What to Expect in a Craniosacral Therapy Session

by SharonHartnett | May 1, 2025 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, upledger institute

What to Expect During Your First Craniosacral Therapy Session in Columbus, Ohio

When you step into Lighten Up Therapies, a columbus ohio craniosacral therapy studio for the first time, you’re embarking on a gentle, profoundly relaxing journey toward better health and balance. Whether you’re seeking relief from chronic pain, headaches, stress, or simply craving a deeper mind-body connection, knowing what to expect can help you feel more comfortable and confident. Here’s an in-depth guide to your first Craniosacral Therapy (CST) session in Columbus, OH, packed with local insights and keywords to help you find the best craniosacral therapist in Columbus Ohio.

1. Warm Welcome and Initial Consultation

A Columbus craniosacral therapy session always begin with a friendly intake:

Personal Health History
Your therapist, Sharon Hartnett CST-D, will ask about your medical history, current symptoms, lifestyle habits, and goals. This helps tailor the session to your unique needs—whether you live near the Short North Arts District or out by Polaris.
Discussion of Concerns
Mention any headaches, neck pain, TMJ issues, stress, or sleep disturbances you’ve experienced. Craniosacral therapy in Worthington, Franklin County is renowned for addressing everything from fibromyalgia to post-concussion symptoms.
Setting Intentions
You’ll collaborate on session goals, such as reducing tension, improving cranial rhythm, or enhancing emotional resilience.

2. Comfortable Treatment Environment

A hallmark of CST in Columbus Ohio is a serene, spa-like environment:

Quiet, Cozy Studio
Many Columbus therapists design treatment rooms with soft lighting, a calming atmosphere.
Gentle Aromatherapy
Optional essential oils—like lavender or chamomile—may be diffused to enhance relaxation.
Soft Music or Silence
Your craniosacral therapist in Columbus will offer either gentle ambient music or hushed quiet to support deeper rest.

3. Clothing and Positioning

One of the perks of a craniosacral therapy session is that you remain fully clothed:

Loose, Comfortable Clothing
Wear stretchy pants, a soft top, or yoga attire. If you’re coming from the University District or German Village, avoid restrictive jeans.
Table Setup
You’ll lie on a padded massage table, cushioned with extra support under your head and knees.
Upledger-Inspired Touch
The therapist will use light, skin-on-skin contact—often no more than the weight of a nickel—to assess and gently release tension in your craniosacral system.

4. The Gentle Touch of Upledger Craniosacral Therapy

During your first craniosacral session in Columbus:

Palpation of Cranial Rhythm
The therapist senses the subtle ebb-and-flow of cerebrospinal fluid around your brain and spine.
Releasing Restrictions
Through precise, delicate holds—often at the sacrum (tailbone) or cranium—the therapist helps free areas where motion is restricted, allowing natural healing to occur.
Whole-Body Integration
Though it’s called “craniosacral,” practitioners often work on the neck, back, feet, and other landmarks to encourage overall system balance.

5. Physical and Emotional Responses

Most clients leave saying, “That was unlike any treatment I’ve ever had!” Common experiences in Columbus, Ohio include:

Deep Relaxation
Many drift into a light sleep or enter a meditative state, similar to a peaceful nap near the Scioto River.
Emotional Release
Feelings of calm, gratitude, or even a gentle tear may surface as stored tension melts away.
After-Session Soreness
It’s normal to feel slightly achy or tender for 24–48 hours, especially if you’ve released longstanding restrictions.

6. Post-Session Care and Recommendations

To maximize benefits from your Craniosacral Therapy session Columbus OH, your therapist may suggest:

Hydration
Drink plenty of water to help flush out released toxins.
Gentle Movement
A leisurely walk through Goodale Park or some light yoga can support integration.
Rest and Reflection
Allow yourself downtime to absorb the shifts. Journaling your sensations and insights can deepen the mind-body connection.

7. Booking Your Next Visit

Most clients see noticeable improvements after 2–4 sessions. To continue your healing journey with the top Columbus Ohio craniosacral therapist:

Schedule Online
Soon nyou will be able to look for a “Book Now” button on your local therapist’s website or on your Google Business Profile.
Package Discounts
In Columbus, my practice offers savings on 5- or 10-session packages—ideal if you live in Clintonville, Bexley, or beyond.
Ask About Integrative Options
Combine CST with massage therapy, nutrition counseling, or Reiki to amplify results.

Why Choose Craniosacral Therapy in Columbus, OH?

Holistic – Addresses the nervous system, fascia, and emotional well-being.
Non-Invasive – Perfect for all ages, from newborns in Upper Arlington to seniors in Westerville.
Personalized – Each session is uniquely crafted for your body’s rhythms and needs.

Ready to experience the transformative power of craniosacral therapy in Columbus, Ohio? Contact Sharon Hartnett CST-D, Columbus craniosacral therapist today and take the first step toward deep, lasting balance.

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Driving Strains and Stress: Craniosacral Therapy Columbus

by SharonHartnett | Apr 14, 2025 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy

The Hidden Strain and Stress of Driving: What Your Body Feels Behind the Wheel

We rarely think of driving as a form of repetitive stress—but for those of us who drive often or for long periods, the body starts to whisper… then shout.

One of the most overlooked areas of strain comes from something seemingly simple: pressing the gas and brake pedals. This small movement, repeated over and over, creates a subtle but real imbalance in the body.

Fascia: The Web That Holds the Story

Fascia is the connective tissue that wraps around every muscle, bone, and organ—like a second skin. When we sit in a fixed position for extended periods, especially favoring one leg (hello, right foot on the gas!), the fascia begins to thicken and tighten. Over time, this creates restrictions that can cause pain not just in the foot or leg, but all the way up the kinetic chain—into the hip, back, and even shoulders.

Fascia responds to stress, trauma, and posture by molding itself to your habits. Drive enough, and your fascia learns to live in a slightly twisted, compressed pattern. However, it is possible to let go of the stress.

Muscles: A One-Legged Dance

Because driving puts your body in a strange asymmetrical position, your right foot is active, your left passive. The muscles in your right leg—especially the hip flexors, quads, and calf—stay slightly engaged the whole time. This repeated tension, without corresponding movement or balance on the other side, leads to muscular imbalances and potential strain.

Over time, this can cause the pelvis to tilt and/or rotation, especially if the driver tends to lean slightly with one side of the body while driving (which many of us do unconsciously). That tilt can cause compensations all the way up the spine.

Posture: The Silent Saboteur

Let’s talk posture. Most car seats aren’t designed for long-term skeletal alignment. The head leans forward, the low back is rounded, and the shoulders hunch. Combine that with the foot constantly reaching forward and slightly down, and you get a chronic shortening of the psoas muscle—one of the key muscles that connects your spine to your legs.

This stress of locked-short psoas can pull the low back into a compressed curve, cause lower back pain, limit hip mobility, and even affect breathing.

What Can You Do?

Switch feet (when safe) – Use cruise control to occasionally relax your dominant foot.
Micro-movements – Gently press and release the pedal while parked to keep the fascia and muscles from freezing.
Stretch breaks – Every hour, pull over and stretch your hip flexors, calves, and back.
Myofascial release – Use tools like foam rollers or balls to gently unwind fascia after long drives.
Realign posture – Sit with hips level, back supported, and both shoulders soft and down.

Driving isn’t just transportation—it’s a posture habit which can cause stress. The more we tune in to how it shapes our bodies, the more we can rebalance, release, and realign.

Want help creating a mini movement ritual for post-driving? Just say the word—I’ve got your back (and hips, and fascia).

Craniosacral Therapy is extremely beneficial for postural re-alignment and opening!

Written together by Sharon and Lioraé

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

703 509-1792

www.upledger.com

How to Release Stress from Your Body: 10 Proven Techniques for Immediate Relief

by SharonHartnett | Mar 29, 2025 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, healing, healthy, mind body & spirit, upledger institute

Finding Balance with the 10 step protocol: How Craniosacral Therapy Supports Nervous System Healing and give you Relief.

When healing from concussions, persistent headaches, migraines, or traumatic brain injuries, finding relief can feel like an endless journey. Craniosacral therapy offers a gentle yet powerful approach to supporting your nervous system’s natural healing process. Let me share how this subtle but effective technique may help you find the balance your body seeks.

Understanding Your Body’s Healing Rhythm

Your craniosacral system—the membranes and fluid that surround your brain and spinal cord—has its own natural rhythm. After head trauma or neurological stress, this delicate system can become restricted, potentially contributing to ongoing symptoms and discomfort.

Craniosacral therapy works by using gentle touch—typically no more than the weight of a nickel—to detect and release these restrictions. By tuning into your body’s subtle rhythms, a skilled therapist helps restore flow and balance to your central nervous system.

Supporting Recovery from Head Injuries.

After a concussion or TBI, your brain needs optimal conditions to heal. The gentle nature of craniosacral therapy makes it particularly suitable for those with head injuries, where even slight pressure can sometimes trigger symptoms.

Many clients report improvements in several areas:

Reduced headache frequency and intensity
Decreased sensitivity to light and sound
Improved sleep quality
Enhanced mental clarity and focus
Reduced anxiety and stress responses

Breaking the Cycle of Migraines and Chronic Headaches

For those suffering from recurring migraines or tension headaches, craniosacral therapy addresses potential root causes rather than just managing symptoms. By releasing restrictions in the cranial bones, neck, and spine, this therapy helps reduce pressure on sensitive nerves and improves cerebrospinal fluid circulation.

The result? Many experience fewer headaches with less reliance on medication.

Creating Space for Healing to help you find Relief.

What makes craniosacral therapy unique is its respect for your body’s innate wisdom. Rather than forcing change, your therapist creates a safe environment where your nervous system can shift from “fight or flight” to “rest and repair” mode—essential for true healing to occur.

This gentle approach is particularly valuable for those whose systems are already overwhelmed by pain or trauma. The sessions themselves often provide immediate relief, with many clients reporting a deep sense of relaxation and well-being.

Finding the Right Practitioner to help you have relief from pain and stress.

The effectiveness of craniosacral therapy depends significantly on your practitioner’s skill and experience, particularly when dealing with neurological conditions. Look for therapists with specialized training in treating concussions and neurological issues, and don’t hesitate to ask about their experience with your specific condition.

If you’re struggling with the effects of head trauma, persistent headaches, or migraines, consider adding craniosacral therapy to your recovery toolkit. This gentle approach might be the missing piece in your healing journey, helping your nervous system find its way back to balance and well-being.

How Craniosacral Therapy Helps you Feel Relaxed and Connected

by SharonHartnett | Mar 5, 2025 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy

Melt Away Stress & Reconnect: How Craniosacral Therapy Helps Your Body to feel Relaxed

In our fast-paced world, stress, tension, and overwhelm can take a serious toll on our bodies and minds. Many of us long for a way to release tension, feel deeply connected to ourselves, and experience true relaxation. Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle yet profound healing modality that offers just that—a doorway to deep relaxation, embodiment, and balance.

What is Craniosacral Therapy?

Craniosacral therapy is a light-touch therapy that works with the body’s natural rhythms to release tension and restore balance. Rooted in osteopathic medicine, CST focuses on the craniosacral system—the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. By gently manipulating this system, CST practitioners help encourage the body’s self-healing abilities, leading to profound feelings of being relaxed and realignment.

The Power of Embodiment and Stress Relief

One of the most powerful aspects of craniosacral therapy is its ability to guide you back into your body. In our modern lives, we often operate from a state of disconnection—living in our minds, caught up in stress, and unaware of the subtle signals our bodies are sending us. CST brings you back into a state of embodiment, where you can fully inhabit your body with ease and presence.

Through this gentle therapy, deep-seated stress patterns begin to dissolve. The nervous system shifts out of the fight-or-flight response and into a state of rest and healing. This allows the body to unwind, releasing stored tension and facilitating deep relaxation. Many clients report feeling lighter, calmer, relaxed, and more at peace after a session—like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders.

How Craniosacral Therapy Helps You Feel Connected and Relaxed

Craniosacral therapy doesn’t just relax the body—it helps restore a deep sense of connection. This connection manifests in multiple ways:

Relaxed Connection to Self: By quieting the mind and relaxing the body, CST helps you tune into your own needs, emotions, and sensations. Many people report a deepened awareness of their inner world, leading to greater self-understanding and clarity.
Connection to the Present Moment: The subtle, meditative nature of CST brings you into the now. Instead of being caught in the past or future, you can fully experience the present moment—where healing and transformation occur.
Connection to the Flow of Life: Many people describe CST as an experience of deep surrender—letting go of control and trusting the innate wisdom of the body. This often translates into a greater sense of ease and flow in everyday life.

What to Expect in a Craniosacral Therapy Session

A typical session takes place in a quiet, soothing environment. You remain fully clothed while the practitioner uses gentle, hands-on techniques to assess and release restrictions in your craniosacral system. The experience is deeply relaxing, and many people feel a profound sense of well-being both during and after the session.

Is Craniosacral Therapy Right for You?

CST is beneficial for a wide range of people, from those dealing with chronic stress and anxiety to individuals recovering from injuries or trauma. It is especially effective for headaches, neck and back pain, sleep disturbances, and nervous system imbalances.

If you’re looking for a holistic way to relieve stress, feel more embodied, and reconnect with yourself, craniosacral therapy may be the perfect solution. A single session can leave you feeling lighter, more aligned, and deeply relaxed—ready to move through life with greater ease and presence.

Ready to experience the profound benefits of craniosacral therapy? Book a session today and step into a more relaxed, connected, and balanced version of yourself!

For a Free 15 minute Phone Consultation, call Sharon Hartnett CST-D:

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Find out more about the Upledger Institute at www.upledger.com

How To Find Joy by Choosing the Higher Self

by SharonHartnett | Jan 22, 2025 | change, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, meditation, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, move effortlessly

What is the Higher Self?

One could describe the higher self as the deeper, timeless essence of who you are — a part of you that exists beyond the layers of ego, personality, and conditioned thought. It’s like the true center of your being, always in harmony with the universe and imbued with wisdom, love, and clarity. To understand it, think of it as the still, quiet voice within that knows and sees beyond your ordinary perceptions. This is what Google says anyway. And believe it or not, I agree this is a great description!

In today’s world, there is a lot of suffering and pain. It’s part of he human condition. It passed down along the lineage and through our cultures and religion. We get so distracted with the stories from the past, it’s hard to imagine a life of compassion, great wisdom and greatness. But it’s time to start feeling joy. Right?

In today’s world, many people think it’s up to us alone to deal with our problems. Be accountable. Figure it out. You can do it. Right? While this is all true, along the journey of life, sometimes we do need help from others, and also from that place inside of us that transcends time and space. Inside of us is the whole universe, and when we align with the Higher Self, it will open us up and awaken all the possibilities. If you are looking for clarity, the Higher Self is the best place to inquire.

There is a good book I recommend by Susan Thesanga called, “The Undefended Self“. I read this years ago. And what she says in that book is powerful knowledge even today.

Sometimes, we need to cut through all the patterns of the past and commit to the Higher Path. Even though it’s hard to let go of the past at times, beginning to look inward for these wisdom resources will change everything for you. Begin with mindfulness and prayer. Listen to the responses that life brings back. Open up this communication to the Higher Self, and the “old” will dissolve and thee “new” can begin. Embrace the change and find your Inner Warrior. Be courageous. Be strong. But there is you in making this choice, and there are your allies too. Remember:). Jump into your Best Timeline.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D, Brennan Healer and more!

703 5091792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Fascia: The Hands On Treatment that Changes Everything

by SharonHartnett | Jan 21, 2025 | better posture, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, grounding, healthy, Healthy Body, Structural Integration, upledger institute

Getting Manual Work With Your Fascia supports Overall Health and Wellbeing

About 1-2 years ago, I listened to a podcast about the “Interstitium”. Perhaps you have never heard of it. It is a fairly new term. And we know that sometimes it takes time for a new idea to come take hold. So, I thought I’d give the Interstitium and Fascia work a little boost out here on the web. So here we are.

Let’s begin by defining Fascia and it’s relationship to the Interstitium.

Fascia is a type of tissue that looks like a web inside your body. If you could imagine that underneath your skin there is a living matrix wetsuit superficially. This fascia tissue travels deeper and through almost everything in the human body: around bones, organs and it basically holds us all together. In your mind, if you could continue to see it-and sense into it, you’ understand it as a strong elastic type of material that stretches and connects throughout. Fascia is made up out of elastin, collagen and ground substances.

The interstitium is a relatively new area of study in manual therapy. It’s a vast network of fluid-filled spaces that surround cells and tissues, and it plays a key role in how fluids move through the body. By working with both the fascia and the interstitium, therapists can support the movement of these fluids and encourage more efficient flow, which can help the body recover from injury, decrease inflammation, and promote overall health.

This integrated approach, which addresses both the connective tissue (fascia) and the surrounding fluid networks (interstitium), helps create a more holistic, balanced experience for the body. The combination of fluid dynamics and fascial release is what makes manual therapy working with the fascia and interstitium so powerful and restorative.

How Does a Manual Therapist Work with the fascia and Interstitium?

1. It’s key to work slowly and gently whether the therapist does Craniosacral Therapy, Myfascial Release or Deeper Structural Integration. The connected touch feels like a deep stretch, lengthening and spreading vitality to the surrounding tissues. When the therapist listens, the fascia will always lead to the easiest way to unwind and free of movement and space.

2. It’s also quite common for people to feel more fluidity with fascial work. This is where the instertitium comes in because it allows motion and enhances functioning.

3. Manual Fascial Therapy often releases deep tension patterns. Here is where some of the therapies may vary in approach. With Ida Rolf’s work, generally the touch is more assertive. The other end of the spectrum is gentle, light touch Craniosacral Therapy.

4. You may gain greater awareness of your body. Touch is a great way to mirror back the sensations in your body. You may feel a greater sense of connection to the many internal influences that optimize your body’s health and wellness.

5. The effects of fascial work is profound. You may walk away feeling so calm and peaceful. Often people feel more balanced inside but also in how their body stacks up. This can mean better grounding and use of movement. When the fascia is better organized, it is more efficient in everything it does. With muscles but also in promoting organ health too with mobility and motility.

6. Both the fascia and the interstitium are connected to emotions. For example, when a person experiences a physical or emotional trauma, that may hold in the tissues and contract to protect. While this is super efficient short-term it’s important to find balance and length again so misalignments don’t compensate permanently.

7. If you want to feel more at home in your body, fascia and interstitum work can help you reach your goals. It’s always best to optimize what you have.

A little bit about Sharon Hartnett (author):

I studied Massage in the 1990’s. Later studying Ida Rolf’s work at the Institute for Structural Integration. Later in the early 2000’s I got turned on to Craniosacral Therapy. Truly I love both of these approaches to keep the fascial body healthy. One (SI) is definately a stronger approach. However, the Craniosacral Therapy is so gentle that body is more apt to work more effectively. It doesn’t fight any of the technique. More recently, I have studied Visceral Manipulation at the Barral Institute for about the last 10 years. This looks at the organs and the tissues connecting and surrounding. Mobilizing the tissues can actually help the organs to functure better. So all this work is vital to keep peope healthy. Getting unstuck nourishes the body and cleans up what no longer needs to be held. I love this work!

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

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