Important information for your upcoming Structural Integration session with Chris
Cancellations & rescheduling
To ensure we can accommodate all clients, we kindly ask for at least 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your session. This gives us the opportunity to refill the appointment.
For cancellations made under 24 hours or in the event of a no-show, 100% of the session fee will be charged.
These policies allow us to continue offering bookings without requiring a minimum deposit, and your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
On the day of your appointment
Moisturiser & Fragrance
Please avoid wearing moisturiser or artificial fragrances such as perfume, cologne, or body spray on the day of your session. Oil-based products can make your skin too slippery for effective myofascial release work, which requires friction.
Chris has multiple chemical sensitivities, and fragrances may cause irritation.
Clinic Location
Acacia Healing is located at:
14B Lyall Street, Westbury
(At the rear of the Post Office building)
There are five stairs to climb for access. If stairs present difficulty for you, please let us know in advance so we can discuss suitable options.
Arrival Time
We now have a dedicated waiting room, so you are welcome to arrive a little early and make yourself comfortable before your session.
What to wear
For your postural assessment and treatment, it is important to wear clothing that allows Chris to properly assess and work with your body.
If you are not comfortable standing in your underwear, please wear clothing such as:
- Shorts and a singlet
- Swimmers
- Gym clothes
Please avoid wearing sports bras that cover large sections of the back, as this can interfere with the structural work being done.
Your session
Your session will begin with a postural assessment to identify the compensation patterns contributing to your discomfort.
This is an active treatment, meaning you will be moving body parts while they are being worked on. Expect to be up and down off the table throughout the session. If you have mobility issues, the session can be adapted to suit your needs.
Sessions run up to 90 minutes, allowing adequate time to work cohesively with your structure.
If the desired change has been achieved before 90 minutes, the session may conclude earlier to allow your body time to settle and integrate.
Structural bodywork is aimed at long-term change rather than short-term symptom relief.
Cost
Initial Consultation – $220
Follow-up Session – $200
Private health fund rebates are available.
Please note, there is a 1% surcharge for card transactions.
Water & Hydration
Adequate hydration is essential for the success of the work being undertaken.
A major focus of structural integration is identifying dehydrated and restricted fascia and helping restore its capacity to glide and adapt. Drinking 2 to 4 litres of non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic fluids per day is ideal, especially before and after your session.
Since the body is composed of approximately 70 to 80 percent water and hydration underpins nearly every physiological process, maintaining adequate fluid intake significantly improves treatment outcomes.
Now that you are beginning a series of Structural Integration sessions, it can help to approach the process as a project rather than a one-off treatment.
This work is not simply about relieving symptoms. It is a structured process aimed at reorganising how your body is supported in gravity, improving breathing, restoring movement efficiency, and reducing unnecessary strain.
Below are suggestions to help you get the most from your sessions. Not all of them will apply to you. Take what feels useful and leave the rest.
Getting the Most From Your Structural Integration Sessions
1. Consider Keeping a Journal
Structural work often creates subtle and cumulative changes.
You may notice shifts in:
- Posture
- Movement
- Energy levels
- Mood or emotional tone
- Sleep patterns
- Sensations in areas that previously felt “neutral”
Before your first session, stand in front of a mirror and simply observe yourself. Write down what you see and feel. Where do you feel balanced? Where do you feel tension? What aches are present? What do you like about your body? What feels unfamiliar?
Make brief notes before and after sessions. Many clients are surprised by how much has changed when they look back.
2. Allow Time to Feel the Changes
If possible, leave a few minutes before and after your session to walk.
Walking helps you:
- Notice the “before” and “after”
- Integrate changes in a functional way
- Allow your nervous system to settle
- Clear your head before returning to driving or daily demands
You might choose to park a short distance away and walk to the clinic.
3. Stay Present During the Work
Structural Integration is interactive. You will often be asked to move body parts while they are being worked on.
The most productive sessions happen when you:
- Stay aware of the area being worked
- Breathe normally
- Communicate clearly
It is very common to tighten or pull away when sensation increases. If pressure feels too strong, too fast, or too much, say so. The goal is effective change, not endurance.
Some areas may feel intense, particularly where there has been past injury or long-held restriction. Intensity can be productive, but dissociation is not. If you feel yourself mentally “leaving,” the pressure is likely too much.
This is your session. The best results come from collaboration.
4. Listen to Your Body Between Sessions
Between appointments, your body is adapting.
You may feel:
- Restless and wanting to move more
- Tired and needing extra rest
- Mild unfamiliar strains as forces redistribute
All of this can be normal.
If you feel the urge to move, move. Walk, stretch, dance, breathe deeply.
If you feel the need to rest, rest.
If anything feels sharp, severe, or persists beyond a few days, let Chris know.
5. Break Up Long Periods of Sitting
Long-held sitting patterns are one of the most powerful drivers of structural compensation.
Between sessions:
- Stand and move every hour if possible
- Adjust your workstation
- Change how you stand at the sink
- Vary how you sit and drive
Small, frequent changes are more effective than rigid corrections.
6. Avoid Forcing “Good Posture”
Do not try to hold yourself in what you think is correct posture.
Pinning your shoulders back.
Tucking your pelvis under.
Holding your chest up artificially.
These efforts often create new strain patterns.
The series is designed to help your body find a more efficient balance without force. Allow your posture to reorganise rather than imposing an ideal onto it.
Your body has its own blueprint.
7. Notice Old Patterns Returning
Old holding patterns often reappear.
Your role is not to fight them.
It is simply to notice them.
When you catch yourself gripping, bracing, collapsing, or clenching, gently let it go. No drama. No correction. Just release.
Repeated noticing gradually weakens the old pattern until the new organisation feels natural.
8. Warm Baths & Recovery
A warm bath in the evening after a session can feel restorative.
Epsom salts may reduce residual soreness.
Hydration is also essential. Fascia responds best when adequately hydrated.
9. Emotional Shifts
Occasionally, people notice emotional shifts during a series.
This is not unusual. The body and nervous system are closely linked.
If emotions arise, observe them without over-analysing.
Anything persistent or concerning should be discussed.
10. Trust the Process
The changes you feel immediately after a session may seem less dramatic as the week progresses. This does not mean they are gone. It usually means they have been integrated.
The 3-Series and 12-Series follow a deliberate progression. Each session builds on the last to reduce regression and support lasting change.
Many clients continue to notice positive changes in the months following completion of a series.
Finally
Enjoy the process.
Structural Integration is an opportunity to explore your body in a different way. It is about reclaiming ease, efficiency, and a more comfortable relationship with gravity.
Chris looks forward to guiding you through the process.