Structural Integration by Steven Padgen
The beginning of 2024 marks thirty three years of practicing the work I love. I have logged over forty- thousand hours of hands-on experience working with people from all walks of life, every profession, and all ages and many work environments.
There are three common threads between all people who seek my service.
Number one is pain! Most people experience pain in their bodies at one time or another, lower back, neck and head pain, knees, and hips to name few. Pain from overuse, under-use, accidents, trauma, life events that shape the way we move and dictate our posture.
Second is prevention; trying to stay ahead of the ageing process, addressing postural and functional patterns that do not work. This type of request is where Structural Integration shines.
Third is the psychological and spiritual effect of Structural Integration. My personal journey started with the pursuit of self-healing. Many of my clients express the feeling of being stressed out; feeling out of balance and ungrounded, depressed, and fatigue. The Rolf Method and Craniosacral work can have a profound effect on these deep neurological and emotional feelings.
My practice has its foundation in the philosophy of Wholism. The basic idea is to treat the whole person not just its individual systems. Dr. Rolf, a true visionary addressed this in an articles from the 1930's and 40’s she taught:
“When dealing with problems in the body where there is never just one cause, I’d like you to have more reality on the circular processes that do not act in the body, but that are the body.” The body process is not linear, it is circular; always, it is circular. One thing goes awry, and its effects go on and on and on and on. A body is a web, connecting everything with everything else”.
"When the physical body gets into difficulties, trouble spreads to the whole man. It affects his consciousness, and he calls it stress. Many approaches, physical and psychological, have been used by men/women in their efforts to escape-drugs, and massage among the oldest of these. What is the first requirement to relieve this stress? What are the principles defining stress in man? In the new approach to the physical man called Structural Integration, absence of stress is seen as balanced function, the balance of the body within the field of gravity. This is a new definition; stress is imbalance, visible as the inappropriate position of body components in space."
"This is the gospel of Rolfing: When the body gets working appropriately the force of gravity can flow through. Then, spontaneously, it heals itself."
My intention with this website is to educate everyone; and to provide a drug-free, side effect free treatment for structural and emotional pain. My hope is that everyone can live a pain-free, emotionally balanced, healthy life.
What to expect from the 10 session.
Each session begins with a structural assessment or viewing. Recommend viewing clothing for women, two-piece swimsuit, or loose-fitting running shorts and a swimsuit top, bra also works. For Men briefs, or boxer briefs. At all times, your modesty and security are of the highest priority. Most are a bit intimidated by the idea of being viewed, please let me know and I will work with whatever is comfortable for you.
Viewing allows me to see how gravity is affecting your structure. During the assessment, you give feedback on how you feel in regard to the balance and body weight upon your feet. After the session, we return to a standing position and compare. Do you feel better worse or the same? The results of the session are experienced immediately and can be measured; change in height, an increase in the range of motion, easier movement, and an awareness of being longer, looser, or lighter.
Overview of the system.
Structural Integration is a series of session; received weekly each session is 1/10th of the system.
Session 1:
Objective of the first hour is to lift the rib cage off the pelvic rim allowing for a bigger deeper breath, during the ten hours we learn to use breath as part of everyday movement and too be able breath deep full expanding breaths. We use deep breathing to establish health patterns of movement, clients whom suffer from asthmatic symptoms digestion and elimination problem have found some relief from this session and the fifth hour as well.
Session 2:
Objective of the second hour is to get the feet flat on the ground and to restore the" spring in our step," feet are our foundation the way we relate to the horizontal of the earth, we learn to stand on our own two feet. Client that suffer from chronic inflammation, plantar fasciitis for example; have found relief from this second hour we address the feet again in the fourth, and sixth.
Session 3:
Objective of the third hour is to begin balancing the upper cervical curve with the lower lumbar curve; we integrate the work from the first and second hours and continue with superficial work, this is in reference to the layer not to how the treatment may feel. Towards the end of the third hour we began to approach the deep layers in the lumbar region "lower back" and start the first of three session of "freeing the pelvic girdle". This hour can have a lasting and profound effect on lower back pain, post-surgical pain compressed disc general imbalance.
Sessions 4:
Objective of the forth hour is to free the pelvic girdle, continuing the work at the end of the third hour the fourth hour is focused on the muscles of abduction balancing and aligning the pelvis, knees and ankles, allowing free and more efficient movement in the knee joint keeping the legs under the pelvis, establish a new energy efficient movement in the knees. The hour can assist in post knee surgeries recovery, brings flexibilities to scared, lateral and medial collateral ligaments patellar retinaculum, releases the inner leg, and hamstrings.
Session 5:
Objective of the fifth hour is to free the pelvis, second of three deep pelvic hours. Structural Integration system focuses on lengthening the fascia envelop, we get very specific in the fifth hour address the Psoas muscle directly, the Psoas is a long strap of muscle that attaches along the front of the lumbar spine crosses the pubic bone and attaches on the back of the femur this muscle plays a significant role in core strength psoas and piriformis create the lower pelvic cross that support the front of the lower spine.
Dr. Rolf taught: "the Psoas the most significant muscle in the body," this hour can bring great relief to lower back and pelvic pain, the body as a whole benefits from length in the Psoas.
Session 6:
Objective of the sixth hour is to free the pelvis and completion of the deep pelvic hours this session covers the most area lengthening from heals to head the sixth hour specifically work on the hamstrings and deep hip rotators. This hour can bring great relief from sciatic pain, great session for post hip surgery and replacement, deep work can break up scar tissue and assist in reestablish full range of motion. The sixth hour is the completion of the deep pelvic hours; the end of the sixth hour concludes the lengthening and we began the dynamic balancing sessions.
Session 7:
Objective of the Seventh hour, The hour of the head and upper neck to get the best balance
we must address the mandible the soft tissue that relates to the mandible sets the pattern for the shoulders, neck and pelvic girdle, getting are head on straight or being level headed, known as a transition hour from lengthen to balancing.
after the six pervious hours the deep structures of the of the R.T.M call out for attention much gentler work than the deep fascia work toward the end of the hour unwinding of the Dura and membrane bring this session into completion
Sessions 8 and 9:
Objective of the eight hour is to balance the top (shoulders girdle) in relationship to the bottom (pelvic girdle), we are balancing side-to-side, inside to outside, at the end of the balancing session we move to completion
Session 10:
Objective to the final hour is to establish a organize vertical in relationship to the horizontal.
Completion of the ten-hours is the beginning not the end! Live long and be well!
Structural Integration Three Series
Girdle, Girdle, Line
The three-session series are post Structural Integration tune-ups. The objective is to balance the horizontal lines of the shoulder and pelvic girdle around the vertical line. This supports and refines the balance and organization established in the ten-sessions of Structural Integration.
Recommended six months to a year after completion of the series.
Steven Padgen L.M.T, C.S.T,