As a Structural Integration practitioner I am part a large community of Alternative and Complementary Health Therapies.
What are the alternative health fields? Here are a few:
- Structural Integration/Rolfing
- Chiropractic
- Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine
- Massage and Bodywork
- Homeopathy
- Nutrition Consultant
- Herbal Medicine
- Naturopathy
- Energy Therapy
- Cranial Sacral Therapy
Alternative and Complementary Healthcare is considered holistic in that it considers the whole person as part of the treatment including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Each of these modalities can treat some illness and injury in conjunction with proper medical care. This is considered Complementary Medicine. Additionally these practices are preventative. The goal is to keep a person well as opposed to solely treating illness.
When a client comes to see me I am often moved by their story. They are in chronic pain, have had back surgery, suffer from plantar fasciitis or have developed an ache in their hip since a knee injury a year ago. They want to know if SI can help them. Usually the answer is yes. Structural integration can free that scar tissue from surgery or balance the parts; feet to knees to hips to shoulders, taking the undue pressure off the sole of the foot or the hip joint.
However I always say it takes a village. It takes a combination of therapies, exercise, nutrition, and stress reduction. It takes awareness of what is out of balance and a willingness to make some changes. This may be how alternative and complementary therapies differ from mainstream medicine. It is not just about surgery or medication but about making productive changes in our lives.
Be well.
