Craniosacral Therapy is based on a number of findings about the body's subtle physiology, which were made by osteopaths in the USA about 100 years ago. These findings show that every cell in a healthy body expresses a rhythmic movement, which is fundamental to life. This has been called Craniosacral motion
At the core of the body the cerebrospinal fluid, which bathes and cushions the brain and spinal cord, expresses this motion in a tide-like ebb and flow; while bones, organs and other structures in the body each follow their own particular pattern of movement. This motion is so subtle that it is barely measurable with instruments, but the hands of a trained therapist are able to perceive it in considerable detail
As the implications of these findings were realised, during the first thirty years or so of the past century, Craniosacral Therapy gradually developed. Since then the therapy has been refined and further developed into the subtle, deep healing process which is available today
What is Craniosacral Therapy? Craniosacral Therapy is an exceptionally gentle yet extremely powerful hands-on technique that relaxes, energises and restores balance to the central nervous system
It works with the flow of the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF), that which bathes the brain and spinal cord. CSF is constantly being pumped from the ventricles in the brain, flowing up and down the spinal cord and in doing so gives off a rhythm which the practitioner can feel
When there is a traumatic experience, whether physical or emotional, which can be deeply seated right from birth, this can cause the body tissues to contract and thereby cause symptoms. The practitioner is trained to find these areas of contraction, restriction or compression, to reflect back what the body needs thereby facilitating and enabling the tissues to return to proper healthy function, eliminating disease and restoring health.
As Craniosacral Therapy works gently to relieve restrictions in the connective tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord, it often reaches tensions not treated by other modalities. The practitioner rarely uses enough pressure to stir up the body's resistance, so it is less likely to aggravate any condition, and can frequently bring about more lasting changes. Craniosacral Therapy encourages and restores the body's own self-correcting capabilities.
Benefits of Craniosacral Therapy Craniosacral Therapy influences many different structures within the body, working on all levels - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. It influences the musculo-skeletal system, the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, immune system, the organs, the connective tissues, fluids and the energy systems of the body. It therefore has extensive and profound effects on conditions affecting all of these systems. Craniosacral Therapy is also particularly valuable in solving and resolving difficult and persistent conditions
How does Craniosacral Therapy Work ?
The body tissues contract in response to physical knocks or emotional stress. When the shock is severe or occurs within an emotional situation, the tissues stay contracted
Any stresses, strains, tensions or traumas which have been ‘stored' in the body in this way will restrict the body's functioning and may give rise to health problems over the years. The effects may be both physical (such as back pain, migraine or digestive disorders) and emotional (such as anxiety or depression)
Restrictions in the body's functioning show up in the way that Craniosacral motion is expressed. CST therapists are trained to feel this subtle distortion of motion, and can use it to identify areas where there is restriction or congestion. In this way, the origin of the problem may be found. By using the hands to reflect back to the body the pattern of the restriction it is holding, the therapist provides an opportunity for the body to let go of its restrictive pattern and return to an easier mode of functioning.
This happens at a deep, unconscious level within the body, but it occurs in the same way as we might take other more conscious decisions. As well as helping to release the body's tensions, CST frees the energy, which the body was previously using to maintain itself in contraction. One of the great benefits of the therapy is an increase in the level of energy available
What to expect during treatment
During the treatment you will be fully clothed
The session typically lasts about an hour.The first session, however, takes longer in order for a full evaluation to take place
You remain fully clothed, in preferably loose fitting clothing
You lie comfortably on a massage bed, with the option of a sheet or blanket to cover you
Then you will be taken through a relaxation or meditation in order for you to completely relax
The practitioner will spend a couple of minutes gently palpating or 'listening' to areas of the body to get a feel of what to work with
The head, spinal column and sacrum with the cerebrospinal fluid i.e. central nervous system are normally the main focus of a treatment, however, the practitioner will work with any other part of the body such as a limb or organ, with which to attain release and balance
Treatment is generally soothing, comforting and is usually experienced as a very deep relaxation that creates a sense of ease, calmness and well-being. Some may notice pulsing, tingling, heat or other sensations. Sometimes you will feel deep relaxation; at other times invigoration. It is not unusual for emotion to come up during the treatment or to experience a profound insight into a deeply personal issue or event
Some symptoms may be experienced after a treatment, however, this is part of the healing process and clears quite quickly. Most people feel a sense of improved alignment; mental and emotional lightness and clarity; physical relaxation; increased energy, and a continued lessening of pain and restriction
Some people find that it can take a few sessions to get used to what they are feeling; therefore you may need to consider having a series of treatments to gain the full benefit of CST and its cumulative effects
Whatever your situation, be assured that your therapist will respect your body's natural tendency to balance and correct itself and will work without force or manipulation
Examples of the many conditions that might be helped from a craniosacral treatment:
Who can Craniosacral Therapy help? Craniosacral Therapy is helpful to most people and in most conditions - from minor aches and pains to severe and persistent chronic health problems. It is suitable for all ages from newborn babies to the elderly, including all ages in between. It is particularly valuable in babies and children since the establishment of healthy patterns at an early age sets up patterns for the whole future of that individual, both in their health and in their abilities. Babies can be treated whilst cradled in the mother's arms and even better, whilst asleep. There is no need to disturb the child by undressing them, since the craniosacral patterns can be clearly felt through clothes. It is also particularly renowned for its profound influence on the effects of Birth Trauma. Other conditions to benefit is.....
- Headache, Migraine, Period Pains,
- Asthma, Sinusitis, Bronchitis, Cystitis
- Frozen Shoulder, Arthritis, Sciatica, Chronic Sprained Ankle
- Fibromyalgia, Joint Disorders
- Digestive Problems, Whiplash Injuries, Spinal Curvatures
- Back Pain, Neck Pain, Persistent pain anywhere in the body
- Tension, Anxiety, Insomnia, Visual Disturbances
- Lack of Energy
- Problems during and after Pregnancy, Depression, Post-Operative Effects, Adhesions
- Baby Care, Colic, Pyloric Stenosis, Feeding Difficulties
- Ear Infections, Glue Ear, Tonsillitis, ENT Problems
- Compression of the skull due to a difficult birth, with its many after effects
- Learning Difficulties, Dyslexia, Squint, Lazy Eye
- Hyperactivity, Autism, Epilepsy, Cerebral Palsy
- Behavioural Disorders, Tantrums, Obsessional Behaviour
- Dental and TMJ Problems
- Head Injuries, and their subtle influence on personality and mental state
- Meningitis and its chronic consequences
- Post Viral Syndrome, ME, Glandular Fever, Fatigue
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- The after effects of any chronic illness or debilitating disease
Birth Trauma
Craniosacral Therapy and Birth Trauma One area to which craniosacral therapy is particularly important is birth trauma. Many of the problematic symptoms which children experience frequently, such as constant ear and throat infections, mucous congestion or colic or more severe disabilities such as spasticity, epilepsy and learning difficulties, can be as a result of birth trauma
During the birth process, the baby's head is forcefully compressed as it twists through the narrow birth canal. As the cranium of a new-born baby is soft and membranous, this will allow the head to compress, however, intense compression of this delicate structure over many hours can push the bones of the head against each other. Should the bones not re-bound back into the correct position, this new arrangement can prevent the proper formation of the skull and affect development of the brain or impact on other structures such as nerves and blood vessels. As the body is connected from head to toe via membrane, this can then cause other problems further down in the body. The body's inherent self-healing powers usually allow self-correction, however, this is not always the case. If the labour has been long and hard, with the baby stuck in the birth canal with its head engaged, or the baby perceives something to be traumatic, this can imprint physically, mentally or emotionally, possibly inhibiting full and proper growth and development of the baby as a whole
The effects of these cranial bone restrictions can vary significantly. The most severe cases can lead to cerebral palsy, autism, or epilepsy; less severe cases may result in dyslexia, learning difficulties, ADD, and squint. It can also be linked with other minor common childhood complaints, such as allergies and asthma, as well as general health and well-being
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