Craniosacral Therapy
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on bodywork modality that focuses on evaluating, mobilizing, and enhancing the function of the craniosacral system — the membranes, bones, and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Therapists use light-touch manual therapy techniques, typically no more than the weight of a nickel, to release tension in the body’s connective tissues, aiming to improve the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and promote the body’s natural healing processes.
CST is based on the idea that the body has an inherent ability to heal itself and that restrictions or injury in the craniosacral system contribute to a wide range of physical and emotional conditions. This therapy is often used to address issues such as migraines, headaches, chronic pain, anxiety/ stress-related disorders, TMJ dysfunction, and nervous system imbalances. Because it is non-invasive and deeply relaxing, CST is considered suitable for people of all ages, including infants and the elderly.
Sessions are scheduled for 60 minutes, and typically include 45-50 minutes of hands-on therapy. At the end of sessions, clients usually report a reduction in pain, improved clarity, and a greater sense of well-being. With regular ongoing bodywork, most clients report improvements in balance, sense function (e.g. smell/ taste), coordination, and sleep.
Consider including craniosacral therapy as a regular component of your ongoing self-care. You deserve to feel better in your body.
The craniosacral system
The craniosacral system is a physiological system within the body that includes the bones, membranes and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord. It extends from the cranium (the skull) down through the spine to the sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine). This system plays a crucial role in maintaining the environment in which the central nervous system functions.
Key components of the craniosacral system include:
*Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): A clear, nourishing fluid that cushions the brain and spinal cord, helps remove metabolic waste, and maintains a stable biochemical environment. Within the brain, CSF is filtered from blood, then circulates around the brain and spinal cord, finally returning to the bloodstream.
*Meninges: The protective membranes (dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater) that enclose the brain and spinal cord. These membranes create a semi-enclosed hydraulic system that allows nerves to exit, and for CSF to be formulated, cycled throughout the system, and returned to the bloodstream.
*Cranial bones, vertebrae, and the sacrum: These form the structural boundaries of the system and provide protection in addition to containment.
The craniosacral system has a natural rhythm, normally 6-12 cycles per minute, which can be felt throughout the body. This rhythm is generated by the production and resorption of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and can be evaluated for symmetry, quality, amplitude, and rate (SQAR).
Areas of injury, compression, irritation, or trauma typically display anomalies in the SQAR of the rhythm, e.g. a lower amplitude, or increased rate, or lack of symmetry to name a few aberrations. With training, a craniosacral therapist uses this information to evaluate the system, formulate a treatment plan for each session, thus helping the client to achieve the best possible outcome… feeling more relaxed, comfortable, and “at-home” in the body.