Cranio Sacral Therapy /
Fascial Unwinding
What Is Cranio Sacral Therapy?
Cranio-Sacral Therapy is a non-invasive, hands-on, gentle yet profoundly transformative natural healing therapy whose origins are in the practice of Osteopathy. It works with the innate healing ability of the patient's body to bring holistic harmony, balance and integration at all levels of their being - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual and is suitable for all ages.
The Cranio-Sacral Therapist works with the nervous system, which consists of the brain, the spinal cord and the cerebral-spinal fluid which rhythmically flows around and within the brain and the spinal cord. This cranio-sacral motion manifests as an expanding and contracting wave which is detectable everywhere in and around the body. This rhythm is experienced as a "breathing" of the brain and the whole nervous system. It is the deepest force that can be felt and it regulates everything that happens in the body.
A Cranio-Sacral Therapist's hands are an extension of their heart, that holds a compassionate space for a patient's system to be seen, heard and acknowledged. Through the lightest touch the therapist can listen deeply from the subtlest to the deepest of expressions in the patient's system. This can reveal layers of stress, tension and trauma stored as chronic and acute imbalances, patterns, restrictions and resistance in the body. The therapist engages with the patient's system with a trained and informed awareness that offers the body the opportunity to release these issues and reorganise itself to a more peaceful, harmonious and balanced state.
Cranio-Sacral Therapy is particularly recognised for its effectiveness in helping women in pregnancy and for many of the ailments of young babies and children. This gentle treatment can ease backache, improve digestive problems of pregnancy and give the expectant mother much-needed relaxation. Parents commonly bring their babies for Cranio-Sacral Therapy treatment if they are suffering from colic or other digestive problems, are unsettled or have problems sleeping. If a baby or child has had a stressful birth, Cranio-Sacral Therapy can help relieve associated tensions and symptoms. Parenting can be a challenge during the various stages of child development and, over many years, Cranio-Sacral Therapy has proved to be a valued resource for parents and their children.
As a Cranio-Sacral Therapist I am currently a member of the CSTA (The Craniosacral Therapy Association) and registered with the CNHC (Complimentary & Natural Healthcare Council). By choosing a Cranio-Sacral Therapist registered with the CNHC you can be confident that they are properly trained, qualified and insured.
What Is Fascial Unwinding?
Fascia is a form of connective tissue and it is found throughout the body. It takes various forms, sometimes thicker, sometimes thinner, sometimes tougher, sometimes softer, but predominantly it is a thin membranous sheet which surrounds and envelops almost everything in the body – from the top of your head to the tips of your toes and everything in between. With there being two recognised divisions – superficial fascia (forming a thin layer beneath the skin, attaching dermis to underlying tissues) and deep fascia (which forms many interconnected pockets enveloping everything in the body).
Fascial Unwinding involves a further dimension to cranio-sacral integration and is a therapeutic process through which physical and emotional blocks held in the fascia of the body, due to injury, illness, stress or tension, can be released. All traumas, stresses and tensions leave their mark on the body and are held into the body tissues in the form of a restriction or constriction of some kind.
Fascial unwinding provides a means of discovering and releasing the effects of all such traumas and tensions, be they recent or long-standing, and which may be the cause of pain, discomfort or all manner of dysfunctions in the body.
The causes of fascial restriction may stem from many different factors – from everyday sprains, strains, twists and bruises of joints, limbs, trunk or spine to operation scars and adhesions, major road traffic accidents, minor falls, sports injuries or internal inflammation.
Whatever the cause, Fascial Unwinding when used as part of a Cranio-Sacral Integration treatment can help to release deep seated patterns at their root cause.
