The Integrity Method® is a bodywork system, developed and refined over 23 years of practice, for relieving pain and encouraging your body to heal. It is not a modality; it is a framework for delivering various modalities, in the most efficient way, to address your particular concerns while toning your body as a whole.
The Integrity Method® also incorporates the business practices of sustainability, transparency, cooperation and community. We seek to build a business that acts as a force for healing—not just for our clients, but for our employees, our healthcare system, our environment and our community.
An Integrity Method session consists of a basic sequence which may be infinitely adapted to the needs of the client. It provides the flexibility to address specific issues, as well as the structure to ensure that nothing is overlooked. It can be adapted to enhance the strengths of a bodyworker as well as the requirements of the client.
Here are some of the modalities it encompasses, and the benefits you receive from them.
Structural Myofascial Technique
Works directly with fascia to address misalignments and restrictions which contribute to pain, weakness and joint degeneration. The therapist takes a health history and makes a visual assessment of the client’s body alignment, then designs a treatment plan around specific areas of concern.
Benefits:
• Relief from pain in specific areas (back, hips, knees, ankles, shoulders, neck)
• Greater ease of movement and range of motion
• Reduced long-term strain on joints
• Improved posture
Swedish/Deep Tissue/Trigger Point
Works with the musculoskeletal system to eliminate tension, improve circulation, tone the immune system and stimulate cell regeneration. These techniques are what most people think of as ‘a real massage.’ You’d feel disappointed if your session didn’t include them.
Benefits:
• Feels wonderful
• Relief from general muscle aches
• Faster healing from injuries, muscle strain and microtears
• Boosts immune system and general energy levels
Shiatsu
Works with meridians to balance energy flow throughout the body. Shiatsu techniques integrated into a session allow the practitioner to assess how the body is responding to the treatment, identify areas of restriction, and balance the body’s alignment with greater efficiency.
Benefits:
• Relief from back and joint pain
• Boosts endocrine system
• Soothes nervous system
Reiki/Polarity/Energy Balancing
Reiki and energy holds occur at punctuated intervals throughout a session, but do not encompass more than a few minutes of your total time on the table. Some clients love energy work and respond strongly to it; some don’t have a use for it. (See ‘Is Reiki Flaky?’ from our blog.) Energy work is thus an integral but not focal element of the Integrity Method.
Benefits:
• Induces profound relaxation, theta-wave brain state
• Promotes psychological and emotional healing
Traeger/Passive Stretching/Range of Motion
Simple movements and stretching of limbs can have a powerful effect in triggering relaxation and muscle release; scattered throughout the session, they magnify the benefits of other modalities.
Benefits:
• Releases muscle tension
• Soothes nervous system
Aromatherapy
Any treatment that addresses the body and mind as a whole is more effective if it engages all the senses. We use general aromatherapy in the treatment room, and organic essential oils (such as lavender and peppermint) during each treatment. We never use artificial fragrances or chemical detergents.
Benefits:
• Stimulates relaxation and positive sense/emotion memory.
We maintain an ever-growing network of referral partners among both mainstream and ‘alternative’ practitioners. If you are not responding satisfactorily to your treatment, we will do our best to refer you to someone who can help you more effectively. We do not join quid pro quo business networking associations; our criteria for referring you to another practitioner are that they have demonstrated their superior competence and understanding, and that their area of specialty matches your needs, as far as we can determine.
Think of this list as a toolbox that your practitioner has available to address your concerns. It matters less what technique we are using, than what you’re getting out of it. Ideally each modality should support and amplify the others.
For example, structural myofascial technique is designed to help the body realign, and can potentially be uncomfortable to receive. Instead of simply adjusting your alignment and sending you on your way, then, we integrate some gentle, relaxing work to allow your body to better adapt to the new alignment, and counteract any stress that the deeper work may have caused. You are thus receiving support and healing on several levels at once.
For any questions, or if you would like a free verbal consultation, please visit our contact page.