Holistic, Corrective, Relaxation: How Structural Integration is Different From Other Modalities

The term bodywork covers a multitude of modalities that provide unique benefits to your health. These bodywork modalities can be categorized into three main treatment goals.

3. Holistic: System wide pattern work

2. Corrective: Symptom based work

1. Relaxation: Settling the nervous system

These treatment goals are organized in a hierarchy—not because one is “better,” but because each offers a different kind of service.

Why Categorize Different Modalities of Bodywork?

When a modality falls under a higher level within the hierarchy, it encompasses the benefits of the lower level. For example, when a bodywork modality falls under holistic it can also provide corrective and relaxation benefits. However when a modality is lower on the hierarchy, that bodywork modality cannot, or only by coincidence, provide a higher level of benefit. For example, if a modality falls under relaxation, then it can only coincidentally provide benefits for corrective and holistic. This distinction is useful for navigating options and goals within the world of bodywork. Many people looking for a solution to a long term nagging issue end up choosing a bodywork modality that does not work with the root cause of said issue. The following descriptions of each level will bring some insight into why you should choose certain bodywork modalities for different goals.

Breaking Down the Hierarchy

The first level in the hierarchy is relaxation. A general massage is a great example as the goal is to completely let go and feel at ease. Relaxation modalities excel in stimulating the parasympathetic (rest and digest) aspect of the nervous system. There are many benefits to increasing parasympathetic activity through touch from reducing stress (cortisol) to stimulating system wide recovery.

The second level in the hierarchy is corrective. Corrective bodywork modalities emphasize symptoms, i.e. my neck hurts, and therefore treat symptomatically. Deep tissue or sports massage is a great example of corrective or symptomatic based work. The benefits of corrective based work is that it reduces pain in the short term and can effectively get an athlete or individual back into their activity right away.

The third level in the hierarchy is holistic. Holistic based bodywork modalities focus on system wide patterns and relationships between systems. Structural integration is an excellent example of holistic based bodywork. Structural integration provides long term postural change through a system wide pattern based approach. This approach creates a less strained tensional relationship within a person’s system, and reduces local pain flare ups along with increasing intersystem communication benefiting every aspect of health.

The Key Differences

The main distinction between holistic based work compared to corrective and relaxation is that holistic based work is done in a manner to facilitate long term change, whereas corrective and relaxation modalities are done in a way to provide temporary change. The second biggest distinction is that holistic based work, referring to Structural Integration, is done best within shorter time frames with longer breaks in between to assimilate the work. It is important to highlight that the more frequent and temporary nature of corrective and relaxation based modalities is due to them treating symptomatically or providing only relaxation. The root cause of the symptoms is not addressed unlike in holistic based bodywork.

The following image provides a visual aid for viewing the change that can occur over the 12 series. In addition to the immediate changes that can be felt and seen, the client will continue to change over the following months after the end of the series.

The client has a better base of support, less rotation in her abdomen, arms are hanging evenly and head is centered.

Why Structural Integration is What Your Looking For

Nearly everyone has been affected by harmful pattern development from repetitive movement, mimicking other people's patterns during childhood and/or have unresolved energy, i.e. trauma. These patterns create a unique relationship between structures and generate ineffective systematic movement coordination. In the long term these patterns can lead to neck pain, headaches, knee and hip replacements, shoulder and foot issues, the list goes on. Many have gone through a multitude of bodywork modalities to alleviate the symptoms and yet they persist. This is where the Anatomy Trains Structural Integration approach can assist.

The Anatomy Trains Structural Integration approach focuses on treating the whole pattern, i.e. the whole body. Through a series of 12 sessions, structural integration work will generate a more complete somatic map, balanced tensional system, and more efficient system wide movement coordination upon completion. Unlike many other bodywork modalities that fall below the holistic goals of structural integration, the change from a 12 series does not stop after the final session.