time to allow the work to continue and integrate with better posture.

Is Structural Integration Uncomfortable?

When you go to visit any type of bodyworker and therapist, it is a good idea to communicate your needs right from the start. The therapist has tools and experience working with clients, but ultimately the client benefits the most by expressing what his/her level of tolerance to pressure. Each person is unique in how they like to be touched. What Sharon does is ask, “If you can feel the sensations and feelings that arise during the session without having to tighten or react, than allow yourself to do that. However, if anything hurts or feels like it is too deep, please say “stop” or “lighten up”. The client’s wishes are always respected. With this said, often the fascia has historically tightened up in areas of the body around dysfunctional patterns. There are time when that tissue is lengthened it will be uncomfortable. Most clients though are so happy with the results and reconnection to their body’s that they return over and over with relief and commitment to themselves.

Is Structural Integration for Me?

Sharon offers free 15 minute telephone consults to answer your questions: 703 509-1792

Serving the Eastern side of Columbus, Ohio

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Structural Integration in Columbus

by SharonHartnett | Mar 27, 2013 | Massage, Structural Integration

What is so great about Structural Integration (SI)?

You touch into one aspect of the fascia and you are relating to the whole body~ Sharon Hartnett

Structural Integration work is focused on working with the fascia. When a therapist touches into the fascia, she is not only working locally, but on the whole continuous membranous three dimension envelope that covers and transverses through the human body from head to toe.

Ida Rolf’s Structural Integration is a holistic approach to massage and bodywork. All the blood vessels and nerves move through this connective tissue that is composed of mostly collagen and elastin. What this means is that both the circulatory and nervous system are greatly affected by fascial work not only because of the tissues at hands, but also because with just the most gentlest of touch, the whole web is affected on many levels. When there is an injury, compensation, twist or rotation, the body’s fascial system will migrate in the direction of ease and show the therapist what needs to happen to release unhealthy tensions. By following the motion of the whole web under our fingers, the whole body can decompress, unravel, soften, rehydrate and discharge stagnant fluids. At other times, while still listening to the body’s pull, the therapist can move through restrictions until the tissues surrender and allow deeper access. Eventually, with patience and a healthy respect for touch and trusting the body’s intelligence, both the therapist and the client can gain access to the core.

For the client, Structural Integration brings about long-term changes, especially when the client learns to listen to her own body and make new changes. SI helps to reduce chronic pain, increases sports performances, and supports better functioning through changing the the body’s form. The Whole picture approach to Structural Integration is what optimizes the body’s resilience and ability to restore itself and to become reinvigorated.

: The Continuous Fascial Web…

Reach with new length and ease~

Structural Integration has been around the Columbus, area for a few years. Now, Sharon Hartnett LMT is bringing her style of the work locally. If you are interested, please call 703 509-1792 for a free 15 minute consultation.

Both offices:

6797 N. High St. #333

Worthington, Ohio

and

5564 Mink St.

Johnstown, Ohio