What is CranioSacral Therapy?

           While the validity of the cardiovascular and respiratory rhythms is undisputed today, for eons the very existence of these systems sparked debates in the medical communities around the globe.
Now for nearly 30 years, osteopathic physician and researcher John E. Upledger, D.O., O.M.M., has been a proponent of using the rhythm of another body system-the craniosacral system- to enhance body functioning, and help alleviate pain and discomfort.

           The Craniosacral system consists of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. It extends from the bones of the skull, face and mouth, which make up the cranium, down to the sacrum, or tailbone area.

           Since this vital system influences the development and performance of the brain and spinal cord, an imbalance or restriction in it could potentially cause any number of sensory, motor or neurological disabilities. These problems could include chronic pain, eye difficulties, scoliosis, motor-coordination impairments, learning disabilities and other health challenges.

          CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle method of detection and correction that encourages your own natural healing mechanisms to dissipate these negative effects of stress on your central nervous system. You also benefit from better over all health and resistance to disease.

What Conditions Does CranioSacral Therapy Address?

           CranioSacral Therapy strengthens your body’s ability to take better care of you. It helps alleviate a range of illness, pain, and dysfunction, including:
• Migraines and Headaches
• Chronic Neck and Back Pain
• Motor-Coordination Impairments
• Stress and Tension-Related Problems
• Infantile Disorders
• Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
• Chronic Fatigue
• Scoliosis
• Central Nervous System Disorders
• Emotional Difficulties
• Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
• Learning Disabilities
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Orthopedic Problems
• And Many Other Conditions

 

How is CranioSacral Therapy Performed?

           CranioSacral Therapy is performed on a person fully clothed. Using a light touch-generally no more than the weight of a nickel-the practitioner monitors the rhythm of the craniosacral system to detect potential restrictions and imbalances. The therapist then uses delicate manual techniques to release those problem areas and relieve undue pressure on the brain and spinal cord.

          A CranioSacral Therapy session can last from about 15 minutes to more than an hour, and it can be used alone or in conjunction with other therapeutic procedures.

          The Result? A central nervous system free of restrictions. And a body that’s able to return to its greatest levels of performance.

 

What is SomatoEmotional Release?

           Have you ever had a physical injury that seemed to plague you long after the site had healed? That’s not as unusual as you might think. Even when CranioSacral Therapy releases restrictions in body tissues, sometimes a release of emotional energy is necessary to fully discharge a trauma. In most cases, the CranioSacral Therapist may gently encourage a SomatoEmotional Release.
Research conducted in the late ‘70s by Dr. John Upledger and biophysicist Zvi Karni led to the discovery that the body often retains the emotional imprint of physical trauma. These imprints, especially of intense feelings that may have occurred at the time of injury-anger, fear, resentment- leave residues in the body in areas called “energy cysts.”

          Although you can adapt to energy cysts, over time your body needs extra energy to continue performing its day-to-day functions. Then as years pass and the body becomes more stressed, it can lose its ability to adapt. That’s when symptoms and dysfunctions begin to appear and become difficult to suppress or ignore.

          Through SomatoEmotional Release, the therapist engages in imaging and dialoguing techniques that can guide the patient through an otherwise challenging encounter with long-held emotions. The patient does not need to analyze the problem to release it. Often the body will spontaneously return to the same position it was in when the injury was first sustained. As this occurs, the therapist can feel the tissues of the body relax as the energy cyst is expelled. Then the body is free to return to its optimal levels of functioning.