Hi there and welcome! I am Heather Alison Cook and have been practicing licensed massage therapy and bodywork for 10 years. I specialize in Craniosacral Therapy, Therapeutic Massage, Cupping, Hot Stone Therapy, and Mysofascial/Structural Bodywork. My office is located in downtown Aurora, Oregon. In this blog post, I’ll introduce you to Craniosacral Therapy.
What is Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle hands-on form of bodywork that focuses on tuning into the fluids, membranes, structure, quality, and movement of the Craniosacral System. The Craniosacral System is made up of the brain and spinal cord (which are the central nervous system), membranes that surround these structures, and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that they are all bathed in. The Craniosacral System also consists of the fascia, or connective tissue, that connects all parts of the body. The fascia can be thought of as a web of layers of tissue that surrounds every muscle, muscle fiber, bone, tendon, ligament, organ, and nerve fiber, all the way down to the cellular level. This web of tissue has tensile strength that is stronger than steel and is what is actually holding our body together.
The CSF is made in special structures inside the brain, circulates this system, and then gets reabsorbed. CSF nourishes the brain and spinal cord with vital nutrients, flushes out old cellular debris, transmits immune cells and hormones, and acts as protection from physical damage. Craniosacral Therapy allows the practitioner to sense the movement, quality, and any restrictions of this fluid and structures.
Craniosacral Therapy holds the premise that there is inherent wellness and intelligence in the body at all times; seeks to find its way home, or back to homeostasis. My mentor’s teacher coined the term the Breath of Life to describe the wave-like movement of the CSF. Although well-being is inherent, the body can lose its way on the journey home by all of the many strains and stresses of modern living, habitual movements, chemicals we are exposed to, injuries, surgeries, emotional trauma, dehydration, and so on. These stresses can cause structural misalignments and since everything is literally connected like guy wires and sheets of fabric, one minor alteration in one part of the network can create tension in another part. Cranial bones can become misaligned and undue pressure can occur. The CSF manufacture, circulation, and reabsorption therefore can be affected, which then, can create a host of symptoms in the body.
Craniosacral Therapy has its roots in osteopathic medicine from the 19th century during the civil war. It is still studied, practiced, and researched today by osteopathic physicians, neuro-scientists, biomechanics, midwives, licensed massage therapists, physical therapists, and other trained and licensed professionals in the medical field. It’s gaining traction as a viable treatment for many different medical conditions.
What can I expect in a Craniosacral Session?
The session begins with an intake to discuss how the client is presenting and what if any issues are of concern although, Craniosacral Therapy can be and often is used as a preventative tool for well-being. The client is usually fully clothed and lays comfortably on a massage table. The practitioner uses a very gentle non-force touch which is unlike chiropractic, massage, or reiki; there is no forcing of bones, manipulating muscles, or “energy” work being done. Instead, the practitioner uses a light touch to sense the subtleness of the actual physical matrix of cerebrospinal fluid, the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, the fascia throughout the body, and even into other bones and organs. The practitioner is sensing restrictions and encouraging any part of the system to find its way back home/homeostasis. Most people feel super relaxed and calm during the session and report feeling more like themselves afterward. Speaking for myself, when I receive Craniosacral Therapy, it often feels like I went to another planet, my system feels reset, and I feel more organized in my body.
How can Craniosacral Therapy help me?
You might wonder how this very subtle form of bodywork can help your body’s particular dysfunction. If you are used to massage or physical therapy as a form of bodywork it might take a session for your body (and all of You) to understand that this type of subtle bodywork can be quite profound and beneficial and change can happen even though you weren’t “steam-rolled.” There are many different types of bodywork. Craniosacral Therapy, I like to say, “Works from the inside out, unlike massage which often works from the outside in”…although there is nuance to that statement which I will save for another blog post!
Craniosacral Therapy recognizes that Your body has the inherent wisdom and memory within itself to heal itself, find homeostasis, and return to optimal functioning. Sometimes, however, trauma can be too great and overwhelm the system. The vital energy needed to heal and recover can gently be reminded and encouraged to find its way home and will accept help from another being to do so.
If you’d like to try a Craniosacral session with me please call, text or book with me here at yarrowandyou.com. Looking forward to seeing you soon in beautiful downtown Aurora, Oregon.