What is CranioSacral Therapy?
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a light-touch approach that can create dramatic improvements in your life. It releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance.
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You endure stresses and strains and your body absorbs them. But your body can only handle so much tension before the tissues begin to tighten and potentially affect the brain and spinal cord. Unfortunately, this can compromise the function of the central nervous system and nearly every other system in the body.
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CranioSacral Therapy releases those tensions to allow the entire body to relax and self-correct. Using a gentle touch - starting with about the weight of a nickel - practitioners evaluate your internal environment. Then they use distinctive light-touch techniques to release any restrictions they find.
By freeing the central nervous system to perform at its best, CranioSacral Therapy naturally eliminates pain and stress, strengthens your resistance to disease, and enhances your health and well-being..
What Symptoms can CranioSacral Therapy help?
Includes, but not limited to:
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Migraines, Headaches
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Chronic Pain
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Motor-Coordination Impairments
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Central Nervous System Disorders
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Orthopedic Problems
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Traumatic Brain Injuries
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Concussions
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Alzheimer's
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Spinal Cord Injuries
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Scoliosis
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Conception, Pregnancy, Birth
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Pediatric Challenges
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Learning Differences, ADD, ADHD
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Autism and Sensory Processing
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Chronic Fatigue
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Emotional Difficulties, Depression
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Stress and Tension-Related Problems
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Fibromyalgia and other Connective-Tissue Disorders
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Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ) and Dental Challenges
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Immune Disorders
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Post-Surgical Dysfunction
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Sleep Challenges
How Did CranioSacral Therapy Begin?
CST was pioneered and developed by osteopathic physician John E. Upledger. Dr. Upledger served from 1975-1983 as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics at the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University. It was during those years that his team of anatomists, physiologists, biophysicists and bioengineers were tasked with performing the experiments testing the existence and influence of the craniosacral system.
The results of those scientific studies explained the function of the craniosacral system, and its use in evaluating and treating poorly understood malfunctions of the brain and spinal cord. Dr. Upledger went on to develop CranioSacral Therapy and other complementary modalities that are now taught worldwide to healthcare professionals through Upledger Institute International’s educational programs
What Can I Expect From a CranioSacral Therapy Session?
A typical CranioSacral Therapy session takes place in a quiet, private setting. You remain fully clothed as you relax on a comfortable, padded table. Your therapist begins by gently touching various parts of your body to monitor the rhythm of the fluid that is flowing around your central nervous system. By carefully listening with the hands to locate areas of weak fluid flow or tissue motion, your practitioner can trace those areas of weakness through the body to the original source of dysfunction.
Delicate manual techniques are then used to release those problem areas and improve the form and function of your central nervous system. A CranioSacral Therapy session can last up to an hour or more. It can be used alone or integrated with other therapies to create powerful effects.
What you experience from your own session is highly individual. The sessions are generally deeply relaxing, create feelings of warmth or gentle pulsing in the areas the therapist is working on.
