Q: What is Craniosacral Therapy?

 A: Craniosacral Therapy is holistic and subtle approach to treatment, emphasizing the body's inherent healing abilities. It is based on principles from osteopathy, as well as insights from embryology, anatomy, physiology, and the study of the body's subtle energies. 

A skilled practitioner can sense and see the vital energy or potency that guides and sustains the body's health, healing, and organization.

And in a session, this inherent potency in the client’s body helps guide the practitioner’s subtle contact. 

The practitioner is not healing the client rather they are supporting the body's natural capacity to balance, restore, and heal itself. 

Here are some key aspects of craniosacral therapy:

1. Therapeutic Presence: Practitioners often emphasize the importance of being present and neutral, providing an empathetic and supportive space that facilitates healing. The practitioner's state of being can significantly impact the therapeutic process.

2. Inherent Health: Unlike some forms of therapy that focus on dysfunction or pathology, craniosacral therapy focuses on the presence of health within the client, encouraging its expression and supporting the body's natural priorities for healing.

3. Stillness and the Tide: A unique aspect of craniosacral therapy is the attention to stillness and the "tidal" movements of the body's fluids and energies. Practitioners listen for and engage with these subtle rhythms, looking for areas where the flow may be restricted and supporting the system to return to a state of balance and ease.

4. Holistic Approach: Craniosacral is considered a whole-person approach to healing, taking into account the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions of the individual. The therapy recognizes that changes in one aspect of the person can affect the whole system.

5. Gentle and Non-invasive: Craniosacral therapists use a very light touch and the therapy is non-invasive. It is often described as extremely relaxing and can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with other therapies.

6. Wide Range of Applications: As craniosacral therapy supports the general health of the body, it can be used alongside other healing modalities to help with a broad spectrum of conditions, from physical injuries and chronic pain to emotional and psychological issues. 

Q: What happens in a session?

A: A craniosacral therapy session involves a series of steps designed to facilitate a deep state of relaxation and healing. Here's what typically happens during a session:

1. Initial Consultation: The session starts with a conversation. The practitioner may ask about your health history, current conditions, and what you hope to achieve from the therapy. This discussion helps set the intention for the session and allows the practitioner to understand your needs better.

2. Creating a Comfortable Environment: You will be invited to lie down on a treatment table, fully clothed. The room is usually arranged to promote a sense of calm and relaxation, possibly with dim lighting or soft music.

3. Establishing Connection: The practitioner begins the session by gently placing their hands on specific areas of your body, such as your feet, spine, head, or sacrum. This light touch is not intended to manipulate the body physically but to make contact and listen to its subtle rhythms and patterns.

4. Seeing is the doing: A skilled practitioner can sense with their hands and see or experience the patterns and flows of energy in the client’s body. Through seeing these patterns, the patterns themselves often start to soften. 

5. Seeing from the heart: A key aspect is the practitioner viewing the client's system from a place of unconditional love & respect. 

6. Supporting the Body's Innate Healing Ability: Through a series of gentle holds and contacts, the practitioner's presence and sensitivity to see the client helps support their system in restoring to its inherent health and natural state of balance. 

7. Stillness and Presence: A significant part of craniosacral therapy involves being in a state of stillness, where deep healing can occur. The practitioner maintains a grounded, centered presence, offering non-invasive support to the client. 

8. Duration and Pace: A craniosacral session typically lasts between 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. The therapy is paced according to the body's natural rhythms and the client's individual response to treatment.

9. Ending the Session: The practitioner will gently signify the end of the session, allowing you to take your time to become fully present and oriented. There may be a closing conversation where you can share your experiences and any sensations or emotions that arose during the session.

10. Post-Session Experience: Responses to craniosacral therapy can vary widely. Some people report feeling deeply relaxed or energized, while others may experience emotional releases or a heightened sense of awareness. It's not uncommon for the effects of the session to continue unfolding in the hours and days that follow.

Clients are encouraged to notice any changes in their well-being and to discuss these with the practitioner in follow-up sessions. Craniosacral is a process-oriented therapy, and some people may require multiple sessions to fully experience its benefits.