Craniosacral Therapy FAQ’s:
What is Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral therapy is a light-touch (typically the weight of a nickel), non-invasive form of bodywork that helps you relax deeply, release tension, release stress, feel focused, feel healthier, and sleep better. It helps create well-being in mind, body, and spirit.
Typically, it is done while laying comfortably on a massage table fully clothed. Pillows and blankets may be provided for your comfort.
It’s name is based upon the focus of the work: releasing tension that is stressing your central nervous system (i.e., CNS =brain, spinal cord) so your CNS can work better, helping every other system work better, too. Your CNS lives in your craniosacral system. The craniosacral system is considered to be the membranes (meninges) surrounding your brain and spinal cord, and the cerebrospinal fluid contained within, extending from your head (hence “cranio”) to your sacrum (hence “sacral”- large triangular bone just above your tailbone).
How Does Craniosacral Therapy Work?
There is an intimate beneficial relationship between the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and wellness. Wellness depends in part upon your innate ability to maintain health – i.e. self correction, healing, creation of new cells, etc. – the very same abilities that formed you from conception.
Craniosacral therapists use extremely sensitive and developed skills of palpation and perception to tune into subtle fluid rhythms in the body, related to the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, and tension patterns in the fascia. Craniosacral therapists partner with, support, and optimize those creation and self healing forces while enhancing the fluid rhythms in the body, as related to the cerebrospinal fluid.
What is a Craniosacral Therapy Session Like?
Most commonly, craniosacral therapy is done with the client laying fully clothed on a comfortable massage table, with pillows and blankets as needed for their comfort.
The therapist is skilled at helping the client to relax deeply. Often the client will close their eyes, tuning their awareness inward, perhaps drifting off to sleep, or into a quiet place. Conversation is best kept to the challenge for which the client is seeking help, and/or questions/comments related to the session itself. This time is set aside for you to devote maximum energy and resources to the matter at hand.
The therapist will typically make gentle contact at key points on the torso, neck, and head, holding above and below at approximately the same location. They may also hold the arms and legs. They follow the tissue as it is releasing to help keep the tension pattern from returning, and to support the body in being in the position needed for the tension to release. (You know how you can straighten your sleeve better with your arm out straight, and then you gently reshape the sleeve with some twisting, turning, etc….?? Same idea).
When done, your therapist will guide you to become fully present and grounded in your body so that you are relaxed, but alert and ready to return to your day.
How Will I Feel After a Craniosacral Therapy Session?
Everyone experiences craniosacral therapy differently, depending upon their health and circumstances. Each session can be different for you, too.
Craniosacral therapy is process work, and works like peeling the layers of an onion to get to the core of the issue. Your system will only process what it can handle, what it is ready for, in each session. Undoing years of stress very quickly could be overwhelming, and your system will innately keep that from happening.
It will continue to process beyond our time together, for the next 24 hours – 14 days usually.
Some people will notice a change in the first session. For others it may take a few sessions, usually 3 within 6-8 weeks depending upon their situation.
No one can know how you will respond, nor how many sessions it will take for you to achieve the results you desire. But, I promise you that I will tell you at the end of a session if you will benefit from more sessions or not.
Some people feel energized afterward. Others feel relaxed. Some notice the changes they desire or ones other than what they were expecting.
It’s not unusual to experience some discomfort afterward as the tension patterns in your body begin to change. You may have pressure on new areas as you shift, or release toxins from areas that had previously poor circulation. Most common post-session discomforts are due to inadequate hydration. HINT: Drinking adequate water can make a huge difference.
Self care and self awareness go a long way toward successful outcomes. Being aware of your inner world, what you are thinking, and what’s stressing you can help if you respond in healthy, helpful ways. Adequate sleep is hugely important. Proper nutrition geared toward your specific needs will also go a long way in helping you build a new you. Bottom line: be kind and loving to yourself….
To help you better manage your stress, and address the life challenges that are adversely impacting your physical well being, I offer Transformational Life Coaching. That can be an excellent supportive, dynamic resource for optimal well-being and your Best Life Yet.