We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jay Bartley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jay , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I was taught at an early age to work hard at whatever job you were doing, whether you liked it or not. The idea of a 9-5 job was implemented either by witnessing my parents live that way or being conditioned that, that is what you are supposed to do. In my 20’s up to my mid 30’s I had jobs I really didn’t care about. They didn’t inspire, it was a paycheck. The last corporate job I had was working in banking. I was a manager at a bank for 15 years, and over time I really started to despise that life I had created. I decided to quit my job, cash out my 401K and study to become a Rolfer/Structural Integrator. It was one of the scariest things I did, because I didn’t really know what I was doing. I just knew that if I didn’t leave the banking industry at 36 years of age I would become more and more unhappy and uninspired.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Since childhood, I was a seeker of movement – playing soccer, gymnastics, rollerskating and later in life being drawn to modern dance. Dance was a form of expression, one that didn’t require me to use my voice but my body. I was immediately hooked. This is where I knew I needed to be (even with some expected turn of events that lead me astray) eventually finding myself back being and making my way into a couple local dance companies in Los Angeles and later becoming a Rolfer/Structural Integrator.

The movement aspect of the work is what first drew me to Dr. Ida Rolf’s work, then I read and re-read her book and experienced the brilliance of her 10 series. This was it for me, I knew this is how I wanted to serve the world, giving people tools and awareness to come back into their bodies through Rolfing.

I want to encourage people to inhabit their bodies, create new habitual movement patterns by relating to their environment and felt sense of experience, which in turn generates change not only for themselves but for society.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Finding resources for myself. That could be therapy, meditation, physical activity seeking mentors. I ask myself all the time What am I doing to challenge myself regularly? And what tools and habits can continue to challenge me to grow as a Rolfer.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Referrals from other clients. Listening, being attentive, come from a place of authenticity.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bartleysi.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bartleystructuralintegration/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bartleystructuralintegration/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-bartley-7a154940/

Image Credits
Feature photo – Jay Bartley Photo 1 – David Freeman Photo 2 – Ginger Sole Photography Photo 3,4,5 – Henrickphoto.com