CranioSacral Therapy—What is it? and who is it for?
CranioSacral Therapy is a meditative, deep dive into your body in a way where we are able to listen to tissue and organ motility and the quality of the cerebrospinal fluid and it’s tides in the body.
Tides you might ask?
Yes, the Cerebrospinal fluid has a rhythm.
Let’s talk anatomy for a second.
Imagine a thick, tough, and durable membrane, called the dura mater, attached to the inside of your skull covering your entire brain. The membrane narrows as it continues towards your neck, turning into a tube known as the spinal cord. The spinal cord contains 31 vital nerves that are responsible for the body’s movement, sensations, digestion, heart rate, immune system and more. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, plasma-like fluid that flows around the brain and inside the spinal cord to help cushion and protect them from injury. It also transports much needed supplies from your blood and gets rid of waste in your brain.
The movement of CSF is called the primary breath in the body; not to be confused with the respiratory breath. As the fluid moves towards the head, the skull expands and the body externally rotates. When the CSF moves towards the sacrum—the base of the spine—the skull contracts and the body internally rotates. So with this understanding of the anatomy now we can begin to talk about how to work with it.
In CranioSacral Therapy, these subtle movements of the primary breath are what give me, the therapist, cues to understanding the health of the cerebrospinal fluid in your body. Often, if the flow of the CSF is disrupted it can lead to pain, tension, low immunity, digestive issues, and other body imbalances. Sometimes, the CSF contains things that shouldn’t be there, like bacteria or viruses that can lead to multiple sclerosis, meningitis, and dementia, to name a few. To return to a state of optimum health, it’s necessary to use specific CranioSacral techniques to hold space for the body to unwind.
Imagine your partner or parent is interrogating you, you may automatically shut down, or you may get angry or defensive; yet if your partner/parent is gentle and holding space for you to share what you are willing and ready to share, you will feel comfortable and open up in ways maybe even unknown to you. You will be surprised how many stories your body might be willing to tell, and through that process holding patterns, tensions, and even traumas can be released.
There are three different approaches to CranioSacral Therapy.
Biomechanic - uses gentle pressure on head, neck, back, and organs to relieve stress and pain caused by compression and motility restrictions.
Biodynamic - uses less holds and more focuses on creating a safe space for your body to decompress and regulate the motility of its organs.
Functional - a mixture of both
I apply the different methods depending on the specific needs of the client. All approaches are equally relaxing, noninvasive, and never painful. Throughout a CranioSacral session, you will find yourself in a peaceful and quiet space being guided to let go and unwind. Most of my clients report a sense of stillness unknown to them previous to the session. Some report traveling through different realms of consciousness, all the while feeling anchored by the light touch of the therapy.
Imbalances that are treatable through CranioSacral Therapy:
- Mood disorders; ie: anxiety, depression, etc
- TMJ & Chronic jaw tension
- Disturbed sleep cycles and insomnia
- Trauma recovery, including trauma from whiplash
- Pain and Fibromyalgia
- Digestive problems
- Brain fog and migraines
- Neck and Back pain
- Difficulty conceiving
- Side effects from cancer treatments
Side effects and risks:
In rare cases mild discomfort following treatment can arise and most often will fade within 24 hours.
Contraindications:
- severe bleeding disorder
- diagnosed aneurysm
- history of recent traumatic head injury, which may include cranial bleeding or skull fractures
BABY CRANIO:
CranioSacral Therapy is incredibly potent for babies. In my opinion, every baby should get one to three sessions within their first few months to realign the body after being squeezed through the tight birth canal or for cesarian babies to help them move excess fluids or drugs out of their systems. Another important reason is that some doctors don’t prioritize the nervous system; they cut the umbilical cord too soon and remove the baby from mama too quickly, instead of allowing the baby to settle gently into its new environment. This can cause the baby to be more fussy than necessary. Through these sessions, mama also learns different ways to connect with baby and how to encourage a deep sense of safety, security, and bonding.
PRENATAL SESSIONS:
I am here to care for your life-giving body and nervous system in a gentle, non invasive way. Working with this time of life for both mama and baby is a deep passion for me. CranioSacral can help cultivate a more easeful, healthy, and harmonious pregnancy in many ways. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to learn more.
Prenatal sessions are available from day 1 of conception for pre-existing clients.
New clients will have to wait until their 23rd week.
DIFFICULTIES CONCEIVING:
If you are experiencing difficulties conceiving a child and have done many tests ruling out medical reasons or physical conditions, don’t worry, you are not alone and I’m happy to work with you. CranioSacral Therapy can reach underlying causes that exist on a deeper energetic level of the body. Held traumas, emotional tension, along with other subtle notions in the body can create imbalances that make conception difficult.
All in all, CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle, yet transformative experience for many people who suffer from a wide variety of ailments. Sadly, people often visit CranioSacral Therapists as a last resort. I say, “don’t wait that long! There is a way to rebalance your system now.”
May all beings be healthy and at ease.
With love,
Rebecca