(614) 653-8111 Sharhartnett@aol.com
Finding the Best Somatic Therapist to Help Resolve Your Chronic Pain and Discomfort.

Finding the Best Somatic Therapist to Help Resolve Your Chronic Pain and Discomfort.

by | Nov 28, 2025 | barbara brennan, concussion, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, grounding, hakomi, healing, meditation, migraine, Structural Integration, trauma, upledger institute

Click Here To Find Out More about Somatic Therapy
Healing Touch with Craniosacral Therapy

Finding the Best Somatic Therapist for Chronic Pain and Discomfort

I’m a craniosacral therapist working with an integrative somatic approach in Worthington, serving Columbus, Ohio. “Somatic” simply means I work through the body. I draw on decades of training and experience to help you feel better and more at home inside your own body — with ease, with peace, and often with a more natural flow of energy by the time you leave. When you book a somatic session with me, I want you to feel the value and quality of the work.

Symptom Relief: What My Holistic Therapy Can Help With

Through mindful listening and skilled, gentle touch, I work with people dealing with:

The body is deeply intelligent. With the right support, it moves in its own healing direction. If you’re wondering what this work actually does, I explain it plainly in What Does Craniosacral Therapy Do?

My Background as a Craniosacral and Somatic Therapist

My path started with energy healing in the 1990s. About 27 years ago I became licensed in massage therapy, though I didn’t practice massage for long — I invested instead in learning and practicing Structural Integration, and later attended and taught at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing. One thing led to another: I studied Hakomi, then trauma-informed work with Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. As the work evolved with my clients, I moved in the early 2000s into Craniosacral Therapy at the Upledger Institute and Visceral Manipulation at the Barral Institute. Today I’m certified at the highest level Upledger offers: Diplomate (CST-D). You can read more about my energy healing work and visceral manipulation on their own pages.

Why I Wrote This

When I searched for other therapists in the Columbus area, I found a lot of confusing marketing. I felt I had to speak up, because you — as a paying client — deserve to know what you’re getting when you call and book. Interview by phone and get a clear picture of credentials. Someone may rank at the top of a search for a modality they’ve never actually trained in. There’s also a big difference between a person who took one weekend class and someone committed to years of training and practice. And when someone markets craniosacral therapy as a kind of massage, that isn’t accurate. It’s not massage; it’s a whole other system.

My Recommendations

  • If someone advertises as, say, a visceral manipulation practitioner, ask about their training and experience. Are they being upfront?
  • If you want an expert craniosacral therapist, ask whether they’re certified — and at which level.
  • If you want a manual therapist trained in body-centered psychotherapy or trauma-informed work, ask which school they attended.

My hope is that when you search, you get accurate, useful information, so you end up in “hands of integrity.”

Ready to feel better? I’m Sharon Hartnett, a Diplomate-Certified Craniosacral Therapist (CST-D) through the Upledger Institute, with about 30 years of experience listening to the body and helping it heal. My office is in Worthington, Ohio, and I serve the greater Columbus area.

If you’re curious whether this gentle work is right for you, I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation. Call or text me at (614) 653-8111.

Learn more about somatic therapy and trauma-informed healing, read answers to common questions about craniosacral therapy, or find out how to choose the best craniosacral therapist for you.

Best Craniosacral Therapist in the Columbus Area

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

 (614) 653-8111

Text: To learn about my Craniosacral Therapy services, visit my  my Main Page Here.   Link

 

A More Holistic Approach to Pain|Worthington Ohio

A More Holistic Approach to Pain|Worthington Ohio

by | Nov 19, 2025 | barbara brennan, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, hakomi, healing, healthy, Structural Integration, upledger institute

Craniosacral Therapist Sharon hartnett Holistic Approach to Pain Medicine

A More Holistic Approach to Pain — Worthington, Serving Columbus

I’m Sharon Hartnett, a craniosacral therapist in the Columbus, Ohio area, and I offer an integrative, whole-body approach to healing pain.

Often enough, people don’t stay home when they’re sick to take care of themselves. Often enough they ignore pain because they’ve been taught to push forward at all costs. But pain usually finds a way to speak, and eventually it can disrupt your whole life.

Pain is a personal experience. How we relate to it is individual — based on our biology, but also on the psychological and social feedback we’ve received. Learning to ignore it won’t make it go away. Stored, maybe, but still alive in the tissues. That’s how chronic pain takes hold.

Craniosacral therapy is a form of manual therapy that listens to the body — to what’s being shared, and to what’s quiet. It’s in the melding between two people, in a relationship built on trust, that connection and support can shift the dynamics of a person’s life toward health. I explain what that looks like in What Does Craniosacral Therapy Do?

Allowing pain to be present and felt while being held through the craniosacral system can be rather miraculous. It can transform our perception of our body, and of our whole life. The body is a doorway to learning and discovering self, and the release and integration of our essential self is deeply empowering. For the courage it takes to face pain, there’s real reward.

Dealing with and facing pain can:

  • Improve your day-to-day mindset
  • Help relieve tension and suffering
  • Help you reach future goals

I’ve been working with people for about 30 years. Human connection, understanding, and support are vital to our everyday health. Whether your pain comes from an old injury, headaches, or stress that has settled into the body, there’s a gentler way through.

Ready to feel better? I’m Sharon Hartnett, a Diplomate-Certified Craniosacral Therapist (CST-D) through the Upledger Institute, with about 30 years of experience listening to the body and helping it heal. My office is in Worthington, Ohio, and I serve the greater Columbus area.

If you’re curious whether this gentle work is right for you, I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation. Call or text me at (614) 653-8111.

Learn more about craniosacral therapy in Columbus, read answers to common questions about craniosacral therapy, or find out how to choose the best craniosacral therapist for you.

Click Here to Find Out How Craniosacral Therapy can Help You!

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

(614) 653-8111

To learn more about my Craniosacral Therapy services, visit my main craniosacral therapy page.

Craniosacral Therapy in Columbus: How Gentle Touch, Somatic Awareness, and Visceral Manipulation Support Deep Healing

Craniosacral Therapy in Columbus: How Gentle Touch, Somatic Awareness, and Visceral Manipulation Support Deep Healing

by | Oct 4, 2025 | barbara brennan, better posture, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, grounding, hakomi, healing, healthy, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, Structural Integration, trauma, upledger institute

craniosacral therapy worthington ohio

Call Craniosacral Therapist Near Me

Sharon Hartnett CST-D is a Certified Diplomate Craniosacral Therapist through the Upledger Institute

30 years of experience in mind/body centered healing and somatic work.

Telephone:  614 653-8111

Located in Worthington, Ohio and Serving the Columbus area.

Listening to the Body’s Deeper Intelligence

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle approach to listening to the body’s own deeper mind-body intelligence. Rather than trying to “fix” a symptom, I listen with my hands and my presence to what your system is already communicating. When the body feels safe enough to express itself, the central nervous system begins to balance, nourish, and restore itself from within.

This work opens communication with the essence and core of each individual. When the craniosacral rhythm is flowing freely, people often feel deeply relaxed, more aligned, and connected to themselves again. Over the years, I’ve seen clients leave sessions feeling lighter, clearer, and more at peace in both body and spirit.

Why I Was Drawn to Craniosacral Therapy

I first experienced craniosacral therapy decades ago. What struck me most was how such light touch could create such profound change. My body softened. My mind quieted. I felt healthier and more whole.

As a practitioner now, I use CST as the foundation of my work because it meets people exactly where they are. The body knows what it needs — my role is to listen deeply, stay neutral, and help the system find its own natural balance.

Many people assume that light touch is less effective than deep tissue work. In reality, working gently with the tissues and dialoguing with the nervous system is often far more powerful for lasting healing. The change arises organically rather than being imposed from the outside.

An Integrative, Trauma-Informed Approach

My practice combines craniosacral therapy, somatic therapy, visceral manipulation, and energy healing in an intuitive, trauma-informed way. Every session is customized to the person in front of me. I draw on what I’ve learned from the Hakomi Method, Barbara Brennan Healing Science, Upledger CST, and years of working with clients through trauma, injury, and personal transformation.

This integrative model allows the body to unwind from multiple levels — structural, emotional, energetic, and spiritual. Healing is never just physical; it’s a whole-person process.

What Happens in a Typical Session

When a client arrives, I begin by listening. The first few minutes are about connecting — hearing what brings them in, noticing their tone of voice, posture, and how they inhabit their body. Everything tells a story about how their system is adapting and compensating.

After about ten minutes, the client lies fully clothed on the table. I place my hands gently at different areas — head, sacrum, feet — and listen to the craniosacral rhythm. This subtle motion naturally goes into flexion and extension with pauses in between. I assess its quality, rate, and symmetry. Where there are restrictions, I support the tissues in finding balance.

Sessions last about 75 minutes, longer than most bodywork sessions, because I want clients to have time to drop into deep stillness without feeling rushed. Afterward, I ask what shifts they noticed and how they might integrate these changes into daily life. Healing continues long after the session ends.

How I Track Progress

Progress often shows up in small but meaningful ways — easier movement, deeper sleep, less anxiety, or feeling more “present” inside the body. Each session, I ask questions to help clients notice what’s changing.

Because the work is so individualized, I often suggest people start with three sessions to feel how their system responds. From there, we adjust frequency based on their goals and progress. Some people come short-term for an acute issue; others choose ongoing sessions for maintenance, stress relief, and emotional regulation.

Somatic Therapy: Bringing Awareness and Empowerment

Somatic therapy helps clients develop awareness of how emotions and experiences live in the body. Using a Hakomi approach, I notice subtle cues — a breath held, a shoulder tightening — and may reflect or ask mindful questions to bring unconscious patterns to light.

Sometimes, we explore these through small “experiments” in awareness. This isn’t talk therapy; it’s an embodied inquiry that helps people discover their own inner wisdom. When someone becomes more self-aware, they naturally become more self-empowered. They begin to trust their body again and make new choices from a grounded place.

Visceral Manipulation: Restoring Internal Balance

Visceral manipulation focuses on the gentle mobilization of the organs and their connective tissues. Every organ in the body needs a certain freedom of motion to function optimally. When there’s restriction — from injury, surgery, posture, or emotional tension — it can affect digestion, breathing, or pelvic health.

I often work with women who experience pelvic discomfort, digestive issues, or breathing limitations. Through subtle assessment and touch, I help release restrictions so the organs can move in harmony again. This work often relieves pain, improves range of motion, and restores vitality throughout the entire system.

A Trauma-Informed Lens

Over the years, I’ve worked with many women who have experienced sexual abuse or boundary violations. Healing touch must always be guided by safety and choice. Sometimes clients say they want touch but their body shows hesitation. In those cases, we pause and explore what safety feels like together before any physical work begins.

Empowerment is at the heart of trauma-informed care. My goal is never to override a client’s readiness but to help them rebuild trust in their own boundaries and sensations. Healing is not about forcing release — it’s about re-establishing connection to the self in a way that feels deeply safe.

Real Stories of Change

Over the years, I’ve witnessed remarkable outcomes — not because of me, but because of how powerfully the body can heal when listened to.

  • Tinnitus relief: A woman came in with persistent tinnitus that had been plaguing her for months. By the end of the session, the ringing had stopped — and it remained quiet when we followed up later.
  • Chronic headaches: Another client had experienced daily headaches for six years. Within ten minutes of gentle craniosacral work, the pain disappeared and stayed away.
  • Post-accident recovery: A young woman who’d been in a car accident and lost her baby struggled to walk and was overwhelmed by grief. After ten sessions, she could move more freely, felt calmer, and began reconnecting with life.
  • Concussion and sensory overload: One woman with foggy thinking and extreme light sensitivity after a concussion felt clear enough after ten sessions to resume outdoor activities and adventures again.
  • TMJ Jaw and mouthwork that released tension in the jaw and joints.
  • Post Surgery Recovery A client recovered quickly after breast surgery.  Her range of motion and flow was much better.

Not every case shifts this quickly — each person’s healing journey unfolds uniquely. But these stories remind me daily of why I do this work.

Physiological and Energetic Perspectives

Physiologically, I believe that every relationship and life experience influences the body. When I come from my higher self — grounded, experienced, and connected — it opens communication down to the cellular and even quantum level. The body begins to reorganize itself toward health.

Energetically, I work with both flow and structure. Sometimes that means clearing congestion in the chakras or balancing the auric field. These subtle levels often correspond directly to physical tension and emotional holding patterns.

Who Can Benefit

Craniosacral therapy can benefit nearly anyone — from babies to seniors. I work with people dealing with:

  • Back and neck pain
  • Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue
  • Migraines and headaches
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Nervous-system dysregulation
  • Emotional trauma
  • Postural imbalances and limited range of motion
  • A general sense of disconnection or depletion
  • TMJ Relief

The only contraindications are conditions like active aneurysms, blood clots, or other medical issues that require more acute care. Otherwise, this work supports overall wellness and prevention by helping the body function at its best.

A Community Approach to Healing

Since moving to the Worthington area, I’ve noticed a need for more connection among bodyworkers and healers. I believe in collaboration and often refer clients to other trusted professionals — physical therapists, massage therapists, chiropractors, and counselors — to make sure they get the most comprehensive support possible.

Putting the client’s needs first means honoring all aspects of their healing. True wellness happens when we see the whole person, not just a symptom.

Why I Do This Work

I do this work because I believe each of us is capable of evolving into the best version of ourselves. My teachers and experiences have shown me that living with core values — curiosity, compassion, and authenticity — brings meaning and purpose to life.

When we learn to listen to the wisdom of the body, life begins to flow differently. Healing is not just about relief from pain; it’s about remembering who we truly are and allowing life to support us fully.

Begin Your Own Healing Journey

If you’re curious about how craniosacral therapy, somatic therapy, or visceral manipulation can help you, I’d love to meet you.

My 75-minute sessions in Worthington, Ohio, offer a peaceful space to unwind, rebalance, and reconnect with your own inner wisdom.

You can reach me at  614-653-8111 to schedule an appointment. Together, we’ll explore what your body is ready to release — and what new possibilities it’s ready to open to.

More than Relief: How Craniosacral Therapy Helps You Come Home to Yourself

More than Relief: How Craniosacral Therapy Helps You Come Home to Yourself

by | Jul 12, 2025 | Craniosacral Therapy, hakomi, Healthy Body, Structural Integration, upledger institute

Somatic Therapy Columbus Ohio

A Somatic Approach to Healing Trauma, Pain, and Disconnection | Columbus, OH

By Sharon Hartnett, LMT, CST-D — with Hakomi and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy training

I never expected to become a craniosacral therapist. Like many people, I started with a desire to help others feel better — but I hadn’t yet discovered the kind of work that would change me, and support others from the inside out.

In the early days I briefly began with massage therapy. It taught me the importance of touch, but something felt missing; it didn’t move me in a way that felt meaningful. So I moved into Structural Integration, a bold and powerful way to realign the body. I learned to see and feel the fascia and understand the interconnection within. The results were visible, but the work was very assertive, and over time it wore on my own body. I needed something more sustainable, more nourishing. Bodyworkers need to listen to their own bodies with care, so they can do the same for others.

What I found was craniosacral therapy. Or maybe it found me.

The Gentle Work That Goes Deep

When I first encountered CST in 2003, I was skeptical. I practiced mostly Barbara Brennan’s energy work and deep fascial work in an embodied, somatic way, and I didn’t yet understand the brain and spinal anatomy of the craniosacral system. I hadn’t heard much about it until I received it myself from a craniosacral therapist in McLean, Virginia, named Suzanne. She was something else. I felt deeply nourished, and my internal environment began to shift in a new way. I wondered: could something this gentle really create meaningful change?

As I trained, practiced, and received sessions myself, I saw just how powerful CST was — especially paired with somatic awareness. It supported not just the body but the whole person. I watched people soften, unwind, and remember who they were beneath my hands as we worked with the pain, the anxiety, the disconnection.

This work changed me too. It taught me the power of the feminine in healing — how to listen rather than fix, to support rather than push, to witness rather than direct. I’ve come to trust that real healing happens when we make space for what’s already inside someone to emerge. It’s the balance between empty listening and emerging movement that creates powerful change. It’s the blend.

What People Feel After a Session

After a session, people often say: “I didn’t know I could feel this relaxed.”

That deep nervous-system settling is more than a nice feeling. It’s a gateway. In that stillness the body begins to unwind old trauma. Emotions surface and release. Thoughts become clearer. Pain softens.

But it’s not always instant. Believe it or not, some people are so unfamiliar with peace and deep relaxation that it takes a few days — or a few sessions — for the benefits to truly land. That’s understandable in the stressful lives we live. Healing isn’t linear, and it’s never one-size-fits-all. It’s a relationship between your body, your story, and the presence of someone who knows how to listen. Everyone shifts at their own pace. Usually it takes about five sessions to feel the work making a big impact.

Healing Is Personal: Stories From the Table

One woman came to me after surviving abuse. For the first ten sessions I didn’t touch her. I sat a few feet away — listening, witnessing, letting her body begin to feel safe again. Slowly, her system began to tremble, release, and open. We weren’t just releasing trauma; we were helping her relationship with her own body heal. It was beautiful and full of grace. Eventually we were able to do minimal hands-on craniosacral work.

Another client came in with serious concussion symptoms she’d been living with for two years. Her thinking was foggy, her balance off, and she was highly sensitive to light. After ten sessions, her clarity returned. A few months later she enrolled in yoga teacher training — and today she’s a craniosacral therapist herself. An amazing one, honestly.

There was also a woman in hospice care with a terminal cancer diagnosis. I saw her weekly for six months, using only the lightest touch. The doctors had given her six months to live. Months later she was still alive, and eventually the doctors told her children the cancer had gone. I don’t claim to know what happened. But I do know that something in her body responded to being met with gentleness — and to her own inner wisdom. Something in her chose to live, with all the help around her.

These stories aren’t about miracles. They’re about what happens when someone finally feels safe, seen, and supported on every level. There are so many possible outcomes.

Why Somatic Presence Matters

Craniosacral therapy works deeply with the nervous system, fascia, and energetic body. Combined with somatic therapy — the Hakomi method, Upledger dialogue, and trauma-informed techniques — it becomes even more powerful.

In my sessions I guide people to sense what’s happening inside: not just the symptoms, but the felt sense beneath them. I ask gentle questions. I reflect what I see. I stay in curiosity, letting each person’s own inner wisdom lead the way.

This isn’t about fixing. It’s about remembering and reconnecting. It’s a powerful process of self-discovery.

But… Does It Really Work?

People sometimes ask, “Can such a light touch actually do anything?”

It’s a fair question, especially in a culture that prizes doing, pushing, and proving. But the body doesn’t need to be forced to heal. It needs to be listened to. Its inner wisdom needs to be ignited to do the powerful work it’s capable of. I explain the mechanics in What Does Craniosacral Therapy Do?

There’s science behind CST, yes — but more importantly, there’s your own experience. I always say: try four to six sessions and see how you feel. The proof is in your body, not in statistics.

An Invitation to Come Home to Yourself

Whether you’re carrying trauma, living with chronic pain, struggling to sleep, or just feeling off — there is hope. And you don’t have to go through it alone.

In my Columbus-area practice, I offer craniosacral therapy informed by decades of somatic training and real-life experience. I’ve worked with women, men, teens, and children. Sensitive people. Stressed-out people. People trying to heal from what they’ve never been able to name.

If you’re ready to feel more like yourself again — more relaxed, more present, more whole — I invite you to come in. Not for a fix. For a beginning.

Because healing isn’t about becoming someone new.
It’s about remembering who you are.

Ready to feel better? I’m Sharon Hartnett, a Diplomate-Certified Craniosacral Therapist (CST-D) through the Upledger Institute, with about 30 years of experience listening to the body and helping it heal. My office is in Worthington, Ohio, and I serve the greater Columbus area.

If you’re curious whether this gentle work is right for you, I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation. Call or text me at (614) 653-8111.

Learn more about craniosacral therapy in Columbus, read answers to common questions about craniosacral therapy, or find out how to choose the best craniosacral therapist for you.

How to Love Your Body No matter How it Looks

How to Love Your Body No matter How it Looks

by | Aug 27, 2024 | better posture, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, hakomi, Healthy Body, meditation, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, Spiritual Healing

Love Your Body, Mind and Spirit

Here are some tips for Shifting your Mindset about your body.  It takes time to Learn to Love Your Body.

  • Every morning before you get out of bed, bring mindfulness to your body and sense into it.  Forget any preconceived ideas that you have believed. Living in these bodies are pretty miraculous. The good news is that we have plenty of fresh new starts. 
  • When you get out of bed, feel into the Ok-ishness of your body.  This is the beginning of practicing self-acceptance.  Any perfection thoughts need to be put on the shelf!
  • Be mindful about how you speak about your body. You can change the patterning of your thinking.  Drive in a new lane.  The Love Your Body Lane. Eventually your belief system changes when you drop the old thoughts.
  • Every person deserves to feel love.  And we are all different and unique in how we are configured.  Realize that norms are group beliefs. It really says nothing about you.  The more you move inward, you self-realized your essence.  Imagine what it would be like if we all could appreciate the different skins in which we live.
  • Question your thoughts.  Byron Kate,has great free worksheet for this in the website The Work 
  • Receiving bodywork can bring a whole new awareness to you body.In our society, so much emphasis is placed on what is going on inside of our heads.  However, we are whole people, body, mind and spirit. For example, Craniosacral Therapy is great for helping you to embody.
  • Meditation is a great way to open your mind about your body.  It gives you a sense of understanding through neutral listening and understanding.  It also opens up the path to compassion.
  • Exercise.  Find movement that is comfortable and fun. Even basic walking can make you feel better.
  • Choose foods that are healthy.  Maybe start a garden for herbs or fruits and vegetables.  We feel good when we partake in the organic processes which sustanin us.

When you are alone, take off the clothes and get comfortable in your skin.  Turn off your computers/phones/ and TVs.  Relax and Breathe.  Know Yourself!

Our culture makes it hard sometimes for people to accept and love your body.  Yet, we have many choice points to make up our own minds about how we related internally.  You are the Captain of Your Own Ship.  Sail the seas of Self-Love.  Learn to be Ok with who you are- body, feelings, thoughts and all.   

It’s not always each, but choosing change is a great intention.

With gratitude-

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

Worthington, Ohio|Serving the Columbus Area

614 653-8111

To find out more about Craniosacral Therapy, check out my main page.

 

 

Find Somato Therapist Near Me

Find Somato Therapist Near Me

by | Aug 19, 2024 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, hakomi, healing, meditation, mind body & spirit, upledger institute

Somato Centered Therapy on the Table

The Concept of Somato centered bodywork, was incorporated into the therapeutic process of Craniosacral Therapy many years ago at the Upledger Institute.

SomatoEmotional Release (SER) is a theraeputic process that employs and expands the principles of  Craniosacral Therapy through dialogue.

This particular type of somato communication can be done in silence, or when a person begins to process, verbal cues or responses may be offered for self-discovery work.  Mostly this is practiced when the Craniosacral Rythm is moving the client through a profound change.  However, it is not the job of a Craniosacral Therapist to counsel.  Instead, we are trained to support a person who in on the table, and who is being challenged or needs help moving through cellular memory developmental or trauma experiences.  We have been trained to be very gentle and to offer some techniques that take the client inward to help them find their own deep well of Inner Resources.

Each Craniosacral Therapist has their own unique skillset to help in dialogue work.  Personally, I have studied Hakomi for two years, 8 years at the Barbara Brennan School Of healing, and also studied at SPI to help my clients who have gone through trauma.

This body centered work is powerful and gentle with an organic and mindful approach to healing.  It feels very integrative to our clients, as well as self-empowering.

If you want to “find a craniosacral therapist near me”,  I offer free 10 minute phone calls to support your discovery process in finding the best CST for you!

Sharon Hartnett CST-D Trauma Informed Somatic Therapy

Worthington, Ohio|Serving the Columbus Area

614 653-8111

To find out more about Craniosacral Therapy, check out my main page.