The Solberg Center Blog
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Plano Rolf Method of Structural Integration: Redneck Yoga
I recently took a father and son trip to Port Aransas with my 8 year old son, several of his friends and their dads. These kinds of experiences are a blast for me! I love spending time with my family, traveling and going to the beach. Renting a beach house (read 'shack') and sharing it with a bunch of guys is also a marvelous festival of testosterone. It is so healthy for me to have a couple of days away from my obsession with work. It is also clarifying for me to get out of my suburban bubble and remember that west Plano is not what most people consider reality. In fact, the culture of Port Aransas is a far cry from the city. For the most part our group was able to dress the part and when in Port A we didn't stand out too much -- at least the other dads didn't stand out too much.
We were proud of our deliciously redneck beach set-up with 2 four-wheel drive trucks parked right on the beach close enough to each other so we could tie a camouflage tarp between the two. It was pointed out to me this little patch of shade was for setting up old worn camp chairs and drinking beer --NOT for doing yoga. But hey, I have a reputation to uphold. I am known as the dad not to send to the grocery store for supplies if time is a factor as I will spend too much time reading labels desperately trying to find hot dogs without nitrites. Taking a ribbing for being the 'organic dad' gave me a sense of being truly accepted for who I am and for taking my place as the shaman of our tribe. They need me.
Michael Solberg is the co-founder of The Solberg Center for Structural Integration in Plano and Dallas, Texas. For more information visit the Solberg Center website. 972-398-3430
Dallas Rolf Practitioners attend Rolfer's Presentations
Virginia and I attended the Regional Conference held by the International Association for Structural Integrators held in Boulder, Colorado last week. As founders of The Solberg Center for Structural Integration, it is a passion of ours to stay connected to the community of leaders, researchers and academics in our community. We participated in two presentations taught by Kevin McCoy, Certified Rolfer and Gael Ohlgren, Certified Rolfer. Kevin informed us on the latest research on fascia including an embryiological perspective and Gael had a marvelous presentation about what she has learned about the planet from being a Rolfer for 40 years. She trained with Dr. Ida Rolf in the early days in California around the time my father, Ken Solberg, Dallas Certified Advanced Rolfer did. Her cultural perspective included how the US has changed in its acceptance of Rolfing and Structural Integration over the decades and how Rolf's work played a part in some of the trends which have transformed how humans cares for themselves. "I am a sociologist who works with my hands.", she said. Very cool.
Reconnecting with some old friends/colleagues and putting faces and hugs to some of the names we have known over the years was probably my favorite part of the day. It is always a sweet experience when any community puts their school allegiances aside and looks for the similarities rather than the differences between them. The event was hosted by Michael Kastris (www.insidesi.com -- great sight, that) who said "This meeting is a veritable who's who from the different Structural Integration schools." It was an honor to be in the midst of some of the teachers, students and elders who have inspired us in our craft. Thank you IASI.
Michael Solberg,
Certified Advanced Practitioner of Rolf Method of Structural Integration
Director, The Solberg Centers in Plano and Dallas, Texas
Or call us at 972-740-7939.
Rolf Method of Structural Integration -- Plano Center's New Home
Yipee! The Solberg Center for Structural Integration is off to a stellar start in its new home at Willow Bend Wellness Center. Michael and Virginia Solberg have expanded our private practices into a whole center for Structural Integration complete with several practitioners on staff (more announcements to come on that note!), an incredible office director and imaging technology (being installed soon) all enveloped in a warm luxurious interior. We built our center from raw unfinished space within Willow Bend Wellness Center so we have designed every detail with an architect and interior designer into custom built studios, specifically designed and created for our unique style of bodywork and our client's comfort.
We are overjoyed to be in Dr. Sam Lam's Willow Bend Wellness Center. We were presented with a once-in-a-lifetime offer to join in the patiently assembled group of synergistically oriented wellness practices. How sweet it is! The building is first-class, inside and out. We are proud to present Structural Integration in an environment which it deserves. We think Dr. Ida Rolf would be proud. Dr. Rolf's Structural Integration has paid its dues as a grassroots movement over the last 50 years and we want to be a contributor to bringing her important work to many more people and lifting the public awareness of its scientific foundation and its personal significance to a variety of individuals.
Every client we see says something like: "Why haven't I heard of this before? How long has this been around? Why doesn't everybody know about this? This work is incredible! I need to tell my friends about this... Can I make an appointment for the other members in my family to start next week?" We spent years 'keeping it a secret' because our practices were not equipped to respond to the avalanche of new clients that we knew would come 'if it ever got out'. Those days are over!!! We have been given the opportunity in our new Center to respond to the huge need in our city/world for this unique and powerful work. We have recruited the finest practitioners to partner with us to meet the need and we already have expansion plans after only being open for 3 months! Most importantly, we feel called to teach people what Structural Integration is and the hope it can bring as it offers something persons can find in no other body modality. We consider ourselves educators and want to further the educational movement that can introduce Rolf's work to the many people who can benefit from it. We thank God that it is our mission to make the world a better place with this marvelous work that is born of both logic and love.
Sincerely,
Michael Solberg
Time to get the Clog out of my Blog!
OK, this is it. Time to finally use this blog that I begged my web person to add to my website over a month ago. I have so many ideas that I am bursting at the seams. Where to begin? I made an agreement with myself that I wouldn't try and write everything on the first entry so I wouldn't continue to be intimidated with the daunting task of taking the clog out of my blog. I also could not let Geoff be the only contributor of our blog, as good a writer as he is.
Let me just open my contributions to this blog with the thought and sentiment of how very blessed I am to have received all of the help necessary to open the Solberg Center for Structural Integration 3 short months ago. Thank you Sam Lam for your immense help with our web presence and for allowing us to move into your amazing Willow Bend Wellness Center. Thank you Carol Lam for believing in us and challenging me to dream big. Thank you Richard Crawford for your amazing construction work. Thank you Kristin Praeuner for your creative vision as our interior designer. Thank you Kerrie Meyler for being the best web person a guy could ever find. Thank you Geoff Hill for coming on board as our center Director and bringing your deep desire for helping people. Thank you to all of my clients for helping us to build our practices to the level of expanding into the Solberg Center. Thank you to our parents for loving us while we were still just little human buds. Thank you to our sons for loving us and inspiring us to excel in our professional life and reminding us what is most important. Mostly, thank you Virginia for making me the luckiest husband alive. It is truly an honor and a gift from God to have you as my partner in life, family and our new partnership in the Solberg Center where we can share our passion for the work of Dr. Rolf where we can care for those that come into our studios.
I have had an incredible father's day, great weekend with people I love and respect and to top it off I am one of the obnoxious people who actually looks forward to Monday morning because I love my work!
More to come...
Gratefully, Michael Solberg
First Structural Integration session, Is Rolf Session painful?
OK, I'm the one clients meet when they first walk in the door, or call for information. Could I perform my job and educate and inform clients as to the process and benefits of Structural Integration? The answer: not for long. The most effective spokesperson for a product, I believe, is one who uses their own product, so I decided to take the plunge. The first session in a series of ten.
Now I have a lot of years of, lets say, difficult living behind me, and the cumulative effects were taking a toll on my body. Every day, the first steps taken out of bed were a huge chore, bending over to pick something up was best planned ahead of time and a block of time earmarked for the event. Aches, pains, stress related mystery knots and the toxins, Oy...don't get me started on the toxins.
One may hear the experience is painful. From my point of view, yes it was. It was if rusted bolts were being forcibly loosened after years of inactivity, and I could imagine from the bolts perspective, more than a little uncomfortable. But the pain is only there for the moment, and the relief was very noticeable. During the session I even learned how to breathe and could feel the stress leave my body with every exhalation.
When it was over I felt, well, lighter, like I wasn't fighting gravity and a huge sense of calm, the likes of which I had not had for years enveloped me from top to bottom. My range of motion had improved and I was standing straighter.
I now look forward to my next session. Will it hurt? Probably, but then again I'm a huge baby. Will it be worth it. Oh yeah.
I would enjoy reading others comments about their 'first session' and what expectations they had, or preconceived ideas they may have had about the whole process.
Yours in lightness. Geoff Hill
For more information on The Solberg Center and Structural Integration call 972-398-3430 or visit our website.
Rolf Method Structural Integration at Solberg Centers in Plano, Texas and Dallas, Texas
My lifelong friend Geoff Hill assisted my wife Virginia and I in building and developing The Solberg Center for Structural Integration during its first year. I am indebted to his faithful attention and intention to bringing his heart to work everyday and be a part of what has become a successful center for personal change and development for others through Dr. Rolf's Method of Structural Integration. Geoff has moved on to become a successful chef and writer, being the artist that he is. His personal friendship influences me and will the rest of my life. Like others that God has put into my life, I am grateful for his appreciation and encouragement as Virginia and I forge on in our vision to provide the top level of service to our Structural Integration clients at The Solberg Center. Below is a note he wrote when he joined us during our maiden year in 2008. We love you Geoff!
"How do you tell your best friend thank you for an opportunity to not only change your life, but to witness the change in countless others? That would be the dilemma.
Several months ago I was stuck in yet another dead end, mind numbing job and I knew I had to change something. No, not just something, everything in my life. I was decidedly unhealthy, with unhealthy habits and an equally unhealthy outlook on life. I knew I wanted to come back to this area after a lengthy painful period but had no prospects and no vision as to what my future would hold. I simply knew I had to make the decision. Doing the same things expecting different results was undeniably insane and something told me, "try it a different way...believe that the universe has every good thing in it that you could ever want, then let it come." So I did.
I now have the ability to help my best friend, having known each other for 32 years, achieve his vision of success, simply by helping others. I have let go of all the unhealthy ideas and habits that kept me stuck, and my body old before its time and am undertaking a journey of helping others get unstuck from what was holding them back and I owe my new life to a power greater than myself that brought Michael Solberg into my life not only when I needed him most, but 32 years ago, in preparation for this moment. The Solberg Center, at its core, is about giving people the ability to reach their true potential, releasing them from negative physical ability and discovering their essence. Thank you Michael. Thank you...
Geoffrey Hill"
For more information on the Rolf Method of Structural Integration and The Solberg Center call us at 972-398-3430 or visit our website.