(In order to comply with the Advertising Standards Authority following a campaign against complementary health practitioners, I would like to make the following obvious points - This page is a genuine description of my experience and that of many other practitioners and clients of cranio-sacral therapy, rather than being a set of 'claims' or a summary of 'scientific' evidence. As any user of complementary health will have experienced, the approach to each person in holistic health is individually tailored and complex, and so not easily fitted to mainstream scientific trials, which ask for single definable issues to be separated out from the rest of the person for assessment - in my experience most of us simply do not experience ourselves that way. The mention of certain conditions is not intended to imply or guarantee a 'cure' for those conditions, nor any others; and nothing in this website is intended to discourage you from seeking medical advice where applicable)

Craniosacral therapy is an extremely gentle and non-invasive way of building health and wholeness and encouraging resolution of issues on any level of our being, whether physical symptoms, emotional traumas, or more subtle aspects of our well-being.

Because craniosacral therapy works with our underlying vitality and resources and responds to the individual it may be of help with almost any situation, tending to support our body's innate healing and self-repair ability and encouraging a feeling of well-being. It is a truly holistic therapy, recognising that a symptom such as a headache may come from many sources, maybe an old injury to a knee that has led to compensation patterns through the body, or habitual stress that causes contraction in the muscles of the neck, affecting blood supply to and from the brain, or countless other possibilities. So in cranio-sacral therapy we work with the individual, with an awareness of many levels of our being, rather than with conditions as such.

The body itself guides the practitioner to work in whatever way is appropriate to each individual, always supporting wholeness. Although outer symptoms may vary, I find a similar process occurring as a fundamental 'base' of what happens within a session. From this base we may work with many different situations and conditions -

* acute and chronic pain, postural imbalances, injuries and strains, whiplash, sciatica;

* stress, insomnia, depression, anxiety and trauma;

* low energy and M.E., recurrent infections, digestive problems;

* migraines and headaches, menstrual disorders, cystitis;

* dental and TMJ problems, sinusitis, tonsillitis, ear infections;

* asthma, hyperactivity, autism and learning difficulties;

* babies' colic, feeding problems, poor sleep and restlessness.

As noted above we are really working with the whole person rather than the conditions (and there are no guaranteed 'cures'), however most people seeking help are well aware of having a particular issue that they are bringing (and obviously nothing in this website is intended to discourage you from seeking medical advice where applicable). My experience is that this whole-person approach can provide support for all sorts of conditions as they manifest in different individuals, and including our very personal reactions that we all have to any threat to our well-being.

In craniosacral therapy our sense is that any injury, stress, shock or trauma that is too much to process at the time will tend to become held in the tissues of the body, causing obvious or more subtle effects on bones, muscles and soft tissues, nerves and emotional state, and restricting the flow of energy, blood and the cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds and bathes the brain and spinal cord. In a CST session the client is usually lying down, fully clothed (please wear comfortable clothing if possible), and the practitioner makes gentle contact with the body, 'hearing' these contractions and restrictions with the hands and intuition whilst also feeling the wholeness and potential for health that is available in every situation and allowing the body to rest deeply in peaceful stillness. This enables the intelligence of the body to hear itself more clearly and begin to make the changes that are needed to restore health and vitality, both generally and with regard to specific symptoms. My perception of this process when I am working is that is it as though the trauma, injury or condition has 'forgotten' that it is also still part of a whole person. Working from stillness, equanimity and the inherent compassion of this seems to facilitate the traumatised aspect to find its way back into relationship and integration with the wholeness that we already are, which can then bring relief of symptoms. Different people will have different experiences of this process, commonly deep relaxation, warmth, tingling, and feeling some of the subtle movements that are occurring in the body.

Everyday stresses and emotional tensions can also build up over time in our bodies, affecting our nervous system, energy levels, concentration and emotions. Because craniosacral work is truly led by the body it gives the body time to 'catch up' with itself and resolve stresses through its balancing, calming effect, and build a healthy immune system with enough reserves to meet life's challenges.

More serious traumas, whether recent or from long ago, can be especially supported by the sense in craniosacral therapy of our multi-layered nature, the connections between emotional and physical issues and its help in build up sufficient energy and resources to allow gentle resolution. Craniosacral therapy allows the body and mind to rest in a deep stillness that emphasises wholeness and does not judge our feelings, and so creates a very safe, nurturing and supportive space. I feel it is especially significant that it can also engage with our strength and help us in our body-based awareness to begin to remember and honour this in ourselves.

CST is also truly a journey into oneself, and one doesn't need to be ill or have problems to benefit from this – because of the peaceful environment and allowing of the truth of the body it can help us to initiate change on many levels.

Craniosacral therapy is suitable for all ages, and because of its gentleness may be especially suitable for babies, children and the elderly. Older people are often taking many pills and are uncomfortable with more invasive therapies. It can be very appropriate and helpful to support the body after perhaps many years of gradually increasing symptoms.

Babies and Children

CST has become known for its gentle approach to babies and children. During birth the baby's head is subjected to strong compressive forces. Particularly with a long or difficult labour, forceps or ventouse intervention, in craniosacral therapy we feel there may be residual effects which need some help to clear. Craniosacral therapy recognises the subtle effects of birth trauma on the still-forming bones of the skull as well as the nervous system's response to shocks. Caesarean birth presents a different set of challenges to the baby which may also benefit from support.

Pregnancy and Post-natal

Pregnant mothers can also benefit from craniosacral therapy, as it tends to balance the whole body and emotions, supporting the mother's vitality which inevitably affects the baby and birth process - as a pregnant woman and indeed for many months after birth, there is really no separation between mother and baby in this sense. After birth, CST may help release the tensions that have been held in the body during pregnancy and the birth process itself, restoring vitality and supporting the habitual postural patterns to normalise again. For Caesarean births, CST may be of help with the stress of the operation on the body, giving it a chance to rest and recover.

In our culture, very often mothers (and fathers) are expected to return to 'life as normal' after a birth, and there is very little time to even notice that a hugely significant event has taken place for all involved. In other cultures many support structures are in place to ensure that the early days or weeks after the birth can be spent quietly adjusting and recovering from what is always a very intense experience, even if everything went beautifully. As well as receiving support for any difficulties that have been experienced, whether physical or emotional, perhaps especially if a birth has not gone according to what was hoped for, receiving cranial work can be a space to pause and deeply notice the changes that have taken place and are coming, whether this is the first birth or one of many for an experienced mother. A cranial session is always a place of honouring where we are right now, and for a new mother that may include just being allowed this time to recognise herself and her motherhood. Fathers or partners too may often feel a bit neglected through and after the process and again there may be a need to take a little space and time to adjust.