Structural Integration (SI) is an advanced form of bodywork and somatic therapy that works with the fascial connective tissues in relationship to gravity. SI was developed by Dr. Ida Rolf in the 1940’s. Many traditional approaches to pain and discomfort focus on alleviating symptoms—whether it’s through medication, massage, or other quick fixes. While these methods can provide temporary relief, they often fail to address the body as a whole system. This means that the symptom may return or persist if underlying structural imbalances or dysfunctional patterns are still present.

In contrast, Structural Integration seeks to identify and create balance in the body, rather than merely masking the symptoms. The goal is not just to make the pain go away but to restore the body’s natural alignment and functional efficiency, thereby promoting long-term healing and well-being.

IDA-SI, Inner Dynamics Alliance for Structural Integration, is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit institution with the mission to increase access to Structural Integration education and services through a basic training program, scholarships, and community clinics. IDA-SI  offers training in Structural Integration for practitioners with a current license to touch (massage therapists, physical therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturings, doctors, etc.). The Academy is a year-long program  that trains students to become certified as a Board Certified Structural Integrator (BCSI).

Our student clinic is a supportive learning environment where students practice the Structural Integration 10-Series under faculty supervision. To ensure your safety and to keep the learning environment appropriate for students, certain health conditions may limit your ability to participate as a series client, even though you may still be eligible for individual non-series SI sessions outside the training.

The following are NOT eligible for participation as a client model for the 10-Series in the Student Clinic:

• Medical Conditions

  • Major surgery within the last 6–12 weeks

  • Uncontrolled hypertension or cardiovascular disease

  • Active deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

  • Severe edema of unknown origin

  • Severe osteoporosis

  • Systemic infection (flu, fever, COVID-19, etc.)

  • Active tuberculosis

  • Severe or acute inflammatory flares (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis)

  • Recent stroke or TIA

  • Acute, unexplained neurological symptoms (sudden numbness, weakness, or foot drop)

  • Active Pregnancy

    • Individuals who ar currently pregnant are not eligible for the 10-Series in the student clinic. However, non-series Structural Integration sessions outside the program can be deeply supportive during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant and still want SI work, we can help you find an appropriate practitioner.

  • Open wounds, infections, or suspicious skin lesions

  • Severe eczema or psoriasis flare in the area being worked

• Psychological Considerations

  • Active psychosis

  • Significant dissociation

  • Inability to remain present during a manual therapy session

  • Current severe emotional instability

• Substance Use Considerations

Structural Integration requires your full presence, body awareness, and ability to communicate clearly with your student practitioner. For this reason, we cannot work with anyone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol during sessions, including cannabis, prescription medications used outside of their prescribed dosage, or any substance that alters perception, coordination, or judgment.

• Receiving Structural Integration while under the influence can:

  • Reduce your ability to accurately feel and report sensations

  • Impair motor control and balance

  • Increase the risk of injury

  • Affect your emotional regulation during deep somatic work

  • Interfere with the student practitioner’s ability to learn safe, effective techniques

• Active substance misuse or dependence is also considered a contraindication, as the work can bring up significant somatic and emotional responses that require stability, clarity, and grounded support.

• You are welcome to apply as a client model once you are in a stable place in your recovery and able to participate fully without the use of intoxicating substances.

Some conditions require additional review to determine if series work is appropriate. You may still be eligible, but we’ll check in to ensure your safety and match you with an appropriate student practitioner. In these cases, we may ask follow-up questions or recommend a modified approach.

• Chronic pain conditions

• Fibromyalgia

• Hypermobility (Ehlers-Danlos or related spectrum)

• Mild–moderate osteoporosis

• Recent orthopedic injury that has healed but still affects movement

• Hernias (inguinal, abdominal, or hiatal)

• Joint replacements

• Varicose veins

• Skin or Tissue Conditions

• PTSD or trauma history that may affect comfort with bodywork

• Dissociation that is manageable with grounding strategies

• Medications that alter sensation (blood thinners, steroids, strong painkillers)

The 10-Series requires consistency and emotional/physical readiness. The following people may not be the best fit for a student setting, but may benefit from SI work elsewhere:

• People unable to commit to all 10 sessions

• People who may become easily overwhelmed during bodywork

• Clients who require highly specialized clinical judgment beyond a student’s scope

• Clients uncomfortable with the modest clothing typically used in SI (similar to what you would wear at a public pool)

Your safety is always our top priority. If a new medical condition appears or symptoms change, we may:

• Modify your upcoming sessions

• Pause the series

• Transition you to a certified practitioner

A Structural Integration series is 10 sessions, with each session designed to target a specific territory of the body. Each session is 90 minutes long, scheduled approximately once per month between February and December. The SI treatment will be administered in a shared space with other clients, students, and teachers working in the same room (one room with no dividers). The treatment will be done on a massage table.

The Client Model should wear clothing they are comfortable being viewed and receiving work in that allows for flexible movement, viewing of the structure, and manual treatment. 

Bottoms

• Students and clients may wear underwear or shorts that allow free movement and visibility of the legs and pelvis.

• Proper coverage of the genitals and gluteal cleft is required at all times. Garments should remain secure and provide sufficient coverage when moving or lying on the table.

• We recommend mid-thigh or shorter length in a non-slippery fabric such as cotton (avoid Lycra or other slick synthetics).

Tops

• For the upper body, participants should wear attire that allows for comfortable movement and spinal visibility while maintaining personal comfort. Client Models are asked to wear what they would feel comfortable wearing at a public pool. This helps establish a shared baseline for comfort and modesty appropriate to a professional, educational setting while honoring individual identity, culture, and expression.

• Examples that allow for easy access to the shoulders and spine include:

  • a sports bra or simple bra with bilateral straps (no cross-backs)

  • a tube top 

  • a fitted tank top or crop top for those preferring more coverage.

IDA-SI recognizes the diversity of bodies and gender expressions. Clothing choices are not gender-specific; they are guided by anatomical and functional needs for Structural Integration and by each person’s sense of comfort and safety. Our goal is to create a space where everyone can participate fully, respectfully, and authentically.

Client Model will be greeted by their SI Practitioner in the lobby of the Skanner Building, 415 N Killingsworth St, Portland, Oregon 97217.

Normally an SI session costs anywhere between $150-$250 from a professional. At IDA-SI each SI treatment session is $50 (a significant discount), because the treatments are administered by students in training to become SI practitioners.

Client Model will agree to attend 10 sessions scheduled at the same day and time over the course of 2026 , approximately one day a month on a Wednesday or Thursday at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, or 3:00 pm. 

Treatment Schedule:

Session 1
Wednesday, February 11 or Thursday, February 12, 2026

Session 2
Wednesday, March 11 or Thursday, March 12, 2026

Session 3
Wednesday, April 8 or Thursday, April 9, 2026

Session 4
Wednesday, June 10 or Thursday, June 11, 2026

Session 5
Wednesday, July 15 or Thursday, July 16, 2026

Session 6
Wednesday, August 12 or Thursday, August 13, 2026

Session 7
Wednesday, September 16 or Thursday, September 17, 2026

Session 8
Wednesday, November 11 or Thursday, November 12, 2026

Session 9
Wednesday, December 2 or Thursday, December 3, 2026

Session 10
Wednesday, December 9 or Thursday, December 10, 2026

• Each Client Model needs to sign the Terms of Service Agreement and complete a Medical Intake form.

• Client Models must be available at the same day & time assigned for all 10 sessions.

• Selection of Client Models will be prioritized for those who are available for all sessions to fulfill graduation requirements for the students.

• The Client Model should arrive on time. If the Client Model arrives late it will be deducted from the session. By agreeing to be a Client Model you are agreeing to participate on the dates and assigned times for your appointments. The student practitioners are required to complete the ten sessions with their clients in order to complete their training. Thus, your participation in the process is crucial.

• To secure your spot as a Client Model, payment for the first three sessions is required upfront ($150).

• What happens if I am not able to attend an SI treatment session?

Selection of Client Models will be prioritized for those who are available for all 10 sessions to fulfill graduation requirements for the students.

If unable to attend due to illness or inclement weather, Client Models should reach out to the Client Model Coordinator as soon as possible so an alternate Client Model can be scheduled in time for class session, and/or a makeup session can be scheduled at a different time, as applicable. 

Structural Integration is a structured, progressive process that builds session by session. Each session creates change in the body that needs time to integrate, reorganize, and become part of your postural and movement patterns. Because of this, we ask client models not to receive other forms of bodywork during the 10-Series, including Swedish massage, deep tissue work, trigger point therapy, myofascial release, or other hands-on modalities.

This is not because these modalities are similar to Structural Integration; they are very different in purpose and approach. Instead, it’s because:

• Your body is learning. SI introduces new sensory and structural input. Other modalities can “overlay” different patterns and interrupt the learning phase.

• We track your change over time. Student practitioners assess session-to-session shifts. Outside bodywork can confuse those patterns and make changes harder to interpret.

• Integration matters. Much of the transformation in SI happens between sessions. Allowing space between sessions supports better outcomes.

• SI is a container. The 10-Series is an intentional arc; adding other work can dilute the clarity of the process.

If you have a specific medical or therapeutic need during your time as a client model, please reach out. We are always happy to discuss options and ensure your safety and well-being while maintaining the integrity of the educational container.

Supportive Modalities

Gentle, non-invasive modalities that work with the nervous system, energy system, or subtle physiology rather than the neuromuscular or fascial system may be appropriate between sessions, including:

• Acupuncture

• Craniosacral therapy

• Somatic experiencing or talk therapy

• Meditation, breathwork, or grounding practices

• Movement-based modalities (gentle yoga, tai chi, qi gong)

Chiropractic During the Series

You are absolutely welcome to continue receiving chiropractic care during the Structural Integration 10-Series. We do not consider chiropractic a contraindication. However, because SI works with the body through a progressive series of structural and sensory inputs, we ask for a bit of intentionality and awareness around the timing and type of chiropractic treatments you receive.

Why Awareness Matters

Chiropractic and Structural Integration can both create meaningful change in how your body organizes itself. While they are very different modalities, they both interact with:

• joint alignment

• the nervous system

• muscular and fascial tone

• movement patterns

During the 10-Series, your body is already taking in new information each week. Receiving chiropractic adjustments, especially those that make direct structural changes, can add additional input that may influence your patterns in ways that we (and the student practitioner) may not expect.

What We Encourage

Rather than avoiding chiropractic, we suggest approaching it with curiosity and mindfulness:

• Notice what kind of chiropractic work you receive (gentle vs. forceful, nervous system–oriented vs. structural).

• Get curious about how your body responds to the adjustments.

• Consider timing. Forr example, avoiding chiropractic immediately before an SI session may help the student practitioner track your patterns more clearly.

• If you receive regular chiropractic care, feel free to communicate that with us so we can support your process.

Good Questions to Ask Yourself

• “Do I feel like my body needs this adjustment right now?”

• “Will receiving this treatment help support or stabilize what I’m noticing?”

• “How might this input interact with where I am in the SI process?”

There is no right or wrong answer, just increased awareness.Gentler styles tend to blend well

Chiropractic approaches that focus more on the nervous system, gentle mobilization, or non-force techniques tend to integrate smoothly with SI. Examples include:

• Network Spinal

• Low-force or instrument-assisted adjusts

• Light mobilization techniques

• Methods that do not involve deep muscular or fascial work

But again—none of this is required. Simply being intentional is what matters.

Our Intention

Our goal is not to restrict your care. Our goal is to support:

• Your ability to integrate the SI process

• The clarity of the educational container for our students

• Your autonomy in making choices that feel right for your body

Chiropractic can absolutely be part of that, as long as it’s approached with awareness.