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What is Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral Therapy is a "hands on" therapy that works with the person on all levels, not just the physical. In cranial work we listen via the hands to how well the patient's body-mind intelligence is able to express its health.
Listening for this on all levels allows the patient's intelligent system to show the patterns of restriction that are impeding full expression of health. What is received by the practitioner is automatically reflected back to this intelligent system.
This reflecting back is an integral part of the healing process - the patient is at a deeper level able to see an aspect of who they are and what they are holding in a way that is not normally available to them.
Classical cranial work
In classical cranial work the practitioner facilitates processes whereby the patient's own system works with patterns of restriction. Let's take as an example a trauma held in the tissues as the result of a whiplash injury. The person may feel they have recovered from the accident but the underlying trauma pattern is still there, giving rise to headaches and neck and shoulder problems.
During treatment the patient is helped to access deeper resources within themselves, and their healing potency is brought into play. Shock held in the tissues is helped to be released, then the patient's health is able to process and dissipate the forces holding the pattern. Areas of contraction and tension are able to soften and relax and what may have been put out of alignment due to the accident is enabled to realign naturally.
This is an example of working with a traumatic injury arising from a clear cause, but the practitioner is still working with the underlying health, the whole person. The same principles of working with the underlying health are used in treating a diverse range of conditions:
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will each session take and how many sessions will I need?
Sessions are for 50 mins, unless an extensive case-history needs to be taken, in which case I allow 1 hr 20 mins. With babies the first session is for 50 mins, but follow-up sessions can just be 30 mins. The number of sessions needed depends on the condition being treated. Normally, patients will feel considerable benefit after a few sessions.
How safe is craniosacral therapy?
Craniosacral therapy is regarded as one of the safest therapies available. It is a non-invasive therapy which works on a subtle level, triggering the body’s natural healing powers. As such it is completely safe.
Do I need to see a specialist for my particular problem?
There is a fundamental premise within Craniosacral Therapy that it is the underlying intelligence within the patient that determines the treatment plan, and in truth there is no greater specialist.
I work with people of all ages, from newly born babies to the elderly, and with a wide variety of conditions. However, if I felt that a patient would be better suited seeing a practitioner of another discipline I wouldn’t hesitate in referring them.
Is CST suitable for me?
Craniosacral Therapy is suitable for all ages, from newly-born babies to the old and infirm. It is suitable for those simply looking in the short term for an improvement in their condition, as well as for those who are willing to work over a longer period of time with deeply held patterns and their related symptom pictures. It is commonly used, safely and successfully, to treat a diverse range of both acute and chronic conditions.
What might I expect in a session?
First a case-history is taken, ranging from information relating to ones birth and early history to details of illnesses, operations, accidents and so on.
Treatment usually takes place on a treatment table, with the patient fully clothed. Patients commonly report experiencing deep relaxation and inner stillness during treatment.
Typical places of contact for me to listen and work from are the head, the sacrum (at the base of the spine) and the feet, but it could be anywhere on the body, depending on what is being worked with.
It is important to appreciate that cranial work is very subtle and it can appear that nothing much is happening. Where a person's system is very congested or depleted some deeper work may need to be done, for the first session or two, and the true benefit of this may not be immediately recognised by the patient.
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