Testimonials

Working with Jay has been the best experience I’ve ever had with any type of body-worker, and I’ve worked with at least 50 over the past 20 years due to many moves across several states. 

Jay is intuitive and attentive, focused and extremely skilled and educated. 

In each session he was able to not only improve my alignment and functionality, but I felt more centered, connected to my core and my most authentic self. Our sessions are the highlight of my week. 

He’s absolutely changed my life for the better. 

Stephanie Zeller – Motivational Speaker & Coach

I’ve been seeing Jay for about 5 months now and while I didn’t go for any specific injury I had always heard good things about the series of sessions. I’d had one Rolfing session back in my 20’s when I lived in Maui and always wanted to follow it up but never researched it further. Therapeutic massages are great but I intuitively knew I was looking for something more directed with intention behind it. I went in with an open mind but figured the work would be as intense as the one session I had years before in Hawaii. Due mostly to my schedule we’ve been unable to meet weekly which I first thought would interfere with the work or render it less effective. That has not been the case at all and each session seems to build on the last, bring something different forth. In a nutshell Jay’s approach to the work is very nuanced. I’m heading into my 7th session tomorrow and plan on continuing this journey after the initial package.

Taking Jay’s movement class with my wife has been not only a revelation for me but an exciting new way for us to connect as a couple.

As an alumni of the Tisch school, I had taken several dance and movement courses and was usually just trying to keep up with the choreography, while not really getting a feel for what I was doing with my body or why it mattered. I felt lost. So for the last decade I had been left with a sense that I didn’t like dance or movement because I must not be wired correctly and couldn’t connect.

The first thing I appreciated about Jay’s method is that everything was taken incrementally and I found I was able to be present in each of the movements. He frequently checks in and lets me go at a pace where I don’t lose a sense of what the movement is or my connection to it. As someone who is not easily able to get “in my body” this felt like new territory to discover. The work has given me newfound confidence in my ability to move and I am able to remember the movements in a progression much easier because I can actually connect to each one. Speaking of connection, doing this work with my wife has been great for us in terms of being physically playful with one another and it’s a nice way to set aside time for something intimate yet fun. The atmosphere Jay maintains is one not of “right” or “wrong” movements, but of exploring each movement and seeing what feels right, and it’s this freedom to explore that makes each session rewarding for mind, body, and soul.

When my husband and I approached Jay to do some movement/embodiment classes during the quarantine, we/I thought we were going to see him twice a week to stretch and possibly work our muscles. I thought we might go deeper than just a work out to a more grounded, get in your body, present place. I’m guessing my husband thought we were just getting into pilates. What neither of us thought was that we were entering into an extension of our couples therapy that we’d sought out a talk therapist for 2 weeks before the shut down. 

What’s really blown my mind is that without intending it to be so (on our part), this practice has become integral to the issues we are working on in therapy. And not only that, but our twice a week “play” has become an exploration of each other. How we move, how we express, how we channel creativity, how we simply be. And what’s more is that we’re participating together, co creating this space where we’re allowed to literally and figuratively dance with one another. 

While the relationship bit has been the most unexpectedly exciting take away, there’s also been an aspect of solo work, while together. Two lines, one path. I’ve been able to experience what I think yoga has meant to the ancients of past (and maybe today, but I live in LA and yoga is exercise, not meditation). I’m able to see my “issues” come up and experience them while moving my body, or rather the movement of my body allows the issues to come up and be seen objectively. There’s an exquisite interplay of action and integration in our sessions and I’m grateful to be able to see my issues coming up in the moment instead of just thinking about them in an intellectual capacity.

And finally, this practice IS about embodiment and grounding into the knowingness of my body. I’m learning that my body has both wisdom and trauma stored in it, and that is separate yet congruent with my mind (and up to this point, my mind is the only thing that’s gotten any attention).  This really has been about moments of play and discovery, experiencing that wonderment that is oft described as the beginners mind (child’s mind) in Buddhism. And to say once more, the fact that I get to experience and do this with my husband has added a level of depth and play and spontaneity to our relationship. 

Jay changed my life! After training myself for 24 years and trying everything under the sun, my body had many ailments. I didn’t know at that time how inefficiently my body moved until Jay worked his magic with his Structural Integrative Rolfing technique. He took the time to explain the process to me and evaluate my posture thoroughly. I highly recommend the 10 series that he offers for total body realignment. Jay helped unlock my hips and loosen up my tight shoulder joints. And the work he did on my feet helped my posture immensely. Structural integration has been one of the most effective body therapies I have experienced. Thank you Jay!

“Jay Bartley gave me wings”

Thank you so much for helping me inspire change in my life and to start off with a more balanced and symmetrical posture, your work helped me gain insight and self respect, so I want to thank you for being part of my positive change.

Having completed the Structural Integration series with Jay Bartley, I feel a heightened sense of awareness about my physical movements, my thought processes and the relationship between the two in my daily life. As I walk, I now notice the sensations of my naturally swinging legs, my undulating spine, the relationship of my feet to the ground beneath me, and the profound influence that my mood or state of mind has on the way I move. My sitting, standing and walking postures are much more aligned. Concentrating on the “sky hook” from which the rest of my body just hangs effortlessly helps to alleviate compression and misalignment in my spine. And I also feel that I have access to a broader range of motion in my body, specifically within my shoulder girdle. Throughout the series, I discovered new muscles and learned ways to engage and develop them. To help reinforce and implement the fundamentals of Structural Integration, Jay provides clear and concise movement and awareness exercises to practice outside of the sessions. And as an instructor, Jay is quite adept at facilitating conversation and fielding questions when the moment is right as well as providing a relaxed, safe environment for the work to take place. I highly recommend the Structural Integration series!

I recently completed the ten session series of Structural Integration with Jay Bartley. As a massage therapist and Pilates Instructor I am hyper aware of my posture and musculature and the results I achieved through my session with Jay were astounding. I can best describe my results as feeling that my muscles and bones are now sitting properly within my body. I felt as though I had been a marionette puppet with my strings all tangled up and after a session with Jay my strings were untangled and I could flow freely – the way I was always supposed to! Jay has a firm yet understanding touch and encouraged me to work with him within the sessions to let go of stresses and pain that I had been holding on to. I feel taller and more at ease in my body and highly recommend Jay’s work to everyone!

After ten sessions I noticed significant change for the better in my posture and the way walking felt. I have an old knee injury and I had learned to accept the limitations it seemed to require to avoid pain. Not only has the knee pain diminished significantly, I also find myself more flexible and balanced in general.

Working with Jay was really eye opening, I really learned a lot about my body and how to feel relaxed and strong within it. I notice now when I start to go into old habits as I can feel the tension consciously and correct it, where it used to be my state of normal.

Jay is an excellent practitioner and very conscious and caring about your experience in the process. I couldn’t recommend him more!

Being a Massage Therapist myself, I had a pretty good idea of what Structural Integration is. I knew that the work was going to be more uncomfortable than a spa massage. I knew that this work was intended to help my posture and to help me feel better in my body. I was pleasantly surprised to find that after each session I was noticing changes in my body. I found that I was walking taller, moving more effortlessly, and correcting poor postural habits. I would definitely recommend this type of therapy to anyone looking to improve their posture. And Jay is a wonderful therapist that will assist you on your journey.

I had suffered from chronic lower back pain and achey joints from years of athletic activity. Even with regular massage and chiropractic care, the relief was only temporarily until I went through the 10 series with Jay Bartley. Since then, my movement is more fluid and I feel comfortable in my body for the first time in years. The persistent discomfort in my knees and back is gone. I’m really happy I found Jay and Structural Integration.

I’ve had the pleasure to work with Jay Bartley during the 10 series that structural integration entails. What a huge impact it has made on me. Being a dancer, teacher, and yoga instructor, my body would not heal as fast when injured, especially because old habits were a constant reoccurring theme for me. I think we all can relate to reoccurring injuries, especially due to imbalances in the body. During the series, Jay helped me alter my awareness for the better, literally grow taller, find muscles I didn’t know I had the capability of using properly, as well as build my emotional growth. Not only was I more conscientious of how I stood or carried myself, I became more aware of how I approach daily activities and how not to hold on to things in my body that do not serve me. I really looked forward to our sessions. He has a straight-forward approach, making me feel safe and comfortable. Jay is extremely informative and a natural healer for structural integration. I will continue to work with him in the future and highly recommend him for athletes, dancers, or anyone who cares to make positive changes in the body, mind, and spirit.

Jay is exceptional. He is very thoughtful in his approach and takes time to answer any questions. I have had some serious injuries and am an older individual. I wanted to get back into dance but was having some difficulties because my alignment was out-of-wack. After 8 sessions with Jay my range of motion has really improved and I’m almost in the splits. I would highly recommend him.

It was a great experience working with Jay. He is a very skilled, grounded and professional Structural Integrator. Seeing Jay on a weekly basis always put me in a better mood – he uplifted my spirit with his energy. As my 10 series unfolded I was noticing substantial changes in my posture and breathing. My posture became easy and fluid – I was no longer slouching or feeling uncomfortable in my body. I found Jay’s work to be very beneficial prior to any film projects – it allows me to be more in touch with my body. I am looking forward to my ongoing tune up sessions with Jay.

Run don’t walk to Bartley Structural Integration! Jay Bartley is a Structural Integration practitioner that really knows what he is doing and in my opinion works with you to get noticeable results quickly. I only have great things to say about Jay and highly recommend his work to everyone I meet.

Most people don’t know what Structural Integration (SI) is or what it does and how exactly it can help them. I was one of those people until I experienced the entire 10 series.

The short explanation from my understanding is- we’ve all heard of muscle memory, but what we have not heard is that muscle memory is actually stored in the fascia and not the actual muscle. So SI is a massage type physical manipulation of the fascia that allows it to release, open up to receiving blood flow from the body and therefore it heals stronger than before.

I’m not a doctor and I can only really talk about my experience. But before working with Jay, I had muscle tightness in the back, legs, and jaw that would caused pain and headaches. I wanted to see if he could help with that.

My experience is that the results were beyond my expectations. I wanted less pain or even no pain in my muscles. After going through the series, I was really happy that the tightness and pain is gone. But in addition to that, I’ve discovered a whole range of motion in my body that did not exist before. My legs feel balanced and secure and movement is easy and free and actually feels really good. I feel taller just like I’ve been untangled and able to really experience movement. My body from a structural standpoint looks stronger and my posture is naturally improved because of it.

One things to know is that as great as my own results were, I had to work in each session for it. Some of the SI sessions were painful for a few minutes as Jay worked on different areas. The way I would explain it is that blood has to move in your body in order to heal your body. And there are some areas of your body that have been blocked for years. So obviously when those areas open up there is a pain sensation and a brief period of adjustment when your body recognizes that it is healing itself.

If you are an Athlete or bodybuilder moving to the next level or A regular person dealing with chronic muscle pain, Run don’t walk to Bartley Structural Integration!