What is Craniosacral Therapy?
I have been practicing Craniosacral Therapy for many years and I am used to people either never having heard of it or having heard the term but have absolutely no idea what it is. I even have clients who have had this treatment before but cannot begin to describe what it is, just that they really liked it. Before I explain what exactly it is or why you may want to try it let me paint a picture of what A typical session feels like. You lay down on a massage table wearing comfortable clothes and begin to relax. I will very gently place my hands on you with no more force than the weight of a nickel. I will use my hands to feel your head or other areas of the body to assess how I will work and you may not realize when the assessment ended and treatment began. For the rest of the session I will usually work quietly doing several holds that can last a few minutes to 20 or more minutes. Most people feel a large release of tension and will be on a spectrum of very relaxed to asleep, but many people claim that they are almost in a dreamstate or feel like they went somewhere else. Some clients will feel many changes and adjustments in their body as it is happening and some claim not to be aware. I know for myself that how much I feel when receiving a session can vary greatly depending on how I slept, ate, feel etc on that day. As the session finishes most people find themselves much less stressed and/or anxious, renewed and more aligned in many ways. Improved sleep is common as well as shifts and changes in the body for several days following the session. Now let's start to understand what exactly is happening.
What is Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral therapy is both a gentle and very powerful healing therapy that enhances the body’s own healing abilities. It has a way of quieting the mind, body and spirit that is unique to other therapies and a means of resetting the body that we can all benefit from. CST is educated, specific, noninvasive touch focused on the craniosacral system: the bones, tissues and fluid that support your central nervous system. The craniosacral system has a motion all its own known as the craniosacral rhythm that everything in your body responds to. This cranial wave is the most subtle of the rhythms in our body, comparatively the breath and the heartbeat are much more obviously felt. CST is practiced with gentle manipulations as the therapist both tests for restrictions and “listens” to the quality of the craniosacral rhythm, which the body regulates and maintains in order to feed and nurture our delicate nervous tissues.
Why Should I get Craniosacral Therapy?
The craniosacral rhythm has been referred to as “the breath of life” or the body’s life force and an innate wisdom in the body. The Breath of Life manifests itself through palpable rhythms and by working with them we gain access to the core structures of the body and can begin to heal them. The tissues of your craniosacral system are connected to all of your body‘s tissues and by releasing restrictions and facilitating realignment the entire body can be treated. Its natural realignment lessens the structural strain so that the body can function at a more optimal level. But CST is not just about the physical adjustments that can be made. I once had a teacher who told me “we store our issues in our tissues” and the longer I practice bodywork the more I find this to be true. Life experiences are processed through your body and when overwhelming, they are held there. Our bodies learn to adjust and work around these experiences but sometimes it becomes a burden and we develop symptoms. Craniosacral therapy helps the body release the symptoms and effects of these held life experiences.
Be More Specific! What exactly does CST treat?
Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury
Migraines and Headaches
Chronic Neck and Back Pain
Dental work
Autism
Stress and Tension-Related Disorders
Motor-Coordination Impairments
Infant and Childhood Disorders
Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
Chronic Fatigue
Fibromyalgia
TMJ Syndrome
Scoliosis
Central Nervous System Disorders
Learning Disabilities
ADD/ADHD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Orthopedic Problems
And Many Other Conditions
Because of its gentleness and effectiveness many people include CST as a component in their personal wellness programs as a means to assist and support the body as it heals itself and to optimise function. Everybody can benefit from the effects of CST as it is useful as both a primary treatment method or combined with other techniques.