“Alas poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio…”
As most of you know, this past weekend I took a 4-day class, which was the 2nd in my CranioSacral series. I took the first class this time last year, and it has definitely been a fun journey so far. For those of you who were my guinea pigs last year, you totally understand!
So, what exactly is CranioSacral Therapy?
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) – A gentle, hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance. 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. CST is becoming increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and it’s also effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction.
Now, what exactly does this mean? Well, the way I see it is that when the tissue and fascia around your skull and spinal column can relax, it can affect other systems in your body because of your nervous system’s influence on the all the body systems. Therefore, when your nervous system relaxes, other systems in your body will naturally begin to function more efficiently, to include your nervous and digestive system. Of course, when your fascia is relaxed, your muscles can relax even more, thus allowing me (or your practitioner) to provide a better massage for you.
To clarify, this is not a typical massage. You leave your clothes on and most, if not all, of the session is performed while you are lying on your back. However, some clients prefer to have this therapy added on to their regular, 90-minute massage session, which often enhances their overall massage therapy sessions. They often start out with the CranioSacral therapy, allowing the nervous system to begin relaxing, and then proceeding with a regular massage that is both deeply relaxing and therapeutic.
Are you ready to try it? I know you are. Allow yourself the opportunity to try something different.
Mandy Kiley, LMT at Stream Point Wellness
