BEYOND THE BOX

SETWHOLEBODYREHAB.com

Site chiseled into being by

Charles Garvey Therapist (MA7678) setwholebodyrehab.com (813) 841-2328 • S.E.T.-Structural Energetic Therapy Originated by Donald McCann: www.structuralenergetictherapy.com

The Evolution of S.E.T.

BEYOND THE BOX

EVOLUTION OF STRUCTURAL ENERGETIC THERAPY
(THE INTEGRATION OF CRANIAL/STRUCTURAL TECHNIQUES and SOFT TISSUE)

SET TALK

By Don McCann, MA, LMT, LMHC MA3267 MH705 MM3717

A Mind Stretched by a New Idea Never Regains Its Original Dimension
~author unknown

The well-being of my clients is a top priority in my therapeutic massage techniques and protocols. I have had the great fortune of training in several different modalities with many of the most highly regarded teachers in this profession, but my observations of structural distortions and imbalances contrasted with the limitations inherent in the techniques I was learning. This prompted me to think beyond the box . The process of modifying and integrating a number of highly effective soft tissue therapies to address the basic cause of structural imbalances and body pain led to the birth of Structural Energetic Therapy® (SET) in the late '70's. Then, with the integration of NICS Craniostructural Integration techniques in the '80's, the present form of SET evolved.

I noted that the majority of my clients presented with a basic distortion pattern that involved an imbalance of the pelvis. I was convinced that balancing the structure was key to reducing multiple pain syndromes. I trained in Postural Integration, a 10-session body restructuring methodology that uses deep tissue myofascial restructuring, and was very excited to be practicing what I felt was state of the art bodywork in the mid 70's. This model was initiated in the '60's with Structural Integration, along with CORE bodywork and Lomi bodywork, to name a few. It is still considered to be one of the more advanced and effective forms of bodywork. However, clients with very painful conditions throughout the body (i.e. whiplash, lumbar sprain/strain, degenerative disc problems, hip and knee and foot pain, shoulder and arm nerve entrapment symptoms) needed to have these painful areas treated first rather than progressing through ten sessions before addressing their primary individual symptoms. My choices were to follow the ten-session model and not pay special attention to their initial area of complaint, or to treat their primary area of pain in the first session, which was usually out of sequence and philosophically contrasted the current beliefs.

To move out of sequence I needed to disregard several strong beliefs associated with the 10-session model. One was that the fascia could only be released within a certain sequence to produce balance. Second, the core distortion, or spiral, should not be reduced because everyone has this structural pattern. However, my associates and other 10-session practitioners had belief systems and attitude blocks which Herbert Spencer eloquently describes in this quote:

There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments, and which will never fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation. Therefore, I looked elsewhere and not to my colleagues.

My clients became my best teachers! They insisted that I try new methods and techniques. The majority of clients had an anterior rotation of the left ilium and a posterior rotation of the right ilium. This created compensatorythat could well be the basis of most body pain. This was also Referred to as the spiral or core distortion as observed by other 10-session body workers. Clients experienced elevated pain levels when this distortion increased to the point that the SI joint (sacrum and ilium) could not maintain weight bearing support and balance when they were standing, which shifted their bodies further into distortion (structural collapse). In observing my clients, it became obvious that accidents, life experiences, and stresses would move an already weakened body further into distortion. As the degree of distortion increased, the dysfunction and pain increased. Thus, rebalancing this core distortion to be weight bearing became the focus of my work and investigation.