The Healing Power of Gentle Touch
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a light touch approach that focuses on relieving tension in the body’s connective tissues and fascia, particularly around the craniosacral system. This healing modality has been shown to naturally reduce pain and stress, strengthen resistance to disease, and enhance health and well-being.
The body is interconnected, both structurally and functionally. This means that one area of your body can affect another. The stresses and strains that the body endures can cause tissue to tighten and possibly affect the brain and spinal cord. If the central nervous system is compromised, nearly every other system in the body can be affected.
The goal of CranioSacral Therapy is to release tension and restrictions by using a light touch and delicate manual techniques to the sacrum (base of the spine), cranial bones (head), and gently control the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) flow, to improve the function of the central nervous system.
The human body has an innate ability to heal itself and self correct. CranioSacral Therapy encourages the body’s own natural capacity to heal when trauma or disease processes become overwhelming for the system.
A typical CranioSacral session can last up to an hour. You remain fully clothed as you relax on a comfortable table. The practitioner will explain what they are doing before they touch your body to make sure you know what the treatment entails and are comfortable. The Practioner will place their hands on key areas of the body, usually the head, neck, spine, and sacrum to feel for rhythmic movements caused by the cerebrospinal fluid. The therapist can detect disruptions in this rhythm and use gentle manipulations to treat the restrictive patterns to restore balance and fluidity.
Each individual will have their own unique experience during a session. Some of the common things a client may feel are:
- Deep relaxation
- Physical sensations- lightness or heaviness in the body, warmth, pulsations
- Emotional responses-pent up emotions such as sadness or joy, calmness, heightened awareness of personal feelings
- Mental experience-clarity of thoughts or insights, daydreaming, meditative state, visualizations
- Overall well-being-increases sense of connection with body, centered or grounded, stress relief
CranioSacral Therapy has been shown to help with a full spectrum of pain and dysfunction, including but not limited to:
- Migraines and Headaches
- Chronic Neck and Back Pain
- Insomnia
- Stress and Tension Related Disorders
- Post Concussion Symptoms
- Motor Coordination Impairments
- Immune Disorders
- Chronic Fatigue
- Fibromyalgia
- TMJ/Trigeminal Neuralgia
- Ask about other dysfunctions that may not be listed