CRANIAL-SACRAL THERAPY

A Brief Introduction to
Cranial-Sacral Therapy

What is Cranial-Sacral Therapy?

While the validity of the cardiovascular and respiratory rhythms is undisputed today, for eons the very existence of these systems sparked debates in medical communities around the globe.

Now for nearly 30 years, osteopathic physican and researcher John Upledger, D.O., O.M.M, has been a proponent of using the rhythm of another body system- the craniosacral system-to enhance the body functioning, and help alleviate pain and discomfort.

The craniosacral system consists of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect brain and spinal cord. It extends from the bones of the skull, face and mouth, which make up the cranium, down to the sacrum, or tailbone area.

Since this vital system influences the development and performance of the brain and spinal cord, an imbalance or restriction in it could potentially cause any number of sensory, motor or neurological disabilities. These problems could include, chronic pain, eye difficulties, scoliosois, motor-coordination impairments,learning disabilities, and other health challenges.

Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle method of detection and correction that encourages your own natural healing mechanisms to dissipate these negative effects of stress on your central nervous system. You also benefit overall health and resistance to disease.

What Conditions Does Craniosacral Therapy Address?

Craniosacral Therapy stengthens your body’s ability to take better care of you. It helps to alleviate a range of illness, pain and dysfunction, including:

How Is Craniosacral Therapy Performed?

Craniosacral Therapy is performed on a person fully clothed. Using a light touch-generally no more than the weight of a nickel-the practitoner monitors the rhythm of the craniosacral system to detect potential restrictions and imbalances. The therapist then uses delicate manual techniques to release those problem areas and relieve undue pressure on the brain and spinal cord.

A Craniosacral Therapy session can last from about 15 minutes to more than an hour, and it can be used alone or in conjunction with other therapeutic procedures.

The result? A central nervous system free of restrictions. And a body that’s able to return to its greatest levels of performance.

Who Can Perform Crainosacral Therapy?

Because of its positve effects on so many body functions, Craniosacral Therapy is practiced today by a wide variety of healthcare professionals. They include osteopathic physicans, allopathic physicans, doctors of chiropractic, doctors of Oriental medicine, naturopathic physicans, nurses, psychatric specialists, psychologists, dentists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, accupuncturists, massage therapists and other professional bodyworkers.

How Did Craniosacral Therapy Begin?

CrainosacralTherapy dates back to 1970 when osteopathic physcian Jon E. Upledger first witnessed the rhythmic movement of the crainosacral system during spinal surgery. Yet none of is colleques nor medical texts could explain the phenomenon.

Two years later, Dr. Upledger attended a short course oncranial osteopathy developed by Dr. William Sutherland. The course focused on the bones of theskull and the fact-surprising at the time-that the weren’t fused as doctors had been taught in medical school. Instead, Sutherland’s material demonstrated that skull bones continue to move throughout a person’s life.

Putting this new information together with the odd pulsing rhythm he’d observes years before, Dr. Upledger theorized that a hydraulic system of sorts was functioning inside the craniosacral system. He then set out to confirm his theories.

In 1975 he joined the Osteopathic college at michigan State Univerity as aclinical researcher and professor of biomechanics. There he led a tema of anatomists, physiologists, biophysiicts and biorngineers to test and document the influence of therapy on the craniosacral system. For the first time they were able to explain the function of the craniosacral system, and demonstrate how light-touch therapy could be usedmto evaluate and treat malfunctions involving the brain and spinal cord.

In 1985, Dr. Upledger went on to establish the Upledger Institute to teach the public and healthcare practitoners about the benefits of Craniosacral Therapy. To date, The Upledger institue has trained more than 80,000 practitoners worldwide in the use of Crainosacral Therapy.

How Can I Learn More About Craniosacral Therapy?

Crainosacral Therapy is taught through the Upledger Institue, a health resource center dedicated to the advancement of innovative techniques that compliment conventional care. It’s recognized worldwide for its groundbreaking containing education programs, clinical research and therapeutic services.

To learn more about Craniosacral Therapy and how it can help you, visit The Upledger Institute. You’ll find plenty of news and information, from the latest applications of Craniosacral Therapy to healthcare products and therapist profiles.

The Upledger Institue also maintains HealthPlex Clinical Services in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Designed especially for those seeking Crainosacral Therapy, and other complimentary techniques, the clinic is staffed by physicians and therapists of many disciplines. In addition to individual sessions, HealthPlex offers one-and two-week intensive therapy programs on an outpatient basis. They’re especially effective for patients who could use a period of focused attention to accelerate their healing processes.

What Is Somato Emotional Release?

Have you ever had a physical injury that seem to plaque you long after the site had healed? That’s not an unusal as you might think. Even when Craniosacral Therapy releases restrictions in body tisssues, sometimes a release of emotional energy is necessary to fully discharge a trauma. In those cases, the Crainosacral Therapist may gently encourage a SomatoEmotional Release.

Research conducted in the late ’70s by Dr. John Upledger and biophysict vi Kami led to the discovery that a body often retains the emotional imprint of the physical trauma. These imprints, especially of intense feelings that may have occurred at the time of the injury-anger, fear, resentment- leave residues in the body in areas called “energy cysts.”

Although you can adapt to energy cysts, over time your body needs extra energy to continue performing its day to day functions. Then as years pass and the body becomes more stressed, it can lose its ability to adapt. That’s when symptoms and dysfunctions begin to appear and become difficult to suppress or ignore.

Through Somato Emotional Release, the therapist engages in imaging and dialoging techniques that can guide the patient through an otherwise challenging encounter with long-held emotions. The patient does not need to analyze the problem to release it. Often the body will spontaneously return to the same position it was in when the injury was first sustained. As this occurs, the therapist can feel the tissues of the body relax as the energy cyst is expelled. Then the body is free to return to its optimal levels of functioning.