Structural Integration of Los Angeles

Charles is an incredibly gifted practitioner. Last week I had a first session with him focusing on addressing neck and shoulder pain that I’ve had since a car accident last year. Charles immediately diagnosed what was going on with my body and addressed individual rib and vertebral restrictions that had been limiting my range of motion and causing me some serious discomfort! After the session, I felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders and neck — I felt light, balanced, energized, and pain-​free! My ribcage and back had been so stuck for so long, that I didn’t even remember what it felt like to have movement there until I saw Charles. He also sent me home with many tools and exercises to do between sessions to help support the work he did that have really helped me continue to find more comfort in my body. You can tell that he is passionate about helping others and that he is an expert in his field. I can’t wait until our next session together and I will be sending my boyfriend in to see him as well! Thank you, Charles!

I met Charles in October of 2013. I had suffered from lower back pain and sciatica for years. When I found Charles I had been in severe pain for 2 months and chiropractors could not do much about it. I could not workout and sitting for hours at work was torture. I was really worried that something was seriously wrong with my spine and the pain was definitely affecting my mood. In my first visit Charles was able to take me from crisis mode and severe pain to a much bearable state. Not just that but by examining my body he was able to determine that there was nothing seriously wrong with my back and he reassured me that he could help me. I left that day with a huge sense of relief. In just a few sessions with Charles I was able to be my happy and active self again. I could not believe it and I am forever grateful to have found him. I ended up doing the whole series with Charles and my whole body is much healthier because of it. My posture as improved immensely and I have a much better understanding of how my body operates. I have not been in severe pain since I am in Charles hands. When I start to feel discomfort in my lower back, sacrum, shoulders… I go to see him and he takes care of it. His knowledge of the human body mechanics never ceases to amaze me. It doesn’t hurt that he is also one of the most kind and fantastic human beings I know.

This is going to sound over the top, but Charles changed my life. I have a rare nerve disorder, that no doctor was able to do anything with other than prescribe medication. Charles was the first person to get to the root of my issues, and I am so grateful. He listens to what your issues are and caters his sessions to work those specific issues, but also the greater goals that you set at the beginning of your session. I seriously cannot recommend Charles enough.

The reason that you should read my review is because my reasons for going to Charles are more than legit. I have been dealing with back issues since my first car accident around 1997. Since then I have been the victim of 4 additional car accidents including one during my time working with Charles. I have seen many many massage therapists, accupuncturists and chiropractors and have only seen one therapist in the 90s that I would compare to Charles in providing me with long lasting relief from pain.
My professional trainer recommended Charles to me when I was complaining about neck and back issues. I made an appointment with him and didn’t expect anything but a lot of paperwork during my first visit. I was more than pleasantly surprised that after listening and analyzing my posture he got to work on me right away and I left the session with a smile on my face because I felt better.
I signed up for Charles’ 12 step program that starts at your feet and ends at your head. I looked forward to every single session. Charles always greeted me with a smile, offered me top-​shelf tea and asked how I was doing. I’m a pretty big nerd and so I asked lots of questions related to the work he was doing and he always obliged. Every session included pre-​work analysis, the «work», and then checking in to see if the work he did made a difference followed by exercises I could do at home.
This is not a gentle massage, this is deep work, but it makes a long lasting change to your body. This work has changed my life because I am free from headaches, knots between my shoulder blades and I’m taller. Yes, Charles fixed my posture and how I stand and walk and I’m now actually taller.
I successfully completed the 12 sessions plus a few extra because of the car accident I was in. I feel great.
I call Charles ‘The Wizard’ because he is. I marvel at his knowledge, his intuition, his thoughtfulness, his manual therapy work, his ability to explain what he’s doing and genuinely caring that I feel better.
You should stop reading Unilocal reviews because you have found your man — make an appointment with Charles and let me know how it goes.

Charles was recommended to me by a friend, and I’ve been seeing him for a couple of years now to keep my body in good shape. I’m a professional aerialist, so I put my body through some tough training and I expect a lot from it.
We’ve worked through some recurring shoulder problems, hip, neck, and back. I’m always amazed at the immediate difference that I feel after sessions and how much more balanced I am.
Charles also impresses me with his knowledge and desire to add to his already formidable skill set. We share new stretches, and discuss theories of body work or movement. He’s always working on outside classes or with a mentor for continuing education.
Bottom line, I would highly recommend this business, especially for those who have not seen results from other practitioners – you’ll get them here.

Finding Charles by accident was one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
I was looking for a physical therapist after a car accident — I’d been seeing a chiropractor but was just not getting any resolution for my neck pain. Did a Unilocal search and saw that Charles was in my ‘hood and had stellar reviews so I made an appointment. When we met, I learned that Structural Integration is not, strictly speaking, PT. PT treats the symptoms of a particular injury. Structural Integration treats the entire system to resolve the problem thereby eliminating the symptoms. And that’s exactly what happened — and then some.
After 12 sessions, I was not only symptom free, but I had better spinal and skeletal alignment than I’ve had in my entire life. CHARLES EVEN STRAIGHTENED MY SPINE! That’s right — I had a c-​shaped curve in my spine (probably the cause of a lot of my old back issues) and now it’s gone. I feel so much healthier, and confident that as I go about my daily life I am better equipped to meet the physical challenges, from reaching for a jar on a high shelf to going to yoga.
And, as the icing on the cake, Charles is the nicest guy EVER. He really cares about his patients and takes the time needed to accomplish the goals of each session. He’s a great conversationalist — important when you’re spending a 1.5 hour block of time with someone — and he keeps a full stock of organic herbal tea. So the sessions are kind of like meeting a friend for a beverage (if your friend were going to systematically break down and rebuild your musculoskeletal system whilst chatting and drinking).
I’ve already recommended him to several friends, and now to you, Unilocal community. Just don’t monopolize all his time, ok? I’d still like to be able to get in for a tune-​up every now and then.

This review is long overdue. I put it off because I felt like I couldn’t put it in words how I felt about Charles and my sessions with him. I have read others rave reviews and I agree with every word. What more is their to say? I think what really stands out about Charles is his amazing ability to make you feel really comfortable in a not so comfortable situation. Let’s face it, by the time you are almost naked and have someones hands all over you, it would normally be very difficult to relax. Charles really puts forth the effort into making sure you are ok at all times and it’s not long before all walls come down. I had several negative energy release incidents during my sessions with him that included uncontrolled shaking. At first I was really embarrassed and uncomfortable. I was very impressed with the way Charles helped me roll with it and become one with it as opposed to fighting it. I was able to replace the embarassment and uncomfortability with grace instead, because of him. I am placing an emphasis on this because I think in order for the healing to take place, it is pertinent that you find a practitioner that you have this kind of relationship with. Charles is your man!!! I also have to say that I really like him a lot as a person and I very definitely prefer to get treated by him for pain related issues or injuries over going to a physical therapist or chiropractor (unless you have to).

Charles is amazing! He excels at what he does and his passion for his work is quite obvious. I have had a bothersome neck for 10 years now and just in a few months he was able to relieve my issue. I’ve never felt better.
He takes his time and listens to both your words and your body to correct longstanding discomfort. I’ve already referred many others.

This review took me far too long to write.
Charles is kind of awesome in two ways. The first is that he pretty immediately identified my issue when 0 out of 3 Phds… XRays, an MRI and an EKG could not.
The second is that he is a warm, friendly and super smart guy, who is always interesting to talk to… he just knows a lot about a lot.
Charles possesses an impressive knowledge of the human body and is 100% invested in getting to the root of your ailments. After about 7 sessions, my injury was healed. I had a case of Piriformis Syndrome that had been with me for well over 4 months (causing major sciatia) before I saw him and it had completely altered the way I lived, felt, and carried myself. I was a walking nerve bomb, and I wouldn’t have wished it on my worst enemy. I had no idea what was happening (docs all told me there was nothing wrong… all in my head), and it was driving me insane.
Charles figured it out. He is respectful, professional, engaged, intelligent, honest, and above all, he fixed me. I understand a whole lot more about my body than before I went to him, and I would definitely recommend him to anyone.

It pains me to write this review, but future clients need to be aware so they don’t run into this same issue.
First, I will say that the work Charles Eckhart does is very good. It’s deep, it’s thorough, and as far as quality of work, I wouldn’t have a problem recommending him on this basis.
However, here’s the issue that arose, that Charles refused to correct. When I came to see him the first time, it was about 7 weeks after a car accident, that injured my back. He wanted to know my history prior to the accident, which is understandable of course. I specifically requested, however, that while I was happy to discuss my body’s history, nothing can go in his records prior to the date of the car accident. Insurance companies are notorious for using ANYTHING they can find in one’s history to claim «Pre-​existing Condition,» and attempt to minimize what an accident has actually caused. Anyone who’s dealt with this kind of thing knows this is how insurance companies operate.
Charles agreed to keep any prior history out of his paperwork. But fast forward one year later, and my attorney is now gathering paperwork from those practitioners that didn’t supply it previously. (I paid cash or debit card when visiting Charles, and he asked if he do all my «superbills» paperwork at one time, at the end. I said okay.) So Charles writes up a 1.5 page report to accompany the bills, which contains history before my car accident. What? In fact, the report doesn’t even mention ANYTHING about a car accident — which is why I came to him in the first place. It just says that I «threw out back.»
Shocking, actually. The report is wrong, and contains confidential history he previously agreed not to include.
So I email him, he sends me an email back saying he can’t change the report. I then call him to discuss. He says he’ll add «car accident» and make other minor adjustments, but he absolutely refuses to take out my history pre-​accident, «Because it’s unethical to do so.» His exact words. And then says he certainly wouldn’t do it «just so I can get reimbursed by the insurance company.»
Are you F’en kidding me? «It’s unethical»?? Who is this guy that I trusted with my personal information — and my body?
Well, Charles, it’s unethical for you to dishonor an agreement you made with me, before I spent a bunch of money with you. It’s unethical, and frankly, dishonest. You want to claim «ethics» here, where are your ethics in regards to «doctor-​patient» confidentiality, that YOU AGREED TO before taking my money? That’s what I’d like to know.
You broke our agreement. That’s unethical. And it’s unethical that you refused to correct your error OR memory lapse. Furthermore, this wasn’t about making a phony case to send to an insurance company, you knew that. It was simply about being fully reimbursed for money I was paying out-​of-​pocket for my own treatment.
Unbelievable. I’ve been in two other car accidents over the past couple decades, and have never encountered anything like this with any health/​bodywork practitioner in my life.
So, if you go to see him after any kind of accident, you must be very careful about disclosing anything that could negatively affect any insurance claim you may have. Could this affect getting full and proper treatment? It could. Having to hold back info from a bodywork practitioner is not ideal, IMO. But Charles Eckhart does not honor the «doctor-​patient» confidentiality that we all expect from our health and bodywork practitioners. Furthermore, given he’s apparently studying to be a psychologist or psychiatrist — where doctor-​patient confidentiality is crucial… I find that rather troubling.

What can I say? Charles is a pro. He is extremely knowledgeable with respect to mind and body. At first I was hesitant to go to a male practitioner, but he consistently makes it a point to have his clients feel comfortable and informed. As a woman, I appreciate and value that. To top it off, he’s just an overall awesome, worldly and engaging person. I also appreciate his integrity and thoughtfulness. Before every session starts we discuss which parts of the body need the most work and then he puts every ounce of energy into what he does — his goal is to make you feel better — permanently.
I am truly thankful that I found Charles — he has alleviated my pain in ways I never thought possible and I know the changes that have been implemented to my body will last a lifetime as long as I keep the maintenance up. Do yourself a favor and try a session with Charles — he’s the real deal.

Before seeing Charles I was sure that my back pain was going to be a life long thing that would never change. Not only has Charles successfully addressed my back pain he has pretty much put my whole body back together. He is a master body-​worker and a very wise man.

I just completed about 6 sessions with Charles. He is an extremely patient, knowledgeable and kind person! He really listened to my symptoms and worked with me to try to make me pain free. In addition, he was able to recommend exercises to help keep me in check. He is an all around pleasant and interesting person, with an extensive education in body and mind. His professional manner and great attitude made it easy for me to look forward to my sessions with him. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for relief!

Charles is one of the best! Go see him if you are having problems and need rearrangement and manipulation of certain muscles or if you just want to relax! He is there for everything. And he really knows what he is doing. He is very professional and will make you feel totally comfortable when working on you. His techniques are sure to give you results for months to come.

First of all let me say that Charles is really gifted at what he does. I had a severe case of plantar fasciitis which is basically severe heel pain that had me limping around like they had just released me from the bell tower. I had gone to my expensive ivy league doctor who just wanted to keep injecting me with cortisone shots every month or operate and Charles was able to use a technique called myofascial release to fix my inflamed muscles. In three weeks I went from going to surgery to walking pain free. His prices are also reasonable. I was able to use my Flexible Spending Account on his services. He is also a really cool guy.

Charles explained everything, made me feel super comfortable, and I truly felt a difference after the first session! He was super professional and made me feel 100% comfortable as a woman being treated by a male practitioner.
He was able to work with a leg injury and lower back problems that I acquired from my past life as a ballerina. I still love to dance, and I think that came through in our discussions about my injuries because at the end of the treatment, Charles mentioned that after a few more sessions i may be able to get back to the ballet barre with less pain. It told me that he was truly listening, which is really important to me.
As a testament to the success of my first session… I am a grad student at UCLA, and I just happened to schedule my appointment during finals week. I left his office feeling refreshed, renewed, and aligned! I am pretty sure that his session will be the reason I get straight A’s this quarter… I hope. :)

I’ve had chronic back pain almost my whole life, and have been to many different types of body workers. Charles is by far the most knowledgeable and has been the most help!

As a professional bodyworker in the Los Angeles area I could not be more thrilled to have found Charles. His knowledge of the body is extensive and his genuine attention and concern is rare to find. He has helped me to address specific problem areas (chronic knee pain) as well as delivered good old fashioned rubs for maintenance and stress reduction. Each time I have always been completely satisfied. He is very professional and from the beginning has made me feel very comfortable and at ease. Highly recommend.

Charles has an astute intuition for bodywork and postural correction. He combines this in his «structural integration» sessions, and I have to say my knee, shoulder and SI joint have improved every time I’ve received his work. As an acupuncturist, I appreciate his superb clinical skills and professional demeanor, and as a patient I really appreciate his attention to detail, sensitivity to muscle response, and most of all his excellent results. I also like that every time I see him, the session is customized to what’s happening at that time and how it’s changed since last session, rather than a memorized set of strokes. I think Charles would be an effective addition to anyone’s healthcare team, especially if dealing with chronic muscle pain.

Charles is by far the most skilled massage therapist I have ever been to. We worked together for over a year while I was living in Arizona and I honestly think my body has never felt better. He has a warm and friendly demeanor and is very professional. He accurately diagnosed and treated multiple issues I was having in my legs and since his treatment the issues haven’t returned. I wish Charles was in NY so he could still work on me today.