The human body is composed of many systems that communicate 24/7, and a holistic body based therapy addresses all of them together rather than in isolation. There are three major systems: the nervous, circulatory, and fibrous systems. Together, they provide a complete map of the human body and harbor intimate connections that play an integral part in one’s perception of self (Myers 2021).
Natalie and Xavier, both Board Certified Structural Integration Practitioners at Somatic Healing and Alignment, guide clients through this integrative work across their locations in Lakeville, Edina, and the greater Twin Cities area.
The Evolution of Cognitive Thinking and Its Effect on Whole Body Awareness
The recent evolutionary development of advanced cognitive thinking in humankind has led to significant technological advancements and improved community organization. However, this evolution has also produced negative effects on self-embodiment. Specifically, the rise of technology has separated cognitive thought from physical embodiment. In other words, the definition of self has become touchless. Moreover, modern ideas of self and treatment often overlook the fibrous body entirely, focusing solely on the nervous and circulatory systems. Structural integration works to fill that gap.
The Importance of Physical Embodiment in a Holistic Body Based Therapy
The nervous system drives thoughts, the circulatory system drives emotions, and the fibrous system holds beliefs (Myers 2021). Any belief, unfinished action, or stored emotion manifests in the fibrous body. These areas are often neglected in the somatic map. Addressing them can be uncomfortable, but when expressed successfully, it can also lead to a profound sense of lightness and freedom. Clients frequently describe this shift as feeling as though a weight they had carried for years simply lifts.
Structural integration (SI) aims to raise awareness of these closed-off areas in the somatic map and create ample space for change. In doing so, it prepares clients to tackle unresolved actions or emotions. Because SI is a body-based therapy, practitioners will refer clients to talk therapy if desired. However, it is crucial that expression is not suppressed. Structural integration emphasizes feeling the body, expressing what arises, and serving as a catalyst for long-term change. Both practitioners, Natalie and Xavier, will be there to support you, providing a safe space for expression and feeling.
“Expression of unresolved energy is freeing; knowing why is the consolation prize.”
The Connection Between Embodiment and Breath
An excellent example of unresolved energy leading to physical alteration is maladaptive breathing patterns. The following breath patterns developed over time in human biology to deal with threats or prepare for action (Gilbert 1998):
- Holding Breath During a Freeze Response: Causes excessive muscular restriction and tension.
- Thoracic Breathing in Response to Threat: Leads to shallow breathing and underuse of the diaphragm.
- Mouth Breathing to Prepare for Action: Reduces filtered air intake into the lungs and promotes shallow breathing.
- Increased Respiratory Depth and/or Rate: Induces carbon dioxide deficiency and temporary alkalosis during non-intense bouts of exercise.
These breathing patterns arise in times of threat. In the past, a threat would induce a specific breathing pattern that would resolve with a successful escape. In modern society, threats are perceived but often remain unresolved, leading to maladaptive patterns. Breath normality is rare due to chronic exposure to low-level threats, societal suppression of emotional expression, and the generalization of threat derived from intense events.
Understanding Generalization of Threat
Generalization of threat refers to classical conditioning. In classical conditioning, an unconditioned stimulus produces an unconditioned response. After the initial interaction, the unconditioned response becomes a conditioned response to the now conditioned stimulus. Generalization then occurs when stimuli related to the original conditioned stimulus produces the same conditioned response.
An Example Of Generalized Threat
Consider John Doe, who was in a car accident. He reacted to the incident by mouth breathing, with shallow inhales and exhales. This response increased oxygen uptake and decreased carbon dioxide levels in an effort to physically mobilize. However, John was unable to escape the situation and felt anxious, afraid, and helpless. After the incident, every time he entered a car, his breathing pattern subconsciously returned to that of the accident, along with the associated emotions. Over time, John’s breathing pattern would trigger whenever he felt trapped, such as in crowded areas, airplanes, or taking criticism.
This example illustrates how generalization occurs subconsciously, triggering emotions and physical states similar to the original event. These intense, emotionally charged states develop into strongly held patterns that the body subconsciously avoids, pushing those patterns outside of the somatic map. In other words, they become beliefs in the fibrous body that influence actions, reactions, and perceptions of self. Furthermore, they lead to physical alterations in alignment and reduce the integrity of the bio-tensegrity system of the human body.
Alteration of breath is just one aspect of how beliefs or unresolved energy can hold the body in the past, reducing physical and emotional adaptability.
The Integrated and Whole Body Based Approach of Structural Integration
Structural integration fosters a more coherent sense of self and renewed ease of movement by addressing the fibrous body.
The fibrous body holds beliefs that consciously or subconsciously define who someone is, many of those beliefs often fall outside the somatic map. Addressing these neglected areas can be the missing link to successfully resolving past anxiety, shame, or emotional turmoil. As a holistic body based therapy, structural integration aims to provide awareness and adaptability to the entire fibrous body, allowing individuals to develop a new sense of self by challenging what physically defines them.
What Clients Feel After Sessions and The 12 Series
The changes clients notice after structural integration sessions are both immediate and cumulative. After early sessions, many report walking out of the office feeling taller without trying, as though the spine has more room to lengthen. Others describe a softness in the chest and throat, as if emotional weight that previously sat there has begun to loosen. Breath that once felt shallow and effortful starts to arrive more fully and naturally, with clients noticing the ribcage expanding in directions they had not felt in years.
As the series progresses and finish the 12 series, the shifts extend further into daily life. Clients may find themselves moving through crowded spaces with less anxiety, sleeping more deeply as the body releases tension it had held over the day, and responding to stressful situations with greater calm rather than the familiar tightening in the chest or jaw. Some describe moments of unexpected emotional release during or after sessions, followed by a clarity and lightness they had not anticipated. For many, these experiences mark the beginning of a genuinely new relationship with their body, one grounded in presence, adaptability, and a felt sense of being at home in themselves.
Conclusion
Understanding the connection between embodiment, breath, and the fibrous body is essential for achieving a holistic sense of self. By addressing these often-overlooked areas, individuals unlock the potential for emotional healing and physical adaptability. As a holistic body based therapy, structural integration serves as a powerful tool in this journey, guiding clients toward a more integrated and fulfilling experience of self.
References
Gilbert, C., PhD (1998). Emotional Sources of Dysfunctional Breathing. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2(4), 224-230. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1360-8592(98)80019-380019-3
Meyers, T. W. (2021). Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual Therapists & Movement Professionals (4th ed.). Elsevier.