CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system.
– comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Using a soft touch generally no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system, which has been shown to improve the functioning of the central nervous system, as well as many other systems of the body, such as digestive, musculoskeletal, respiratory, circulatory, and more. CST has also been shown to help with the physical components related to such somatic conditions as Post Traumatic Stress, depression and anxiety.
By facilitating the body’s natural and innate healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and has been shown to be beneficial for people seeking help with a wide range of healthcare challenges and symptoms including:
- Migraines, Headaches
- Chronic Pain
- Motor-Coordination Impairments
- Central Nervous System Disorders
- Orthopedic Problems
- Traumatic Brain Injuries and Concussions
- Alzheimer’s
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Scoliosis
- Conception, Pregnancy, Birth
- Pediatric Challenges
- Learning Differences, ADD, ADHD
- Autism and Sensory Processing
- Chronic Fatigue
- Emotional Difficulties, Depression
- Stress and Tension-Related Problems
- Fibromyalgia and other Connective-Tissue Disorders
- Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ) and Dental Challenges
- Immune Disorders
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Post-Surgical Dysfunction
- Sleep Challenges
Contact us today to schedule your next appointment.
How Does CranioSacral Therapy Work?
Few structures have as much influence over the body’s ability to function properly as the brain and spinal cord that make up the central nervous system. And few systems have as much impact on the central nervous system as the craniosacral system — the membranes and fluid that surround, protect and nourish the brain and spinal cord. Every day your body endures stresses and strains, and your structures work to compensate for them. Unfortunately, these changes often cause body tissues to tighten and distort the craniosacral system, which can then cause tension to form around the brain and spinal cord.
The result is a barrier to the healthy performance of the central nervous system, and potentially every other system it interacts with. Fortunately, such restrictions can be detected and corrected using simple methods of touch. Generally using about 5 grams of pressure (about the weight of a nickel), the CST practitioner uses his or her hands to evaluate the craniosacral system by gently feeling various locations of the body to test for the ease of motion and rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid pulsing around the brain and spinal cord.
Soft touch techniques are then used to release restrictions in any tissues influencing the craniosacral system. By normalizing the environment around the brain and spinal cord and enhancing the body’s ability to self-correct.
What Can I Expect From A Therapy Session?
A typical CST session lasts from 45-60 minutes, and takes place in a quiet, private setting. CST is performed with the client fully clothed and lying on a comfortable massage table. Using a light touch, the therapist evaluates or “listens to” the body for tension patterns and imbalances.
The craniosacral system is accessed and treated using the bones and connective tissue. Skilled CST therapists can enhance fluid flow and balance membrane tension, helping to bring increased vitality to the system. Releasing chronic tension patterns and enhancing fluid motility allows the body’s healing mechanisms to operate more effectively, imparting greater balance and ease.
What is experienced during a CST session is highly individualized. Some say they feel deeply relaxed, while others describe feeling unwinding sensations as the body releases tension. Sometimes, circumstances are recalled surrounding a past trauma or injury that caused the body stress. While this doesn’t happen every time, this process called “SomatoEmotional Release” is perfectly normal and helps the body reverse dysfunction and restore optimal levels of mobility.
What Will I Experience After A Session?
Just as each individual experiences CST sessions differently, the results can be diverse as well. You may leave in such a relaxed state that you feel like sleeping for hours. Or you may leave full of boundless energy. You may feel a decrease in pain or an increase in function immediately after the session, or the effects may develop gradually over the next few days.
Since CST helps the body resume its natural healing processes, it’s common for your improvements to continue weeks after the session. You may also experience a reorganization phase as your body releases previously held patterns and adapts to a new state of wellness.