What is the Cancellation Policy?
What should I wear?
What is Craniosacral Therapy?
What is the Craniosacral System?
How does Craniosacral Therapy work?
What does a Craniosacral Practitioner Treat?
What can I expect a CST session to be like?
How long is a session?
Is there anything I should do after a CST session?
How many sessions will I need?
How will I know if the treatment is working?
If I don’t believe in Craniosacral Therapy, will it still work?
When was Craniosacral Therapy developed?
Are there any conditions where Craniosacral Therapy is not recommended?
With so many Therapies to choose from, why is Craniosacral Therapy a good choice for my particular problem?
Why is Craniosacral Therapy so beneficial for infants?

What is the Cancellation Policy?

Please give 24 hours notice to reschedule or cancel a session. Cancellations occurring within 24 hours will be considered a missed session and will be billed at the regular session rate. You will not be charged for sessions missed due to illness or colds.

What should I wear?

For craniosacral sessions, wear loose comfortable clothing, exercise clothes, yoga wear, etc. Dress pants and jeans can be a little too restrictive for work around the sacrum and base of spine.  

What is Craniosacral Therapy?

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance. It was pioneered and developed by Osteopathic Physician John E. Upledger after years of clinical testing and research at Michigan State University where he served as professor of biomechanics.

Using a soft touch, which is generally no greater than 5 grams – about the weight of a nickel – practitioners release restrictions in the soft tissues that surround the central nervous system.  CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and it's effectiveness in treating wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction.

Craniosacral Therapy in diagnosis and treatment requires a particular point of view: one of seeing the individual as an integrated whole.

What is the Craniosacral System?

The Craniosacral system is a physiological system of the body that consists of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord); the fluid that bathes and protects it (cerebrospinal fluid); the membranes that surround the central nervous system and contain this fluid (the dural membranes); and the bones that attach to these membranes (the cranial bones and the sacrum).

The production and re-absorption of the cerebrospinal fluid causes a rise and fall in the pressure within the membrane system, which is transmitted through the soft tissue of the body. This can be felt anywhere on the body and is known as the Craniosacral rhythm. The symmetry, quality, amplitude, and rate of this rhythm give the CranioSacral therapist insight into the working order of your Craniosacral system.

CranioSacral Therapy evaluates and treats restrictions in the body's complex web of connective tissue that can negatively impact the functioning of the Craniosacral system.

Because of the complexity of the connective tissue, symptoms that you experience in one part of your body may be caused by restrictions in a seemingly unrelated part or parts of your body.

Many people have found that CranioSacral Therapy is able to help them when nothing else could. That is because CranioSacral Therapy addresses the cause of the problem rather than chasing its symptoms.

How does CranioSacral Therapy Work?

Few structures have as much influence over the body’s ability to function properly as the brain and spinal cord that make up the central nervous system. The central nervous system is directly influenced by the Craniosacral system – the membranes and fluid that surround, protect and nourish the brain and spinal cord. 

Every day our bodies endures stresses and strains that it must work to compensate for. Over time these compensations often cause body tissues to tighten and distort within and around the Craniosacral system.  These restrictions can start to diminish the healthy performance of the central nervous system, and all of the body systems which the brain governs.

Fortunately, these restrictions can be detected and corrected using simple methods used by Craniosacral practitioners. Using light touch, a CST practitioners hands are able to evaluate and release restrictions in tissues negatively influencing the system, thus boosting its overall function which increases the body’s own ability to heal, self-correct and manage future stresses more effectively.

What does a Craniosacral practitioner treat?

CST can be used to treat just about anything since the focus of treatment is to help the efficiency of the nervous system, and its relationship to the function of all systems. It is especially effective in treating digestive problems, tight muscles, stress related conditions, sleep issues, immune function disorders, fatigue and feeding and digestive problems in newborns. For a more comprehensive list of conditions I work with, see my Conditions Treated page.

What can I expect a CST session to be like?

Except for your shoes, you will be fully clothed during the session - loose fitting clothing works best. If you decide to chose another therapy, you will be asked to remove articles of clothing as appropriate (you will always be draped so that you are not exposed). The therapist will gently and respectfully hold various places on your body to tune into your Craniosacral rhythm and to locate and release tensions in your system. Most people find this very relaxing and you may fall asleep or go into a dreamlike state.

As the treatment continues, it is not uncommon for a symptom to intensify briefly. Believe it or not, this is a very good sign. It means that the therapy is addressing the cause of the symptoms. The discomfort usually passes before the session’s end.

Occasionally, people do have an emotional response during a session. Often the release, or shift happening in the body is tied to an emotionally charged experience. These “held” experiences may stem from daily stresses to physical or emotional traumas, to long held behavioral patterns developed over years, and even passed down through generations. Craniosacral Therapists are trained in handling any type of response.  

How long is a treatment?

Treatments generally take an hour. If the body is in a critical point in a release, the therapist may ask permission to extend the session. Treatments with newborns can be a little faster — sometimes just 20-30 min, but sessions are booked for an hour to allow for feeding breaks if necessary.

Is there anything I should do after a CST session?

It is best to take it easy for the next few hours after receiving CranioSacral Therapy, and you should make sure to drink plenty of hydrating fluids. Although it may not be obvious to you during the session, your body has done a lot of work and will actually continue to make subtle changes for days (or weeks) after the session.

You may feel tired for the rest of the day or you may feel energized. Your symptoms may intensify for a short time or you may experience other symptoms, or you may feel great. Everyone is different and experiences will vary. 

How many sessions will I need?

After the first session and assessment, the therapist will usually be able to tell you how many sessions will be needed to treat the given condition. Most healthy newborns can be treated in 2-4 sessions. Adults often require 4-12 visits to treat conditions which are often chronic and more complex. The longer a condition has gone untreated, the longer it usually takes to treat. In any age, there is usually noticeable change after the first session. Follow up treatments are usually needed though to support the work of the first session and insure that the system has enough support to stay on a healthy track.

Many people find that the therapy is so pleasant and so beneficial to their general health and well being, that they continue to receive regular sessions even after their initial symptoms have been alleviated.

How will I know if the treatment is working?

Any change in your symptoms is a good thing. We are used to expecting immediate relief as a sign that we are getting better. Because CranioSacral Therapy aims to correct the problem rather than mask the symptoms, your course of improvement may differ significantly from what you are used to experiencing. CranioSacral Therapy helps your body to make its own corrections and the immediate results are unpredictable - but ultimately, your body will do what it needs to do to heal. Within a couple of sessions you should have a pretty clear idea how much CranioSacral Therapy is helping you.

If I don't believe in CranioSacral Therapy, will it still work?

CranioSacral Therapy has been successfully used to treat newborns and animals. You do not have to believe in it to receive benefits from it. If you are skeptical, it is best to try to keep an open mind (be neutral). Your mind powerfully influences your body, so if you decide that anything doesn't work, your beliefs could make it so.

When was CranioSacral Therapy developed?

It was in 1970, during a spinal surgery in which he was assisting, that osteopathic physician John E. Upledger first observed the rhythmic movement of what would soon be identified as the craniosacral system. None of his colleagues nor any of the medical texts at the time could explain this discovery, however.

His curiosity piqued, Dr. Upledger began searching for the answer. He started with the research of Dr. William Sutherland, the father of cranial osteopathy. For some 20 years beginning in the early 1900s, Sutherland had explored the concept that the bones of the skull were structured to allow for movement. For decades after, this theory remained at odds with the beliefs of the scientific and medical communities. Dr. Upledger believed, however, that if Sutherland’s theory of cranial movement was in fact true, this would help explain, and make feasible, the existence of the rhythm he had encountered in surgery.

It was at this point that Dr. Upledger set out to scientifically confirm the existence of cranial bone motion. From 1975 to 1983 he served as clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics at Michigan State University, where he supervised a team of anatomists, physiologists, biophysicists and bioengineers in research and testing. The results not only confirmed Sutherland’s theory, they led to a clarification of the mechanisms behind this motion and the development of the Craniosacral system. Dr. Upledger’s continued work in the field ultimately resulted in his development of CranioSacral Therapy.

Are there any conditions where CranioSacral Therapy is not recommended?

There are only a few situations when it would not be advisable to receive CranioSacral Therapy. Any condition where small changes in intracranial pressure would pose a risk would be considered to be a contraindication. That would include acute aneurysm or severe bleeding disorders that may be affected by these small pressure changes.

With so many therapies to choose from, why is CranioSacral Therapy a good choice for my particular problem? 

One of the best reasons to choose Craniosacral Therapy is because it is non-invasive and low-risk.  Whether you suffering from acute pain or chronic symptoms, it allows for a change in response without risk of injury to tissues or trauma to the recipient. Often, more aggressive treatments can exacerbate symptoms and delay healing. CST has been found to be a good first response treatment as well as a long-term approach to wellness.  

What is the Cancellation Policy?

Please give 24 hours notice to reschedule or cancel a session.  Cancellations occurring within 24 hours will be considered a missed session and will be billed at the regular session rate.  You will not be charged for sessions missed due to illness or colds.

What should I wear?

For craniosacral sessions, wear loose comfortable clothing, exercise clothes, yoga wear, etc.  Dress pants and jeans can be a little too restrictive for work around the sacrum and base of spine.  

What is Craniosacral Therapy?

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance.  It was pioneered and developed by Osteopathic Physician John E. Upledger after years of clinical testing and research at Michigan State University where he served as professor of biomechanics.

Using a soft touch, which is generally no greater than 5 grams – about the weight of a nickel – practitioners release restrictions in the soft tissues that surround the central nervous system.  CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and it's effectiveness in treating wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction.

Craniosacral Therapy in diagnosis and treatment requires a particular point of view: one of seeing the individual as an integrated whole.

What is the Craniosacral System?

The Craniosacral system is a physiological system of the body that consists of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord); the fluid that bathes and protects it (cerebrospinal fluid); the membranes that surround the central nervous system and contain this fluid (the dural membranes); and the bones that attach to these membranes (the cranial bones and the sacrum).

The production and re-absorption of the cerebrospinal fluid causes a rise and fall in the pressure within the membrane system, which is transmitted through the soft tissue of the body. This can be felt anywhere on the body and is known as the Craniosacral rhythm. The symmetry, quality, amplitude, and rate of this rhythm give the CranioSacral therapist insight into the working order of your Craniosacral system.

CranioSacral Therapy evaluates and treats restrictions in the body's complex web of connective tissue that can negatively impact the functioning of the craniosacral system.

Because of the complexity of the connective tissue, symptoms that you experience in one part of your body may be caused by restrictions in a seemingly unrelated part or parts of your body.

Many people have found that CranioSacral Therapy is able to help them when nothing else could. That is because CranioSacral Therapy addresses the cause of the problem rather than chasing its symptoms.

How does CranioSacral Therapy Work?

Few structures have as much influence over the body’s ability to function properly as the brain and spinal cord that make up the central nervous system.  The central nervous system is directly influenced by the Craniosacral system – the membranes and fluid that surround, protect and nourish the brain and spinal cord. 

Every day our bodies endures stresses and strains that it must work to compensate for.  Over time these compensations often cause body tissues to tighten and distort within and around the C raniosacral system.  These restrictions can start to diminish the healthy performance of the central nervous system, and all of the body systems which the brain governs.

Fortunately, these restrictions can be detected and corrected using simple methods used by Craniosacral practitioners.  Using light touch, a CST practitioners hands are able to evaluate and release restrictions in tissues negatively influencing the system, thus boosting it’s overall function which increases the body’s own ability to heal, self-correct and manage future stresses more effectively.

What does a Craniosacral practitioner treat?

CST can be used to treat just about anything since the focus of treatment is to help the efficiency of the nervous system, and its relationship to the function of all systems.  It is especially effective in treating digestive problems, tight muscles, stress related conditions, sleep issues, immune function disorders, fatigue and feeding and digestive problems in newborns.  For a more comprehensive list of conditions I work with, see my Conditions Treated page.

What can I expect a CST session to be like?

Except for your shoes, you will be fully clothed during the session - loose fitting clothing works best. If you decide to chose another therapy, you will be asked to remove articles of clothing as appropriate (you will always be draped so that you are not exposed). The therapist will gently and respectfully hold various places on your body to tune into your Craniosacral rhythm and to locate and release tensions in your system. Most people find this very relaxing and you may fall asleep or go into a dreamlike state.

As the treatment continues, it is not uncommon for a symptom to intensify briefly. Believe it or not, this is a very good sign. It means that the therapy is addressing the cause of the symptoms. The discomfort usually passes before the session’s end.

Occasionally, people do have an emotional response during a session.  Often the release, or shift happening in the body is tied to an emotionally charged experience.  These “held” experiences may stem from daily stresses to physical or emotional traumas, to long held behavioral patterns developed over years, and even passed down through generations.  Craniosacral Therapists are trained in handling any type of response.  

How long is a treatment?

Treatments generally take an hour.  If the body is in a critical point in a release, the therapist may ask permission to extend the session.  Treatments with newborns can be a little faster—sometimes just 20-30 min, but sessions are booked for an hour to allow for feeding breaks if necessary.

Is there anything I should do after a CST session?

It is best to take it easy for the next few hours after receiving CranioSacral Therapy, and you should make sure to drink plenty of hydrating fluids. Although it may not be obvious to you during the session, your body has done a lot of work and will actually continue to make subtle changes for days (or weeks) after the session.

You may feel tired for the rest of the day or you may feel energized. Your symptoms may intensify for a short time or you may experience other symptoms, or you may feel great. Everyone is different and experiences will vary. 

How many sessions will I need?

After the first session and assessment, the therapist will usually be able to tell you how many sessions will be needed to treat the given condition.   Most healthy newborns can be treated in 2-4 sessions.  Adults often require 4-12 visits to treat conditions which are often chronic and more complex.  The longer a condition has gone untreated, the longer it usually takes to treat.   In any age, there is usually noticeable change after the first session.  Follow up treatments are usually needed though to support the work of the first session and insure that the system has enough support to stay on a healthy track.

Many people find that the therapy is so pleasant and so beneficial to their general health and well being, that they continue to receive regular sessions even after their initial symptoms have been alleviated.

How will I know if the treatment is working?

Any change in your symptoms is a good thing. We are used to expecting immediate relief as a sign that we are getting better. Because CranioSacral Therapy aims to correct the problem rather than mask the symptoms, your course of improvement may differ significantly from what you are used to experiencing. CranioSacral Therapy helps your body to make its own corrections and the immediate results are unpredictable - but ultimately, your body will do what it needs to do to heal. Within a couple of sessions you should have a pretty clear idea how much CranioSacral Therapy is helping you.

If I don't believe in CranioSacral Therapy, will it still work?

CranioSacral Therapy has been successfully used to treat newborns and animals. You do not have to believe in it to receive benefits from it. If you are skeptical, it is best to try to keep an open mind (be neutral). Your mind powerfully influences your body, so if you decide that anything doesn't work, your beliefs could make it so.

When was CranioSacral Therapy developed?

It was in 1970, during a spinal surgery in which he was assisting, that osteopathic physician John E. Upledger first observed the rhythmic movement of what would soon be identified as the craniosacral system. None of his colleagues nor any of the medical texts at the time could explain this discovery, however.

His curiosity piqued, Dr. Upledger began searching for the answer. He started with the research of Dr. William Sutherland, the father of cranial osteopathy. For some 20 years beginning in the early 1900s, Sutherland had explored the concept that the bones of the skull were structured to allow for movement. For decades after, this theory remained at odds with the beliefs of the scientific and medical communities. Dr. Upledger believed, however, that if Sutherland’s theory of cranial movement was in fact true, this would help explain, and make feasible, the existence of the rhythm he had encountered in surgery.

It was at this point that Dr. Upledger set out to scientifically confirm the existence of cranial bone motion. From 1975 to 1983 he served as clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics at Michigan State University, where he supervised a team of anatomists, physiologists, biophysicists and bioengineers in research and testing. The results not only confirmed Sutherland’s theory, they led to a clarification of the mechanisms behind this motion and the development of the Craniosacral system. Dr. Upledger’s continued work in the field ultimately resulted in his development of CranioSacral Therapy.

Are there any conditions where CranioSacral Therapy is not recommended?

There are only a few situations when it would not be advisable to receive CranioSacral Therapy. Any condition where small changes in intracranial pressure would pose a risk would be considered to be a contraindication. That would include acute aneurysm or severe bleeding disorders that may be affected by these small pressure changes.

With so many therapies to choose from, why is CranioSacral Therapy a good choice for my particular problem? 

One of the best reasons to choose Craniosacral Therapy is because it is non-invasive and low-risk.  Whether you suffering from acute pain or chronic symptoms, it allows for a change in response without risk of injury to tissues or trauma to the recipient.  Often, more aggressive treatments can exacerbate symptoms and delay healing.  CST has been found to be a good first response treatment as well as a long-term approach to wellness.  

Why is CranioSacral Therapy so beneficial for infants?

CST with infants is even lighter than the light work with adults.  Because they have just been through a traumatic life experience (mainly birth), babies are often still in a recovery phase throughout the first months of life or longer.  The lightness of touch sets a very safe environment to let go of some of the trauma response to the birth and help establish positive physical and emotionally response through development.  Infants work can be lighter because, on the whole, they are quite receptive to the work, and will in most cases are much faster to release restrictions in their system.  

One of the important factors to consider in addressing newborn issues is that the mother and baby are in an undifferentiated relationship. Infants pick up loads of somatic information from the mother in utero, and this continues after the baby is born, some argue it never ends.  When there is a developmental complication, it is suggested that both the mother and child are treated.  

The most common reasons for early life CST treatment are: developmental delays, feeding trouble, reflux, digestive issues, cranial asymmetries, physical birthing trauma, and general birthing or developmental stresses.  It is also very helpful in the bonding process in adoption or foster care.