In stillness like a great mountain
In movement like a mighty river
Somatic Structural Integration
Touched by Nature
SOMATIC STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION
Feel better, move Better
“Somatic”?
Somatic refers to the felt experience from within the body — not just anatomy or external posture. Somatic Structural Integration supports your body's ability to move, adapt, and feel from within.
This work invites awareness, balance, and responsiveness in relationship to gravity.
Internal Experience | Embodiment
Developing internal body awareness
Releasing chronic patterns of tension
Restoring natural movement and responsiveness
Integrating physical, emotional, and nervous system experiences
What does somatic mean? | Touched by Nature
You may have seen the word somatic used to describe certain forms of bodywork or movement therapy. But what does it actually mean—and how does it relate to Structural Integration?
The word somatic comes from the Greek word sōma, meaning “body.” In a therapeutic context, it refers to practices that involve direct, internal experience of the body—not just how the body looks or moves on the outside, but how it feels and functions from the inside. Somatic Work Is About Embodiment
Somatic practices support a person in becoming more deeply connected to their own body.
In the context of Structural Integration, the somatic approach means the work is not something done to the body, but a process that happens with your awareness. It’s a collaboration—guided through touch, movement, and mindful attention.
What Somatic adds
Somatic Structural Integration—especially the Ten Series—is for anyone seeking a deeper, more embodied relationship with their body..
Whether you're:
Living with chronic pain or postural discomfort
Feeling stuck in patterns of tension, fatigue, or restriction.
Looking to improve athletic performance or functional movement.
Seeking greater ease, presence, and awareness in your body
In recovery from injury, burnout, or trauma
Exploring your body as part of your personal. growth or healing journey
.......this work offers a holistic, supportive path toward long-lasting benefit.
Somatic Structural Integration
-
Emphasis on lived experience
Somatic refers to the felt experience from within the body — not just anatomy or external posture. It implies that the work is about how a person senses, perceives, and moves in their body, not just how their body looks or is structurally arranged. SSI uncover underlying movement or holding patterns, not just surface symptoms. -
Whole-person approach
It signals that the work isn't purely physical or mechanical — it includes awareness, perception, emotion, and nervous system regulation. This is important if you are looking for integrative or mind-body approaches. Because fascia holds not just tension but emotional patterning, Structutal integration can support emotional release or integration. -
An invitation to embodiment
The word somatic suggests that the client is actively participating — noticing, feeling, and discovering — rather than being “fixed” by a practitioner. It hints at education, autonomy, and internal connection. Helps fine-tune alignment and responsiveness for performance or recovery.
Mind body integration |
Intelligent and adaptive system
4. Alignment with contemporary somatic practices
The work is connected to a broader field that includes modalities like Feldenkrais, Alexander Technique, Body-Mind Centering, and Somatic Experiencing . Unlike purely mechanical “posture correction,” SSI works with the body as an intelligent, adaptive system.
Meet the practitioner
Maya - Matthea van Staden
Structural Integration is a hands-on approach to working with the body’s (myo)fascial system, aimed at improving posture, movement, and overall physical coherence. Rooted in the work of Dr. Ida Rolf, it offers a personalized, one-on-one process that reorganizes the body in relation to gravity. In parallel, her teaching of traditional Tai Chi Ch’uan introduces a gentle, group-based movement practice that cultivates coordination, balance, and embodied awareness through flowing, structured forms. While distinct in form, both approaches foster greater ease, adaptability, and an integrated relationship between body, breath, and perception.
Why the 10 Series of Structural Integration work so powerfully
The 10 Series is a carefully structured sequence of sessions that approaches the body in layers—from superficial to deep, and from local tension patterns to global integration. The goal is not just physical relaxation or pain relief, but a fundamental reorganization of the body’s structure in relation to gravity, movement freedom, and inner awareness.