Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral Therapy
This is a photo of the Vagus Nerve, the largest parasympathetic nerve that runs throughout the body. As you can see, it reaches most of the body! Once regulated, it sends messages from the brain back out to the body, telling it to relax, digest, and recuperate. This communication happens on the chemical level, releasing hormones and nutrients that promote the unwinding of muscle and tendon spindles, thus allowing the body to release tension and the toxicity created when the body hangs on to stress and too much sympathetic fire.
This is a light touch, whole body treatment technique developed by John E. Upledger, DO, OMM. It works with the body's craniosacral system to support and nourish the central nervous system- improving overall health and well-being. It is a complementary method to any and all healing bodywork, and can stand alone in it's efficacy.
Craniosacral techniques work with the unique rhythms of the different body systems to pinpoint and address problem sources. It helps to alleviate aches, pains, and strains of life and improves the coping mechanisms of the body to allow for better management of stress. This shift will directly affect the ability of the body to provide instinctual self care and can produce profound positive changes in one's body, mind, and life.
Why is this possible?
The autonomic nervous system, or also the Central Nervous system, is the main component of the body that regulates the involuntary physiologic parts and processes of the body such as, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, digestion, and sexual arousal. It contains three parts- the sympathetic part, which is the fight, flight, freeze actions of the body and mind, the parasympathetic part, which is responsible for the rest and digest response in the body, and the enteric part, which is the network of nerve cells that regulate the digestive tract and emotional shifts.
In short, the Craniosacral method focuses on promoting the relationship with the PSNS (parasympathetic nervous system) to widen its pathways and their capacity to send impulses from the brain to the body and back again. It helps grow the nervous system's ability to use this part if the system to support and recover form daily life and its stressors.
This modality is useful to all people because everyone has an Autonomic Nervous System, and additionally everyone is subject to this life's stressors. Some general signs that one would benefit from a craniosacral session include:
repetitive headaches, concussions
neck pain, whiplash
migraines,
overall general agitation, anger, frustration
injury that won't heal or release, repetitive body aches and pains, knots in muscles
emotional stress, inability to make decisions
lack of sleep
exhaustion
Medically, CST can help unwind most tension throughout the entire body due it is soft touch methods. The soft touch and patience of the practitioner provides a mirror for the body to recognize itself, and when it does it will usually release the tension and stress, because the body has an inherent need, and capacity, to return to homeostasis. It is actually our Nature to be in balance and harmony and the Autonomic Nervous System is the body's way of achieving that.
Why are craniosacral techniques so effective?
CST uses a light touch to release tension around your body’s connective tissue network called the fascia. It is done by presence, connection, and intention- not force. It’s like using reverse psychology, because, by understanding that the nervous system is mostly run by our deep archaic ‘fight or flight system’, even though it shares space with the restorative side of the nervous system, called ‘the rest and digest’ part.
Muscle spindles are directly connected to information coming from the brain which gets its information from the nervous system. So, if wer are working to soften the fight and open up the healing part of the nervous system, the focus is much more compassionate and soft.
You would be surprised to feel and experience how quickly the body responds! Most everyone can benefit from a CST session. It is about getting the Autonomic Nervous System to return to balance. When the system has more room to rest, the entire person will benefit and heal.
Why is it my main focus of touch?
Craniosacral unwinding technique is like sneaking in the back door to participate in the best party ever!
Especially in this active, driven, first-world culture, we are overworked and (happily) stressed whether we know it or not. Sure, sometimes the body needs a good push or a stronger influence to return to homeostasis, but, if the ANS is not validated in the process the change becomes semi-permanent.
Like a rubber band, when we just pull on the body to stretch muscles without incorporating breath we just pull on its elasticity to force the spindles to release (from pressure, which is the same as the cause). This works of course, but usually does not release the patterning that the muscles have created due to some other imbalance (structural, electrical, emotional). So, in the end a person is left with a recurring problem, and the story continues…
THIS is why it is always included in any session! We all need nervous system support to navigate adversities in life which can be stressful. It is important to have a strong, balanced nervous system set to support you..