CranioSacral Therapy

“The global community is softening with compassion nurtured through genuine, caring touch.” – Dr. John E. Upledger

CranioSacral Therapy is a light touch approach to therapeutic bodywork that can create dramatic improvements in your life. Often the force in CranioSacral Therapy is 5 grams or even less, making this an excellent modality for sensitive or overstressed systems.

CST assists in normalizing the function of the nervous system. The nervous system affects every other system in your body (musculoskeletal, lymphatic, vascular, endocrine, digestive, and respiratory). This work releases specific tensions and restrictions throughout the body, head, and spine. Results can include relief of pain, stress, and various dysfunctions; strengthening of the immune system; and enhancing health and overall body functioning.

CST helps release tensions deep in the tissue to relieve pain and physical dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance. Therapists place their hands over the area of the body that is most related to the source of the problem and are trained to feel and monitor changes in the body’s tissues.  In the process of monitoring, therapists hands follow change in the client’s body as it occurs rather than making the decision to move a person’s body in any given direction.  This is the principal difference between CST and most other therapeutic types of bodywork.

CranioSacral Therapy can include the release of emotional issues, as those can be very much a part of the disturbance in the body. I am trained to support the somato-emotional release process. Emotional release will arise as needed naturally. It is supported in a non-invasive and respectful way.

CranioSacral Therapy is done while the client remains fully clothed and resting comfortably.

By complementing the body’s natural healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and is effective for wide range of situations including:

• chronic fatigue
• migraines and headaches
• neck pain, back pain, and sciatica
• stress and anxiety-related issues
• allergies and sinus issues
• idiopathic endogenous depression
• emotional difficulties
• concussions and head traumas
• learning and developmental disabilities
• ADD/ADHD
• fibromyalgia and other connective tissue disorders
• TMJ dysfunction, jaw and dental pain
• post-surgical and post-injury recovery
• central nervous system disorders
• motor-coordination impairments
• PTSD post-traumatic stress disorder
• Pregnancy, newborns and infants
• … and many other conditions

The craniosacral system is comprised of the brain, spinal cord, the cerebrospinal fluid, and the membranes which surround them. The cerebrospinal fluid is vital to our survival and well-being. It brings oxygen and nourishment to our brain and spinal cord, cushions the brain for protection, and removes waste products. Just as the heart and lungs have their own inherent rhythm, so does the craniosacral system. Your craniosacral rhythm is detected and assessed during your session, and informs the process of the work.

When restrictions impede cerebrospinal fluid flow and fascial movement, your CranioSacral Therapist will work with the fascial system, as well as the craniosacral system, to facilitate the healing process and help the body function at a healthier level.

Traumatic events, accidents, injuries, surgeries, scar tissue, inflammation, diseases, toxins, muscle strain, muscle tension, and emotional trauma are some of the factors which compromise our optimal health and function. Also, everyday stress, altered posture, poor diet, and sedentary jobs or lifestyles negatively affect health and function. Our bodies do their best to self-correct, so we don’t necessarily experience discomfort or pain, but the increased energy required to compensate for abnormal tensions and restrictions over time can eventually deplete our systems. When our bodies can no longer compensate (perhaps from accumulated stress or multiple injuries), then ongoing pain and/or other body responses may manifest. Restrictions can affect the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and nerves) and other systems in the body (musculoskeletal, lymphatic, vascular, respiratory, digestive, and endocrine systems).

CranioSacral Therapy is designed to release these restrictions, to allow the body to self-correct. It can be very effective in situations where medical or natural interventions have been of limited effect.

Each person is unique. One person may need a few sessions to achieve his or her goals while another may require several sessions. For this reason the number and frequency of sessions will be discussed during the first session and during the CST process.

See The Upledger Institute for more information about CranioSacral Therapy.

A video by Tad Wanveer CST-D showing how CST works.

Ted Talk by Michael Morgan CST-D about  Alzheimer’s & Dementia

Upledger International / Ricky Williams Pilot Study on CST & Concussions