craniosacral Therapy

 
 
 

craniosacral therapy

Improving Whole Body Health & Performance

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. CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and it's effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction.

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. This technique 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.

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 heavily influenced by the craniosacral system; the membranes and fluid that surround, protect and nourish the brain and spinal cord.

Every day your body endures stresses and strains that it must work to compensate for. Unfortunately, these changes often cause body tissues to tighten and distort your craniosacral system. These distortions can then cause tension to form around the brain and spinal cord resulting in restrictions. This can create a barrier to the healthy performance of the central nervous system, and potentially every other system it interacts with.

Fortunately, such restrictions can be detected and corrected using simple methods of touch by your craniosacral therapist.

With a light touch, the CST practitioner uses his or her hands to evaluate the craniosacral system by gently feeling various locations of the body to test for the ease of motion and rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid pulsing around the brain and spinal cord. Soft-touch techniques are then used to release restrictions in any tissues influencing the craniosacral system.

By normalizing the environment around the brain and spinal cord and enhancing the body's ability to self-correct, CranioSacral Therapy is able to alleviate a wide variety of dysfunctions, from chronic pain and sports injuries to stroke and neurological impairment.

What conditions does CranioSacral Therapy address?

  • Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury

  • Migraines and Headaches

  • Chronic Neck and Back Pain

  • Autism

  • Stress and Tension-Related Disorders

  • Motor-Coordination Impairments

  • Infant and Childhood Disorders

  • Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries

  • Chronic Fatigue

  • Fibromyalgia

  • TMJ Syndrome

  • Scoliosis

  • Central Nervous System Disorders

  • Learning Disabilities

  • ADD/ADHD

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

  • Orthopedic Problems

  • And Many Other Conditions

 

Please Note: Cranio-sacral Therapy is integrated into treatments as needed; currently not offered as a traditionally taught whole body craniosacral therapy session on its own. Allison has attained advanced training and study beyond the traditional Upledger craniosacral therapy certifications. This continuing education combined with eleven years of clinical practice has naturally evolved her approach, enabling her to integrate CST into every treatment.

 

Allison created a signature program and style as a manual therapist integrating personal & clinical experience, advanced study, and a variety of modalities into each treatment.




Photo credit: "Upledger Institute"