It's all about me: Anna Collins
With a B.Sc hons in Biology (with French) from the University of St Andrews, I have always been fascinated with the human body - mainly because I have consistently tested the plasticity of my own to its limits. Competitive tennis and golf from childhood to graduation started the niggles and aches; intensive ski training almost finished me. My sporting prowess often took a cyclical path from victory to therapy with painful regularity; pride and dignity often dented as much as the body.
I followed my heart to the mountains: I trained as a ski instructor in NZ and then taught in the US for a few years, rarely taking time off the snow. Inevitably, my body started to disagree with this arrangement. Once back in the relative safety of London, I worked crazy hours as a private PA/EA (slave), which only served to intensify the discomfort and pains I'd been ignoring, assuming they were going to spontaneously get better (they didn't). Ibuprofen and various therapists were always on standby.
One ensuing meltdown later, I checked into a health retreat in Asia. There, a chance encounter with Structural Integration not only significantly improved my the state of my body, it also impacted me on an emotional and mental level too (no more pain to worry about). I took a leap of faith and within three months, went to train as a practitioner at Dr Rolf's original Guild of Structural Integration in Boulder, Colorado, and then a few years later, as an Advanced Practitioner with her protégé in Kaua'i, Hawai'i. I can also finally say that my degree is actually of use to me in my current job.
I regularly travel back and forth across the pond to train with those who studied directly under Dr Rolf. This is taught as an oral tradition and I wish to learn the techniques and stories from those who were nearest to her, so I can pass the most original information I can on to my lovely clients. As of mid-2019, I became Board Certified by the International Association of Structural Integrators (IASI).
For what it's worth, on the rare occasions I still swing a bat or a stick, I can now hit the ball further, faster and harder than I ever did when I was training properly; I can also now go skiing without fear of anything snapping. For me, this is priceless. I am super keen to play more, so if you've got the game, bring it on!