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So, you might ask, what on earth is Craniosacral therapy or CST, why haven’t you heard about it before and does it really help with chronic pain and anxiety?
Let me answer these questions quickly before going into further details.
What on earth is Craniosacral therapy?
Craniosacral therapy is a light touch, non-invasive therapy which enhances the body’s own ability to heal naturally. But don’t be fooled! This light touch is way more powerful than you might think!
The light touch improves the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid, which is the fluid around the brain and spinal cord. This in turn improves the function of the nervous system, releasing tension deep in the body, relieving pain and improving the overall health of the body on every level.
Why haven’t I heard of it before?
Craniosacral therapy originated from Cranial Osteopathy and was established by an osteopath called John Upledger in the 1970s in America. In the UK Craniosacral Therapy training began in 1986 in London by Thomas Attlee.
The Craniosacral Therapy Association (CSTA), which is the leading accrediting body for Craniosacral therapy in the UK, currently registers 670 Craniosacral therapists. So, as you can see, there are not that many practitioners in the UK who have mastered this unique approach. To put this number into context, in Switzerland, there are more than 1400 registered Craniosacral therapists as there is such great demand for this therapy.
Does it really help with chronic pain and anxiety?
The light touch releases restrictions and rebalances the whole body and relaxes the nervous system. This allows the patient to experience pain relief, stronger immune function and an enhanced sense of overall well-being.
By balancing the craniosacral system, the therapy can alleviate a wide variety of dysfunctions, from chronic pain to nervous system disorders.
What everyone with chronic pain has in common:
- The pain lasts more than 3 months
- The pain limits the quality of life
- Difficulty to function daily
- They have at least one medical diagnosis
- They have been given a lot of medication
- They have experienced trauma or living with stress
- There are mental health or emotional issues, such as anger, depression, fear, anxiety, etc.
The real beauty of Craniosacral therapy:
Craniosacral therapy is a truly holistic treatment, and its approach is that it is the person’s body that knows exactly what to do. During the session, the therapist is ‘listening’ to your body in an attentive, non-judgmental way, holding space and facilitating a profound, innate healing process.
They call it ‘Listening hands’ because we do not try to figure out what is wrong and then try to fix it, we are simply there to listen. This means that we may treat areas other than where the symptoms are.
Craniosacral therapy doesn’t treat just one or two health issues; it works on every level at the same time.
Physical Level: it can relieve pain and tension
Emotional Level: it can help to deal with emotional issues and give a feeling of inner peace
Mental Level: it can improve concentration and mental clarity
Spiritual Level: it can aid personal growth to live to one’s full potential
Some of the most common conditions treated with Craniosacral therapy:
Anxiety, Stress and Panic Attacks
Arthritis
Chronic Back and Neck Pain
Chronic Fatigue
Depression
Diverticulitis
Fibromyalgia
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Meniere’s Disease
Plantar Fasciitis
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Sciatica
Scoliosis
Vertigo
Please note: To see significant improvements, a course of treatment is recommended usually every week for 4-6 weeks. Depending on health issues, you may wish to carry on with follow up sessions once every two, three or four weeks.
To find out more and for a free initial telephone consultation, please get in touch here.