Some of you who know me may know that I have been exploring the human body from various angles for many years. From movement and mindfulness practices like yoga and meditation, to more familiar “western” approaches like physiotherapy, chiropractic, and massage therapies, I was looking for something that “clicked” in my journey in healing.
Like all paths in healing, mine had some serious curves and bends (more about that in future posts) which eventually led me to craniosacral therapy.
Now I, like a lot of people, had no idea what craniosacral therapy was. Upon hearing the term, I couldn’t imagine what a session would look like, nor who would benefit in going to a craniosacral therapist.
But as fate (or the universe, or whatever you’d like to call it) would have it, I came to study craniosacral therapy and would like to offer a simple definition of what it is and what it looks like to those who might be curious.
To those who are interested in other, more detailed definitions, history, etc. you can find more information here and here.
Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle touch therapy which put simply, helps the body better communicate and self-correct.
The foundations of craniosacral work come from biomechanical (western science) anatomy models of the human body, emerging research in embryology and human development, and psycho-somatic psychology work (like Somatic Experiencing).
How does it work?
The practitioner’s job is to create a space for the client so that the client’s system is able to enter a deep state of rest and feeling of safety. In this state, the client’s nervous system is better able to communicate and make any changes or adjustments that might be needed. Craniosacral therapy recognizes that the body has it’s own intelligence (for example, no one had to teach us how to breath – we just do it automatically) and thus can actually work to heal itself if given the right conditions.
What a session looks like:
I practice a biodynamic approach which means I do not physically move or manipulate the client’s body. Typically a session takes place with the client laying on a massage table comfortably (comfort here is top priority). The practitioner places their hands on different places on the body and simply holds the body. It’s kind of like an assisted meditation.
What does it help with?
Craniosacral therapy has been successful in helping alleviate a wide variety of health issues including:
- Chronic Pain & Headaches
- Migraines & Concussion Syndrome
- Stress Related Illness & Anxiety
- Chronic Fatigue & Fibromyalgia
- MusculoSkeletal & Orthopaedic Issues
- Several Other Conditions
Hope this helps bring a better understanding of this wonderful therapeutic practice!
