What is CranioSacral Therapy and how does it work?
CranioSacral Therapy (or CST for short) is a light force, hands-on approach to release tension in the fascia of the nervous system, improving the function and structure of all body systems.
CranioSacral Therapy is body based, meaning that each person’s body leads the session, every time. To do this, a practitioner evaluates the craniosacral rhythm using the tangible parts of the craniosacral system – the cranium (bones of the head), sacrum (wedge shaped bone at the bottom of your spine) and the spine connecting the two. These enclose and protect the spinal cord and cerebral spinal fluid. Invisible from outside the body, this fluid is what keeps the central nervous system healthy and functioning properly. The central nervous system (think of the body’s central processing unit) is housed within these structures and is therefore directly affected by any restriction of these structures.
What is Cerebral Spinal Fluid or CSF?
Cerebral Spinal Fluid nourishes the cellular tissues of the brain and nerves. It also aids in conductivity allowing for smooth and efficient communication in the nervous system. CSF is enclosed within the spine inside a membrane called the dural tube. The CSF moves along the spine, up and around the outside of the brain and back into the brain via ventricles, sinuses, and ducts, to nourish and clean the tissues. So, how does this fluid move? Up until recently, we were lacking the scientific studies that could 100% confirm this.
Now, due to scientific research and studies in the field of Plagiocephaly, we can confirm that a pulse originates in the brainstem 5-8 times per minute which creates a rhythm of expansion and contraction throughout the fascia of the body. This expansion/contraction can be felt in the body’s large joints as an external/internal rotation. The brain stem pulse and the body’s response to it is known as the Craniosacral rhythm. Evaluating this rhythm at the feet, thighs, hips, shoulders and head allows a practitioner to easily assess areas of the body that are restricted and limiting the flow of the cerebral spinal fluid.
What is Fascia?
Fascia is a continuous thin layer of connective tissue that surrounds our muscles, bones, nerves, organs and cells. It’s kind of like a giant web or fabric that holds all the structures of the body in place. If you’ve ever pulled apart the meat of a steak or a roast, the fascia is the white fibrous material within the meat that holds it together. Because it is one continuous structure, restrictions in any area of the body can impact or be influenced by fascial movements and restrictions in any other area of the body.
How does CranioSacral Therapy work?
Evaluating the Craniosacral Rhythm gives the practitioner vital information about how the body is responding to the brain stem pulse and circulating CSF. The practitioner starts by palpating the CranioSacral Rhythm throughout the body to determine a starting point for the session. Once a starting point has been determined, the practitioner places their hands on the body, lightening their hand pressure until they can feel the fascia and fluid movement of the body. They then follow the fascial tissue in the direction of ease, where the tissue is already going, until it stops moving. The practitioner creates a gentle barrier or resistance to the tissues moving back in the way they came, holds and waits until the tissues releases and finds a new way. CranioSacral Therapy is one of the only hands-on modalities where the body leads and the practitioner follows.
How does the practitioner know where to go?
There is a saying in Craniosacral Therapy that “the body loves the lesion”. When we think of humans in an evolutionary context, we know that they were originally prey in the food chain, meaning other creatures ate them. Surviving meant that on a cellular level the body evolved to squeeze down any injured tissues into as small an area as possible, in order to allow the human to get up and run away. This can be seen in the way the body stops blood loss and heals by scarring. When the body contracts to pull the injury (lesion) in and compresses it into the smallest possible “package” (loving it), it creates an adhesion. This process is brilliant in the short term, it allows the body to keep functioning. However if left unattended, over time the adhesion will start creating restrictions that impact the function and vitality of the surrounding tissues.
To better explain this, I like to use the visual of a free flowing stream with crystal clear water moving smoothly downstream as an analogy for our CSF moving in an unrestricted system. Now imagine a stick falls into the stream and gets stuck which would symbolize an adhesion. The stream continues to flow around the stick, but because the stick is in the stream other sticks and leaves (cellular waste) which normally would have been carried along keeping the stream free and clear, get caught. Over time, this buildup will block the stream from flowing and create a stale stagnant pool of water. This is what happens to CSF when it is unable to move freely. When the CSF doesn’t flow freely, there is a lack of nourishment and a build up of cellular debris throughout the brain and nervous system, which affects proper firing of the neurons and can lead to a wide variety of symptoms, i.e. pain, mood swings, loss of sensation, spastic motor control, parts of the body that don’t easily heal and repair, just to name a few.
When the practitioner follows the fascia into the restriction and gently holds it in place, they create a temporary barrier that backs up the fluid in that area (on a cellular level) while also taking the pressure off of the muscles. Taking this pressure off the muscles relieves them of the job of holding the injured place so tightly, which allows the tissues to relax, in turn allowing fluid to flow into the area, removing the build-up of cellular debris. This allows the healing process to begin. This fluid movement and relaxation in the tissues will translate out through the fascia, affecting compensation and holding patterns throughout the body.
What should I expect during my session?
You will lie on a massage table, fully clothed, while the practitioner gently touches the tops of your feet, ankles, knees, ribs, shoulders, & head to assess your CranioSacral Rythm and determine a starting point. Once the practitioner determines a starting point, they will gently hold that area of the body with a hand placed lightly on the front and back of the body. In general, this is a deeply relaxing treatment. It feels good for the body to be held while letting go at a deep, cellular level.
Occasionally, a person might experience some discomfort as the tissues assimilate changes and integrate a new structural position. This integration process can take anywhere from 48-72 hours before these new sensations fully resolve.
Sometimes, emotions arise during a session. When this happens, your practitioner will help guide and support your body in finding a new way to process the information stored in your tissues and relate that information to the rest of the mind/body/spirit complex.
Why does this happen?
This typically happens when a person was under high levels of stress or in a heightened emotional state at the time the injury occurred. When a person is in a heightened state at the time an injury occurs, the chemical components of that emotion are often stored along with the injury in the “tight injury package.” As that injury package releases, the chemicals of that heightened state re-enter your system and you may re-experience the emotion.
As this happens, there is a unique opportunity to reprocess the emotions and thought processes that were present at the time and reintegrate that experience in a new way. This is how we understand and work with trauma that is stored in the body, from a CranioSacral perspective.
What should I expect after my session?
After receiving CranioSacral Therapy, most people will move through emotions, shifting mental states, and body realignment with greater ease than before their session. However, occasionally something comes up that sticks around in the body or mind a little longer and takes a bit more time to process and integrate.
If emotions come up during your session, we recommend letting your partner or members of your household know so they can let you know if you seem a little off. Often our loved ones are the first to notice when need a little extra self-care and support. When this happens out of the blue and they don’t have any context, it can create misunderstandings. If we give them a heads-up, they are more able to acknowledge and support our processing without mistaking it as an issue coming up with them.
If emotions come up or are lingering after a session, we recommend soaking in an epsom salt bath for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, rinse off and get out of the bath.
How much Epsom Salt to Use:
- 1-2 cups of epsom salt for a whole body soak
- ¼-½ cup for a foot soak
Soaking in this way helps the body discard the chemical components that were released during your session through an osmosis process with the salinity of the water. Remember, avoid soaking longer than 20 minutes to prevent the body from reabsorbing the chemicals & toxins you are trying to release.
If difficult thoughts or emotions persist for longer than a day or if you have a known history of trauma that is difficult to process, we recommend utilizing NeurOptimal along with your CranioSacral Therapy session and seeking out the support of a licensed therapist that has experience in working with trauma.
If you are experiencing physical pain or achy flu-like symptoms after a session, we recommend:
- First, try the epsom salt soak described above.
- Next, try stretching and breathing into the painful area.
- If you’ve tried these things and are still struggling, please reach out to Recovery Lounge & Spa and let us know.
Our Recovery Services are available as drop-in services 7 days a week. All of our services are carefully selected to calm the nervous system while relieving pain & expedite the body’s healing processes. We are here to support you on your journey into wellness and always want to know if you are struggling with something after a session. Everyone’s body integrates differently and we are here to help!