Soma Practice
Structural Integration
Rolf Movement
LONDON
Alex Jousse
Approach
Structural Integration:
A Somatic and Integrative Approach to
Bodywork and Movement
Soma refers to the body as it is lived and experienced from within — through sensation, balance, movement and our relationship to the space around us. This lived experience, unique to each of us, is central to my approach to bodywork.As we move, stand, sit and breathe, the experience of our bodies is intimately connected to gravity: we continuously, and most often unconsciously, find support and orientation in relation to it. Our relationship to gravity is at the foundation of Structural Integration, a form of bodywork developed by Ida Rolf, whose method later became known as Rolfing®. This work aims to support greater balance and a sense of length in the body in relation to gravity. Structural Integration forms the basis of my practice.Working with the body in relation to gravity means approaching it as an interconnected system. This involves precise hands-on work with fascia and muscles, while also engaging movement, perception, the nervous system and the ways we have learned to organise ourselves. Approaching bodywork and movement in this way can open up new possibilities for greater adaptability, ease and freedom in movement and in how the body is experienced from within, with the intention of making a meaningful difference in everyday life.
Sessions
What to expect?
People of different ages and backgrounds come to Structural Integration for various reasons — pain or discomfort in the body, postural issues, difficulty with movement, a desire to improve physical performance, or simply a sense that something in the body could feel or move differently. Whatever brings you here provides a meaningful starting point. Pain matters, and relieving it can be an important part of the work, but it is rarely the whole story.Sessions usually start with a conversation and some simple observations of how you stand and move. Most of the session will then involve precise hands-on work, usually on a massage table. Touch can range from gentle to firmer, depending on the person and what we are exploring. I may also invite you to make simple movements, change position, stand or walk when this is useful to the work. Sometimes you may be actively involved; at other times you can simply relax and receive the work.Each session is tailored to the person and what we are working with. Sessions can stand on their own, but it is often valuable to experience Structural Integration as a series, allowing the work to develop progressively and address different aspects of the body over time. The traditional Ten Series, developed by Ida Rolf, provides a useful framework for this process without being treated as a rigid protocol. There is no need to commit to a series from the beginning. You can simply come for a first session and, after one or two sessions, decide whether continuing feels meaningful.Sessions typically last around 75 minutes. Clients usually wear light clothing or underwear, depending on what they feel most comfortable with.The fee is £90 per session, with a reduced fee of £70 for your first session. If you are interested in the work but the fee is beyond your means, please feel free to contact me. I offer a small number of community-rate sessions.
About
I’m Alex Jousse, a Structural Integration practitioner based in London. My path has been shaped by a longstanding interest in nature, extensive travel, and many years of yoga and meditation. I also have a background in science, with a PhD in atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Nearly twenty years of postural yoga practice have provided an ongoing personal laboratory for movement and perception, while meditation has cultivated a different kind of attention to experience and an enquiry into what remains constant through change. My own experience of Structural Integration brought a new dimension to how I understood and experienced the body, opening new possibilities where change had previously seemed limited. This eventually led me to study and share the practice with others.I trained in Structural Integration with the European Guild for Structural Integration (EGSI), and later in Rolf Movement™ with the European Rolfing Association (ERA). My work has also been influenced by other approaches to manual therapy and movement, including cranial and neurocutaneous techniques and work with primitive reflexes. Over time, my practice has become less about applying a particular method and more about learning how to listen to the body. I don’t see myself as someone who has all the answers. My role is to help create the conditions in which you can notice what your body is doing more clearly— and perhaps discover something new.
Contact
If you are interested in Structural Integration, have any questions, or would like to arrange a session, please feel free to get in touch.Sessions currently take place in Mill Hill, London. More locations will be available soon. Home visits can be arranged depending on location, with an additional fee.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 7467 227 136
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