Is Craniosacral Therapy Right for Me?
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a light-touch approach that can create dramatic improvements to whole-body health and performance by reducing pain and tension, creating ease of movement, strengthening the immune system, calming the nervous system, and restoring vitality.
CST provides relief from a variety of symptoms including headaches, neck pain, TMJ, chronic fatigue, and the side effects of cancer treatment, among many others. It has an incredible calming effect and clients often report slipping into a near-sleep state, or theta state, that’s optimal for healing. Clients receive treatment lying on their back, fully clothed as the therapist moves around the table. The treatment is hands-on, and the touch is very gentle and subtle.
I have been receiving Craniosacral therapy for nearly a decade, from various therapists, and I’ve experienced remarkable and lasting results, relief from chronic pain, and release of old trauma from this work. I began studying these techniques in 2018, because I was so inspired by my personal experience upon receiving CST. After many hours of study and practice, I’m very proud to begin offering these techniques to my clients.
How it works
The primary focus of CST is a gentle placement of hands to assist release of the body’s connective tissue or fascia. The foundation of CST is different from most hand-on techniques, here the therapist is feeling and sensing the client’s body patterns, acknowledging and following the movement, and then inviting change and transformation. In most hands-on bodywork, the therapist is acting upon the tissues, enforcing pressure or movement. In CST, it’s the absence of force by the practitioner that allows the client’s body to make the change. Most of the techniques are performed at the subconscious level and require acute listening skills developed by the practitioner.
CST is thought to improve efficiency of biological processes through boosting inherent self-regulation, self-correction, and self-healing. I realize this might sound far out, so here’s a brief bit about the founder and the science behind CST.
The Founder
CST was developed by osteopath physician and surgeon Dr. John E. Upledger. From 1975-1983, Dr. Upledger served as a clinical researcher and professor at Michigan State University at the College of Osteopathic Medicine. During this time, he led teams of anatomists, physiologists, bioengineers and biophysicists to perform and publish the clinical research which formed the basis of Craniosacral Therapy.
The Science (in brief)
The brain and spinal cord of the central nervous system are surrounded by the craniosacral system - the soft tissues and fluids that protect your brain and spinal cord. The craniosacral system includes the skull, cerebrospinal fluid, membranes of the brain and the vertebrae, spinal cord, and the sacrum. It is connected to the musculoskeletal system through the vascular system, as well as the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Craniosacral can address trauma anywhere in the body that may be restricting your movement, comfort, and ease. Trauma experienced in early childhood, impact wounds from sports, car accidents, falling on the tailbone, head injury, repetitive motion such as teeth grinding, or stressful emotional events, just to name a few.