Anatomy Trains Structural Integration

Restructuring and integrative soft tissue therapy to improve biomechanical habits, resolve complex compensation patterns, postural imbalances and alleviate chronic pain. Restore your natural balance, alignment, and ease of movement.

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Anatomy Trains Structural Integration (ATSI) method focuses on manipulating, releasing and integrating the body wide multi-layered connective tissue system called fascia. It is aiming to unwind the strain patterns residing in the body’s locomotor system, restoring one’s body to its natural balance, alignment, and ease while also increasing strength, adaptability and resilience. The process consists of a multi-session protocol (usually 12) of deep, slow myofascial manipulation, coupled with movement re-education. Each ATSI session is strategized around a distinct predictable line of pull within the body web of connective tissue. The sessions have a sequence and build onto each other. The work has roots in the Structural Integration work of Dr. Ida P. Rolf, more often known as Rolfing®.

The role of fascia remained misunderstood for more than 500 years. But recently, this body wide web wrapping everything in our bodies, from bones to organs, from muscles to tiny little vessels, has become the center of a vast body of research which helps us at last understand its function and prime role in our body. Today, as Dr Ida P Rolf suspected 50 years ago, we know fascia to:

  • organize our body: compartmentalize and give it its shape (aka sausage casing)
  • be the biggest sensory organ: many sensors constantly informing our brain of various inputs
  • be a source of pain and tension
  • play a crucial role in muscular force transmission
  • be very gel-like and gliding in its healthy state but can form adhesions under different stressors and glue itself to surrounding structures. This can result in deafening of sensors, reduced mobility and pain
  • Impacts the many sensory receptors embedded within it. They inform the brain of your positioning and are critical in proper muscle coordination
  • It appears to be in a sensitive relationship with our Autonomic Nervous System

My Rolfer teacher Thomas Myers, founder of Anatomy Trains SI school, demonstrated that within this bodywide continuum of tissue emerged distinct lines of pull or force transfer. He named them Anatomy Trains Myofascial Meridians.

The process of ATSI is to:

  • Release those “lines” or specific pathways within the individual’s body
  • Restore natural glide between body structures
  • Recover balance and ease of movement within the system. 

Whether you are someone suffering from chronic pain, constant stiffness and soreness, a high level athlete looking to improve performance, or someone seeking overall wellbeing, you can benefit from ATSI.

This very personal process yields unique benefits to each individual. Among the most commonly reported benefits: alleviate pain or discomfort/Fuller and easier breathing/Increased energy and overall aliveness/Reduce stress and tension/Improved alignment /Greater flexibility/Feeling of lightness is often reported after just one session/Better balance or sense of stability/Increased self-confidence/Empowerment/Self-actualization.

Evoking ease within one’s body seems to noticeably change the psyche. That is why Structural Integration is also an amazing support to psychological or developmental journeys. ATSI offers a rich playground for self-discovery; clients often report the work has profoundly affected their lives. For those who wish to pursue their journey even further, ATSI does wonders coupled with Somatic practices like Feldenkrais, ABM and Hannah Somatics or with personal training such as Yoga  and Pilates.

Before starting the series, we will review your current and past health history, accidents, surgeries, diseases or trauma, and discuss your occupations and hobbies. Together, we will articulate your specific goals for entering the process of Structural Integration.

During a thorough initial assessment, I will evaluate your balance, posture, movements and observe with you where your body departs from optimal position, function and ease. 

Each therapy session is performed either on a massage table, standing, or sitting on a bench. Slow deep strokes are applied along your body’s myofascial meridians while you are called to move its related joints smoothly and specifically. Pressure and movement will be adjusted to your comfort level. As an important part of the process, I will support you in discovering patterns of movement that may contribute to your discomfort. 

Structural Integration is a multi-faceted process that combines informed manual manipulation with movement inquiry, and the client’s enlivened awareness or “critical sensing”. The premise of structural integration is that the potential release lies within the client, the therapist is a mere facilitator of change. Once self-aware and attune with their physical experience, the clients seem more present, conscious and authentic in their interpersonal relationships, able to maneuver their life with clarity and harmony with their True Self. This rich therapeutic alliance is offered by certified therapists with knowledge, curiosity, and a humble intention to always respect you and your body’s innate intelligence.  

About Me

The depth of the Structural Integration (SI) process is affirming and has clear intentions: to evoke support and alignment in your body, to evoke flow and ease in movements, ultimately to bring you home “inside”. Structural Integration woke me up to my potential, it brought an embodied presence and centeredness that carries through everything I do, every relationship I engage in. As a therapist, I fell in love with this holistic perspective on pain management, improved function & alignment but also with the surprising self development and empowerment arising from the work. What a therapeutic combo to bring to someone’s discomfort! 

I graduated from Tom Myers Anatomy Trains SI school in 2007 and had mentored under Amber Leigh Burnham (Guild Of Structural Integration) the year before. Since then, I have pursued further education with renown instructors in Human Structure, Movement, Structural Integration and Somatic Education. My almost 60 year old professional field is now supported by a booming field of fascia research, and since SI is also an exciting intersecting therapy between movement, anatomy, psychology, and of course, bodywork, there is plenty to learn! The body’s unfolding process, its intelligence, adaptability and organization (or compensation) continue to fascinate me deeply as I learn from each of my client’s unique processes. Studying Structural Integration has been an exciting and rewarding life path in which I accompany clients in their journey to pain relief, their pursuit of deeper awareness and desire to grow stronger into their authentic self.

Accomplished and happy in Structural Integration practice for almost 20 years, I also have worn many hats over five decades, first in Belgium (where I grew up and lived for 30 years), in Utah, then the last 12 years in Arizona. Curiously, I was a tourism guide, a hotel assistant manager, a hostel manager, a massage school teacher, a spa massage therapist, a Park City Olympic Park employee, and for three years, the president of a school parent-teacher non profit organization. How I pursue my happiness: among many things, I love to learn, to entertain, to parent with my husband, to observe our son grow, to have heartfelt conversations with humans of all ages.

  • Anatomy Trains Structural Integrator (ATSI)
  • International Association of Structural Integrator- professional member (IASI)
  • Licensed Massage Therapist in Arizona (LMT-AZ)
  • National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB)
  • American Massage Therapy Association

“Throughout my career as a massage therapist I have received a variety of therapeutic approaches. The KMI series was the most transformative therapeutic process I have ever had. I can say that I feel a lot more in my body today, I have “landed” in my feet! Most of all, it helped me release persistent pain in my shoulders and become aware of the repetitive stress I was creating while working. It also has successfully addressed my recurrent low back/hip pain (SI joint) and provided me with some helpful tools to immediately release the tension as I feel it creeping in.”

Helene Gaudard-Castillo, LMT

“I have had the opportunity and great pleasure of knowing Ingrid Bregand both personally, as well as professionally, for eight years. On a professional level, Ingrid is an extraordinary therapist who has spent many, many long hours of study above & beyond that which is required to become a licensed massage therapist and then certified in a specialty. Her work is meticulous as well as insightful. She brings all her resources to bear for each client in order to assist them in obtaining the very best outcome possible for each session.  I have referred my clients to Ingrid while I was away for an extended period of time. This speaks both to the quality of her work as well as to her integrity and respect for individuals, as well as for the rules that govern our profession”.

Linda Watkins, BFA, MEd, LMT

“I recently finished a 12 week myofascial integration program with Ingrid Bregand.  Before we started the sessions I had chronic lower back pain throughout the day which increased severely and dramatically during the night.  Very rarely did I go to bed without taking some sort of pain medication and a muscle relaxer. Now I have little pain throughout the day and night and no longer take any pain medication.  Hallelujah!  It is apparent that Ingrid really knows her anatomy and is well trained in her field. What  Ingrid has, no amount of schooling or practice will provide, is her innate ability to perceive the individual.  Her intuition is profound and I am blessed with the gift of renewed health that she has given me”.

Pat Fox, Long Realty Associate Broker 

“Ingrid is professional and extremely knowledgeable.  She is attuned and sensitive practitioner, skilled in aligning with the body intelligence to help restore balance.  I am excited about the changes in my own body from just a couple of KMI lessons”.

Linda K. Wilson, Somatic Educator in footsteps of Moshe Feldenkrais, Thomas Hanna and Anat Baniel

“I suffered a whiplash injury a few months ago after a car accident. Muscle relaxants and pain relievers helped me the first few days, but I had lingering pain and discomfort. I went and saw Ingrid for a massage a few days after the accident. I was pleasantly surprised by this massage as it was very interactive and I had to participate actively. She adapted her movements to what I described I was feeling and to what she was feeling. I felt immediate relief, and by the next day my pain had completely disappeared. I have not had any pain since and believe that Ingrid’s massage prevented long term discomfort. I am very thankful I was able to see her early after my injury”.

Emmanuelle Mangin 

“I recently completed 12 sessions of KMI with Ingrid. After each session what I experienced was entirely unexpected―not only a release but a new awareness of each area of my body. Through Ingrid’s careful and skilled treatments and my participation in the process, I learned about connections across my muscles, tissues, bones and organs that I did not know existed.  Many areas of my body are now freed from long-term habits of posture and movement, and the swelling on an old injury decreased. I also learned how to correct my own patterns. I am much more in touch with every part of my body and I feel like I have a new lease on life as I approach 60”.

Claire Brown, Ed.D.

“I went to see Ingrid Bregand after I hurt my back lifting a heavy flower pot. When I arrived at her office, I could barely move, I couldn’t lift my arms, or really stand straight. After one hour I stepped out of her office pain-free and  I was able to move normally again. The pain hasn’t come back to this day, and if I would get hurt again I would  not hesitate and get an appointment right away. The atmosphere of her office is very calming and comfortable. Ingrid Bregand is a talented therapist, and I would recommend her to my friends and family without a doubt.”

Charlotte Boley 

“The last few years have seen immense changes in my life triggered by some painful events, but the path has led to the growth of new, positive experiences. One of the best new experiences was going through a 10 session Structural Integration series with Ingrid. A close friend recommended her, and I can only describe the experience and results as wonderful, not only from a physical perspective but also a mental one. Ingrid is very knowledgeable and caring. She has a rare sensitivity and competence, and is constantly trying to improve her practice through further training and experience. She has an amazing ability to examine and learn your body, understand its troubled areas, and go to the source of a problem. Throughout these sessions I felt like I was literally being rebuilt, and I often felt as if something had shifted or was unblocked and released, and my body felt energetic yet relaxed. Ingrid helped me understand and feel the way my body should be aligned, and what to do to maintain that optimal state. My posture is better and my structure feels straighter, and my body dynamics and awareness have vastly improved. I am more mindful of my alignment in my daily activities and understand how certain habits and patterns compromise it, and I feel a level of comfort and ease in my body that I haven’t felt in years.  Overall, this body work with Ingrid has helped me feel more grounded and strong, especially during stressful situations. I feel as though I’ve been put back in touch with myself, both mentally and physically, and that feels really good!  Thanks Ingrid : )

Cathy Morris

“I went to Ingrid to address some posture and movement issues and it works. She works. It’s even addressed a couple issues I hadn’t realized were related like swollen ankles. Amazing… and at my age too”.

John Wilson

“What I gained from the sessions…1) greatly improved body awareness, 2) useful, effective imagery provided by you that helped me change some of the habitual movement patterns I had been utilizing  3) the sensory input of the SI sessions provided food for my nervous system that it was craving in order to develop better movement strategies in activities of daily living”.

Steve McNamara, PT

Contact

Office Address:

Sense and Soma

Synergy Plaza
4646 E Fort Lowell Rd Suite 101
Tucson, AZ 85712

801 792 9319

On Swan Rd, drive west on Fort Lowell (old Fort Lowell), turn left into 4646 E parking lot.

To assure the best service, please make sure to arrive on time for your appointment.