The Metamorphic Technique

Perhaps one of the hardest complimentary treatments to explain, the Metamorphic Technique (MT) is neither a therapy nor a massage and its practitioners insist that it is not even strictly a treatment. However thousands who have received MT sessions claim that once on the metamorphic path, their lives are transformed.

What is MT? MT practitioners believe that nobody can be healed or cured by another person, but that each of us has an innate healing ability, which with the right kick-start, you can access yourself. So, instead of concentrating on symptoms and case histories, an MT practitioner aims to act as a catalyst, enabling his or her patients to help themselves.

The technique was developed in the 1960's by naturopath and reflexologist Robert St. John, who was working in a school for mentally handicapped children. Seeking a treatment that could make a permanent difference to his pupil's lives, he realized any change would have to come from the children themselves.

While practicing reflexology, he came to believe that not only all parts of the body are represented in the foot, but also that the time spent in the womb is mapped out on the side of the foot, along points known as spinal reflexes. St. John believed that the ailments we suffer and personal characteristics we carry through life are established in the womb: emotional trauma is held trapped in the body. Through MT, practitioners believe, an individual can release these blockages and, because the technique is non-invasive, it is not even necessary to acknowledge or understand what the problem might be.

The technique is now starting to attract serious medical interest."I have seen the remarkable changes that have taken place in patients generally regarded by the medical profession as incurables, especially in the fields of mental health." says Dr. R Durrant, a general practitioner at Heatherlea Educational Unit. He is currently engaged in research into MT and believes that the results to date are encouraging.

Gaston St. Pierre, who was taught the technique by St. John, was so impressed by what he learnt that, in 1979, he established the Metamorphic Association in London as a registered charity.

How does it work? As St. Pierre says: "How does a seed transform to become a plant?" Nobody knows exactly. What happens is that, in the course of a session, physical contact is lightly established along the spinal reflexes of the feet, hands and head. This feels as if your feet are being gently polished, or sometimes, tapped in certain places. The pressure is not as hard as that applied in reflexology and is more random.

"People come to us," says St. Pierre, "and we get their life force moving." "This," he explains, "is a person's innate intelligence, which works on a deeper level than the subconscious."

What conditions can it treat? "MT draws people who are suffering anguish, are fed up, feel trapped in their lives and who want change in their work, their homes and their relationships," says St. Pierre. "It is very good for people with addictive personalities because, instead of destroying themselves with drink and drugs, MT boosts their self esteem."

People become more autonomous and start to gain the strength to be themselves, he says.

On a physical level, people come with a variety of conditions, including cancer, multiple sclerosis and myalgic encephalomyelitis.

"My initial reactions to the claims made for this treatment were sceptical, since I find it hard as a medically trained person to understand how it can work," says the GP Dr Peter Tatham. "But having seen the effects on certain individuals, I was forced to change my mind. In one particular case, a girl who had been diagnosed as suffering from glandular fever shook off the illness surprisingly quickly. Her eczema were cleared up, too."

St. John originally realised the power of what he had stumbled on when a woman came to him with a six-week old baby with Down's Syndrome. St. John taught the technique to the baby's mother and claimed that after a year, the child, despite the inherent chromosomal differences, was to all intents at the same developmental stage as a perfectly normal child.

"I have received MT and observed its effects on severly mentally and physically handicapped people," says Dr. David MacSweeny, a consultant psychiatrist and an honorary senior lecturer at the Royal London School of Medicine. "It has a very soothing and calming effect on the nervous system. I was particularly impressed with the rapport that the practitioners were able to establish with those undergoing treatment. But there are many other factors involved -it is not like putting a patient on penicillin, and you'd be hard-pressed to get reliable scientific reports into its effects.

Cost and length of treatment:

Sessions last just under an hour; 20 minutes is spent on each foot, five minutes on each hand and five minutes on the head.Practitioners claim that results can be quite dramatic, if not immediate. Prices range from £25 to £40 per session and it is recommended that you visit your practitioner once a week. If, however, you experience a strong reaction on either an emotional or physical level, such as anger or an upset stomach, a break in the treatment is recommended.

To find a practitioner:

For a register of qualified practitioners ring or send an S.A.E. to the address below. There are 150 members of the association and 5,000 people trained by Gaston St. Pierre in Britain.

Who is not suitable?

As the technique is non invasive it is suitable for everybody. The main problem usually lies with the practitioner, who must remain detached. Problems can arise if a practitioner starts to open himself up to the problems of the patient and becomes tired and develops aches and pains. Often, while giving a session, a practitioner may yawn, sneeze, or even belch, to allow any blockages to disappear harmlessly, but these should stop when the session is over.

Case history:

Bruce Thomas a musician and writer, is in his forties. "I first had a session three years ago when I felt really stuck in the doldrums. I didn't really understand the technique, but I soon found it to be the most powerful tool of change. After a few sessions, dramatic things began to happen. I sold my house, changed career and divorced in a few weeks. Most people I know who have MT have had career changes first.

"It is like a kind of massage, it works from the inside out; clearing away old emotional rubbish to allow your energy to flow freely. I usually feel the benefit a couple of days after the session, feeling clearer and stronger. I have had huge releases of suppressed anger and have felt a bit strange at times, but afterwards you feel that this is how you are meant to be. I don't like to go too long without a session, as I start to feel stagnant. As it seems to have a self-regulating aspect, the technique doesn't give you more than you can deal with."

Ann Pasternak