Welcome to Chico S.I.
Working with structure, not symptoms
Structural Integration isn’t about chasing pain or fixing what feels “wrong.”
It’s a process of helping your body organize itself more clearly in gravity so movement, breath, and presence have more room to unfold.
We work with the patterns and relationships in your fascia and connective tissue that shape how you stand, move, and inhabit your body.
As your structure becomes more coherent, you may notice shifts:
- a different sense of support,
- a quieter nervous system,
- a release of tension,
- more ease or spaciousness in how you move through your day.
We simply work with what’s present and allow your body to respond in its own time and its own way.
If you’re drawn to a thoughtful, grounded exploration of your body’s architecture, this work may be a good fit.
Structural Integration offers a way to partner with your structure rather than your symptoms and I offer it as an invitation to experience yourself differently in the world.
The Balanced Body 10-series
Structural Integration is traditionally offered as a structured progression I call the Balanced Body 10-Series.
It isn’t a treatment plan or a symptom-based protocol. It’s a methodical exploration of your body’s architecture — one session at a time, gradually creating more clarity, organization, and internal support.
Each of the ten sessions has a purpose:
- The early sessions cultivate space and ease in the outer layers of the body.
- The middle sessions work more deeply with core support and long-held patterns.
- The final sessions integrate everything into a more coherent, responsive relationship with gravity.
The body changes best through time, layering, and repetition. The 10-series is a gradual re-education of structure.
What to expect
Sessions are collaborative, steady, and rooted in curiosity.
- We begin with observation: how you stand, how you move, and how your structure organizes itself in gravity.
- The work is done in comfortable clothing, both on and off the table.
- Touch is direct but unhurried. We’re inviting tissue to differentiate and reorganize, not forcing anything.
- Subtle movements and breath help integrate the work through your whole system.
Rather than chasing what feels off, we work with what’s available to create the conditions for change instead of demanding it.
A note about pain
Many people arrive here because something hurts or feels limited. That’s completely understandable because pain or discomfort is meant to get our attention. But pain relief is not the focus of Structural Integration.
We don’t go straight to the places that hurt. Let’s be real: if working directly where it hurts worked, your issues would be fixed already.
Instead, SI helps your body find clearer alignment in gravity. When structure becomes more organized, your system often has more support, more ease, and more options for movement.
Change is a process
Undoing misalignment and repairing relationships in the whole body takes time.
Sometimes pain shifts as a result of organization, not because we chased it, but because your body found a different way to hold itself. In fact, you might be surprised to find that even if you came for pain relief in the beginning, pain relief might just be a nice by-product of what happens when you feel aligned.
Who I work with
This work resonates with people who are:
- Interested in long-term, foundational change
- Drawn to mindful, body-based approaches to personal development
- Curious about their structure and how it shapes their experience
- Wanting more ease, coherence, or presence in daily life
- Ready to explore their body as an interconnected whole
Ready?
If the Balanced Body 10-Series aligns with what you’re seeking, I’d be honored to walk that process with you.
Reach out with questions if you have them or schedule an Introductory Session using the link below.
Let's work together
Cara Ernest, BCSI
I’m Cara Ernest, a Board Certified Structural Integrator (BCSI) based in Chico, California.
My work is guided by curiosity, clarity, and respect for the intelligence of the human body.
I don’t diagnose or treat conditions. What I bring is presence, attentive hands, and a deep interest in how your body organizes itself. My role is to support change rather than impose it, to recognize patterns rather than chase symptoms, and to help your structure find greater coherence so you can experience yourself with more clarity and ease.
Clients often describe sessions with me as calm, thoughtful, and grounding. I value honesty, steadiness, and straightforward communication. This work is collaborative, a conversation between your body, gravity, and the choices we make together in each session.
If you feel drawn to a quiet, structural approach to embodied change, I’d be honored to work with you through the Balanced Body 10-Series.
I look forward to working with you!
Education and Certification
What Can Structural Integration Help?
Clarity & Calm
Many find that body alignment brings an experience of calm and clarity to their mind and body.
Flexibility & Energy
Many people come to find more flexibility and energy in their bodies.
Injuries & Surgeries
Injuries & Surgeries
Others come to rehabilitate an injury, or to do pre-hab before surgery/rehab after surgery.
Posture Correction
Growing Pains & Stress
Injuries & Surgeries
Many people use Structural Integration to help correct poor posture that is worsening with age or to prevent poor posture from becoming permanent.
Active Performance
Growing Pains & Stress
Growing Pains & Stress
Athletes, dancers, musicians, and others who work with their bodies use Structural Integration to improve performance, avoid injury, and extend their careers.
Growing Pains & Stress
Growing Pains & Stress
Growing Pains & Stress
Many parents bring their children and teens to help support them through the process of growing up.