Craniosacral Therapy
“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” -Rumi
Are You Suffering From Physical Pain Or Emotional Distress?
When we sustain trauma—which can apply to both emotional and physical injuries—our bodies carry stress that gets stored in the nervous system. If not properly processed, trauma can result in disruptive physical symptoms and chronic pain. Oftentimes, common mental health conditions like anxiety and depression are attributed to unresolved trauma as well.
What Is Your Experience?
Have you sustained a head injury? Do you struggle with acute or chronic pain, headaches, or TMJ dysfunction? Is it difficult for you to fall or stay asleep? Or do you suffer from uncomfortable physical symptoms, including fatigue, dizziness, or light sensitivity?
These symptoms likely signal that your nervous system is working on overload to process distress. And because the mind and body are so closely connected, you are probably experiencing mental health hurdles that keep you from feeling joyful, safe, and at ease.
Biodynamic craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle healing approach that allows the body to heal from the inside out. Using light touch, a craniosacral therapist will facilitate the release of trapped energy and tension from the body (or nervous system), allowing you to feel more comfortable and pain-free.
What Is Craniosacral Therapy And How Does It Work?
The craniosacral system is primarily related to the rhythmical motions within the brain and spine but influences our joints, bones, organs, and other bodily networks. CST therapists use a holistic approach, which means acknowledging that when physical components of the body are under strain, it affects our health on all levels, which can include feeling out of balance emotionally.
Biodynamic craniosacral therapy works by palpating the craniosacral motion and gently facilitating changes through touch and intention. CST can be used anywhere on the body, depending on where the therapist detects a need for attention. Using their hands to rest lightly and still on the body, a craniosacral therapist helps the system to find a “resting place” or what is otherwise called a state of balanced tension. From this place, the craniosacral motion and intelligence within the fluids is able to open, expand, and release areas of restriction from the inside out.
Our bodies are intricately interconnected by a web of connective tissues, nerves, and vascular networks. The aim of craniosacral therapy is to help our tissues express more health, flexibility, space, and resilience so that those tissues can function with ease.
Craniosacral Treatment At Restore Resilience Therapy
Craniosacral therapy sessions can be subtle or profound, but I have found it to be transformative for so many of my clients in terms of their overall health and well-being. I’ve used CST to treat clients struggling with head or spine injuries, insomnia, and dizziness. This approach has also been beneficial in treatment for anxiety, depression, and trauma (particularly birth trauma, which is one of my specialties).
As a remarkably safe, gentle method, craniosacral therapy is available for clients of any age— from babies to the elderly. When working with children, I like to involve parents/caregivers as much as possible. And for clients struggling with painful or emotional traumas, I may involve partners/spouses to help support follow-up at home.
My Approach
I work with the whole person, including emotions, to guide clients in developing more awareness and using the body’s innate healing systems to resolve stored trauma. From this perspective, craniosacral therapy marries well with other somatic methods, encouraging balance and resilience within the body-mind. For instance, Somatic Experiencing (SE)™ helps you bring conscious attention to your body, allowing you to process stored trauma more readily.
My background in attachment theory provides an important lens for helping repair early trauma. Because I strongly believe that our early experiences lay the groundwork for how we handle physical, mental, and emotional distress, an attachment framework is especially important for helping my clients reconnect to their bodies, as well as connect to others in a meaningful way.
Furthermore, my experience as a physical therapist makes me uniquely qualified to work with injuries and physical pain. I may incorporate other osteopathic methods such as Muscle Energy Technique (MET) to correct spinal joint dysfunction and Strain-Counterstrain to address muscle strains and tendonitis.
What To Expect
During our sessions, you may experience any of the following: sensations of warmth or coolness, tingling, muscle twitches, or even shaking. You may also feel alternating, contrasting sensations, such as tightness versus relaxation, shallow breathing versus deep breaths, compression or shortening of your neck followed by lengthening or stretching, and pains that come and go. You may see images, colors, or experience fleeting memories or emotions.
More often than not, the experience is a deeply relaxing one, but if the session happens to stir up a new pain, emotion, or other symptom, that discomfort should only last for 24 to 48 hours, as your nervous system adjusts to changes made in finding a new state of balance.
I have witnessed CST transform the lives of my clients and significantly reduce the pain they experience. Even if you feel hopeless and bogged down by daily symptoms now, I assure you the possibility of relief exists. Using craniosacral therapy, you can finally find more freedom from past physical and emotional trauma, which will allow you to feel calmer and more emotionally resilient under stress, as well as more at ease in your body.
Common Questions About Craniosacral Treatment
What if I don’t want to be touched?
As a therapist, your comfort and safety are my top priorities in craniosacral treatment. It will always be up to you to decide how and when you want to be touched.
If you begin therapy with a strong objection to being touched, I will always respect this. My hope is that I will be able to foster a sense of trust and safety that will allow you to be more open to the possibility of touch, since safe and nurturing touch is an essential part of feeling connected to ourselves and others. All touch in craniosacral treatment is light and gentle, and I will check in with you throughout our sessions to make sure you feel comfortable.
Will I be required to get undressed for treatment?
My clients are fully clothed for CST. I typically ask clients to take anything off that may interfere with the treatment, such as shoes, belts, or jewelry. Every so often, I will ask if it’s okay to touch your skin beneath your clothing (for instance on your back or abdomen) to get a better sense of craniosacral motion. But I will always ask permission and make sure you feel comfortable first.
Can craniosacral therapy worsen my symptoms?
The wide majority of my clients report feeling better after treatment. However, treatment may occasionally cause discomfort or exacerbation of symptoms temporarily. These symptoms should settle down within 24 to 48 hours, though.
Part of my philosophy is less is more, which means using the gentlest touch, rather than any outside force, to help your system relax and reorganize from within. Healing from the inside out allows your body to adapt to changes more easily and effortlessly. More than anything, craniosacral therapy is likely to reduce pain and discomfort, even if moments of pain and discomfort do occur.
You Can Manage Physical Pain And Emotional Distress
Biodynamic craniosacral therapy has the potential to heal symptoms that have resulted from trauma and physical injuries. To find out more, visit my contact page or call (303) 819 - 8839.
Testimonial
“I am so glad I found Margaret. She’s changed my family life and my work life tremendously. For several years I have experienced migraine headaches with auras, up to five times a week. Since starting craniosacral therapy with Margaret, the frequency and severity of migraines has reduced significantly. After five treatments in six months, I have had no migraines or auras for the past two months.” -M.T.
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