How to Calm the ADHD Mind

by SharonHartnett | Oct 31, 2024 | Craniosacral Therapy, healing, healthy

How ADHD can be better treated with Craniosacral Therapy

ADHD is best diagnosed by a physician. Although, for those of us who have it, we probably have a good idea that we are challenged, have a difficult time with organizing, and can sometimes feel anxious or feel very self-judgmental.

ADHD can look different among different groups of people. Men have been studied more thoroughly, for example, than women. One symptom in particular that can present differently between the genders is hyperactivity. Some act out, but often women may feel more of an inner stress, and overwhelm. So it’s good to find an experienced professional to determine what is the best protocol for you to make life easier. Personally, I enjoy listening to Dr. Amen talk about the brain’s function, and how he treats ADHD. Very evidenced based.

Also, I have found that Craniosacral Therapy can be very helpful in treating ADHD as well. At first, sometimes a person on the table feels very stimulated. Closing the eyes and feeling inward may take some time. However hard this can be initially, eventually they do to quiet and learn to enjoy lying down and receiving. As they begin to trust the therapist, and allow the experience to unfold, they begin to learn how to drop down into stillness. This is very soothing to the mind and of course the body.

Craniosacral Therapy is very gentle. It is focused on the interconnectiveness of the nervous system. By relieving stress there, through working with the fluids in the craniosacral system, clients often feel more focused, sleep better, and feel better emotionally.

In my practice, I enjoy working with people who deal with ADHD and the challenges that come along with it. I understand it. I have seen positive results. It’s also a nice way to help the brain and body to relax without medication.

If you are looking for overall wellbeing, Craniosacral Therapy ought to be one of your first stops. It’s natural and powerfully effective in helping to regulate ADHD stress.

Find peace in your life.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D
703 509-1792
www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Feeling Comfortable through Listening: The Art of Connection

by SharonHartnett | Oct 30, 2024 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, healing, mind body & spirit

Feeling Comfortable is the Number One Priority

Being Comfortable is key for my clients. That’s why I do everything to create the most comfortable environment from the onset. For me this begins at the beginning of the first call. It’s important for me to listen quietly to the concerns from the point of view of the person on the other side of the phone. People deserve to be heard and understood when they are looking for help. Not to mention, this is also the key to supporting their own healing to unhold as we begin to work together.

Together we discuss different approaches to healing, using Craniosacral Therapy as the primary vechicle to healing and growth. In addition, I also offer support with Energy Healing (Barbara Brennan School), Visceral Manipulation, Hakomi Techniques, Trauma Support and more. Mostly though, I listen. Whether that is with my hands, my eyes, my ears or however information comes to me from your Deepest Inner Wisdom. It’s the combination of your words, and how your body speaks. Especially the unfolding of the most subtle of cues offer deeper ways for the body to self-correct. When this happens we develop a dynamic therapeutic relationship which supports wellness.

In any given session, comfort is enhanced when we are mindful, present, and there is good communication. That’s why Craniosacral Therapy is focused on staying neutral with the people who trust us in this therapeutic setting. What this means, is we hold a stance of non-judgment and checking in quite often. This doesn’t mean we don’t think or feel, but our awareness is centered on melding with our clients as we touch into the Craniosacral System. Nourishing the nervous system this way brings balance and peace. Also comments are specific to the process which originates from you. A skilled Craniosacral Therapist will want to meet and address your real needs.

Feeling comfortable is truly about feeling safe and deepening into trust. It allows people to go silently inward or on the opposite side to express what is going on for them. Often clients fall deep into silence or enter into a reflective mode. Craniosacral Therapy is a beautiful therapy which helps you to heal as your are ready.

If you want to find out more about Craniosacral Therapy, give me a ring. Aligning mind, body and spirit in the. Columbus, Ohio area.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D
703 509-1792
www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

How To Grow In An Overwhelming World

by SharonHartnett | Oct 17, 2024 | Craniosacral Therapy, healing, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, upledger institute

How to Grow as a Sensitive Person

Blossom and Grow. Recently, I picked up the book, “The Highly Sensitive Person and have been recommending it to quite a few of my clients. One niche that I seem to be able to support well are people who benefit from Craniosacral Therapy and Energy Work because the nervous systems of sensitive people often have been overwhelmed.

In this book, we find meaning, and an opportunity to grow, in what it is like to be” highly sensitive“. A term that not many people recognize. On top of this aboug 80% of people are not sensitive, and they don’t understand the other 20%. Can you imagine what it’s like to not have a description or understanding for how you sense the world, while most people are different? I found reading this book to be a relief since I include myself in this category. I felt noticed and acknowledged by the writer. The book is such an in depth mirror. I also felt more of a comfort level knowing that there are many more people walking around like me. Even if we are a minority.

One thing about highly sensitive people is that we notice the subtle and so many details. I know for me, when I walk into a room, I can feel the mood. I cue into expressions and movement, and so much information enters into my system. Often because of this, we need to rest and take time for ourselves to integrate. Craniosacral Therapy can respond to this need through its gentle listeing, touch and melding.

As Craniosacral Therapist, we listen to the Cerebrospinal fluid motion and we palpate and listen to the nervous system. By connecting with that with which we blend, we can bring in a calm and balance. When this happens the deep creativity from within can emerge and grow. It can be brought out into the world in a very positive way.

One of the challenges which highly sensitve people encounter is that when they feel overwhelmed, they tend to react. Some people may view this as over-reacting. This especially occurs if they grew up in a rough environment. They tend to feel misunderstood. However there are some wonderful advantages as well. Lots of good exercises in this book.

The book recommends:

1. Self-Knowledge

2. Reframing

3. Healing

It also offers activities to help process intense feelings. In addition Craniosacral Therapy can help a person through self- discovery work and self-regulation. The book- I think that it is fantastic and opens the eyes to those who want to connect.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

When Nature & Nurture Shape Opportunities

by SharonHartnett | Oct 15, 2024 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, healing, Healthy Body, meditation, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, move effortlessly

Nature & Nurture Awaken the Inner Intelligence Within

Let’s talk about Nature & Nurture. From a Craniosacral Therapy Perspective, an experienced Craniosacral Therapist knows that each individual has a working Inner Intelligence Living Within. This Inner Intelligence is a Deep Conscious Awareness. I see it as the essence of each person connected to.a Higher Source. At least these are the best words which I can describe it.

This Inner Intelligence is constantly working to support the health of our physical bodies, our emotional state, our thinking patterns, our relationships and even our connection to spirituality and what we call God. For example, we hardly don’t even have to think about getting out of bed in the morning, straightening our legs so that we get begin to walk through our day. It’s an effortless flow for most of us. Everything is aligned and we begin to move our lives through time and space here at home within our bodies.

In any case, this Intelligence miraculously brings us to life. It allows us to interact with the world we know. It’s in a constant dance with Nature & Nurture.

Biologically we have genes that get turned on. From the time of conception, the heredity influence unfolds into this unique song that makes us who we are. Our environments have their own unique sound, and blend with our systems to create new relationships and growth patterns. These two influences mutually work together to create our Life Experiences for us as individuals. I would say in a larger sense as well.

Such a dynamic pairing: Nature and Nurture. However, there are times when we do get stuck in a glitch. The Intelligence Within is always available, but our choices and life experiences can begin to isolate us or limit our potential. Our genetics can get tripped off into a disease process, or our environment can become toxic or painful for us to live in through certain influences and choices. Triggers could be anything from things like early abandonment, trauma, developmental support lacking and so on. This history, as we live it, is held in the posture and tissue of the body. When we don’t feel connected and in sync with Nature & Nurture, we don’t thrive.

From a Craniosacral Therapist stance, the first thing we do when we work with a person is to connect with ourselves and to create a safe and healthy environment. This connects us with our own nature & nurture qualities and inner wisdom. Then we listen to the person who comes to see us fully and with intention to connect to their own inner intelligence. My hope is that as a team, and while plugging into Source, the techniques and intelligence in my system will nourish the missing steps or pieces to re-awaken what is needed for wellness.

By working with the Craniosacral System, we can listen and sense deeply into another. By melding and blending we encourage and give a little nudge to help release and to restore healthy communication and dialogue. The Nervous System especially feels this healing touch. Integration brings everything back together .People process, but by the end of a session, usually they find a deeper peace and sense of knowing themselves. The Craniosacral Rhythm is restored. That’s because the Inner Intelligence is awakening and moving us to the next level of wellness.

Nature & Nurture are at the foundation of who we are if we are to be healthy and thriving. None of us are meant to live alone. We all need support to keep our own resources reinvigorated and vital. It’s the bond that pulls life together which makes us stronger and more vibrant. Sometimes this is done internally, and sometimes we need to fill in the gap through our relationships.

Learn to connect to Your Own Inner Intelligence. We are all able to do this. Our Higher Selves, when we clear the way, will always keeps us on the Path which brings the best to our soul. When we are able to receive and give through nature and nurture freely, we have more power to influence and co-create in health and wellbeing.

Sharon Hartnett CST-d
703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

How to Move Effortlessly Through Life

by SharonHartnett | Sep 28, 2024 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, grounding, healing, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, move effortlessly

Grounding: Move Effortlessly with Grace

Move Effortlessly. It’s easy to escape the moment. To not be fully present. The mind easily wanders into the past with regrets and guilt. Undoubtably it moves forward with worry and anticipation as well. This is to be human.

However, what if there is a way to engage with life more deeply and fully?

I was reading FB today and came across a beautiful post about grounding. I feel it’s so important to connect to the earth. She supports us and nourishes us continuously. We are made of the earth, and she lives within all that we are. So I am including this writing by “Lowen” to share here. Let go of your burdens my friends… Discover Your Human Body.

Lowen is credited with coining the word “grounding” in the physiological and psychological sense and emphasizing it’s importance in human development. I believe it has now become a term widely understood (if not precisely understood) in the broader pop culture.

“Once he is grounded, a person no longer holds himself up but allows the ground to support him. By coming down to earth, he finds that his blood pressure also drops. But effecting that kind of change requires a commitment to the body and to a way of life that respects the body and it’s needs.

Unfortunately, our culture is moving away from the body as the source of feeling and spirituality. Our fitness programs are not designed to enhance the sensitivity of the body but to hone it as if it were a machine. In so doing, they produce people who are fit only to run the race of life. I suppose that if reaching the top is one’s goal in life, our modern-day fitness programs may help. But if one’s goal is to experience the joy of being fully alive, the excitement of feeling part of this pulsating universe, and the deep satisfaction of being a person who is both graceful and gracious, one must turn elsewhere.

When I was a young man, being “earthy” was regarded as a virtue. I never hear anyone descibed that way anymore. Has the quality of having one’s feet on the ground lost its meaning? I believe it has. The modern individual is more properly described as “flying high and fast”. It is hard to slow down when the world is racing by. It is difficult to be grounded when the culture itself is ungrounded, when it denies reality and promotes an illusion that success represents a higher state of being and successful people live richer and more fulfilling lives. All the same, the real values of life are “earthy” values: health, gracefulness, connectedness, pleasure and love. But these values have meaning only if one’s feet are planted firmly on the ground.”

– Alexander Lowen from The Spirituality of the Body

To Move Effortlessly is freedom and Joy

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

How to Create a Healthy Space for Noise Overwhelm

by SharonHartnett | Sep 27, 2024 | Craniosacral Therapy, healing, meditation, mindfulness, upledger institute

Are you Feeling the Overwhelm of Loud Noises in Social Situations?

Have you heard of the term “neurodivergent”? For people who feel as if they think and feel differently, I think it’s a good topic to explore for self-understanding. The differences of neurodivergent experiences land anywhere from ADHD, to sensory sensitivities, to autism and other mental health conditions. However, the topic I want to speak about today primarily is the overwhelm of loud noises for some people with neurodivergent thinking. I think it’s important to find a way to acclimate and still join into social interactions. Overwhelm can take us away from people and activities we enjoy. So how do we deal with loud noise when we are sensitive to it?

Each of us is unique in how our brain works. How we learn, how we process, and funtion does’t have to fit into a “typical” model. In the past, and even still now, when a person is different, it can be looked down upon or. seen as problematic. But more often, now adays, there is a fresher acceptance and understanding of people who think out of the box with the concept of neurodiversity. More and more, we want to include, embrace and find the strengths inside each individual. The healthier outlook is to celebrate our differences.

In particular, for neurodivergent people who feel awkward in social situations, they may need a little bit of help to know that their differences and vulnerabilities can also be understood as strengths. Researching this topic can bring relief in knowing that there is a new openness to consideration for diversity. I know, for myself, it took a long time as an adult to feel comfortable when there were a lot of people talking at once in a room. For example, I couldn’t think and the inside of my ears would actually start to hurt when I was in a loud crowded restaurant until I left and went outside. I felt like my ADHD has been healed for the most part, or maybe a better word would be integrated. Yet my brain disagreed. It still does when I am in a noisy area with many people speaking all at once. There have been times when I had felt anxious because I felt like I was the only one experiencing this. Now,understanding that how my brain operations is different yet normal has made me feel more comfortable in uncomfortable situations. So in my later years, I have learned to support myself, and others in helping to cope with loud noise. Especially people with ADHD since I know what it is like to be challenged this way and to move through to the other side.

Some of the things that I have found to be helpful with noise overwhelm are:

1. Wearing noise reduction/cancelling head phones in loud spaces. I can still hear what is going on in my enviroment, but the noise is subdued.

2. Meditation: One helpful meditation in specific is ringing a bell and following the sound with mindful focus. It helps the mind to release tension when other noises come into the space.

3. Craniosacral Therapy has helped my nervous system to feel more balanced and in ease. Especially when I can express my feelings in a safe environment from a mind body perspective. This can also help a person to feel more grounded and embodied. This helps my clients as well!

4. Developing the Witness. This is spending time stepping away from yourself in a neutral intention. Stay curious in your experience. Not being judgmental.

5. Realizing that the noise and ovewhelm is temporary. In most instances, one can leave and move into a more quiet place.

6. Don’t avoid sound because this can increase fear and stress. For example with tinnitus, begin to understand that the sound is unimportant so that. you don’t put your constant energy into negative thinking about the buzzing sounds. This isn’t normally an easy fix, by tinnitus can come and go for many people. Empowering the mind can support adaptability and relief.

7. Check in with an audiologist. Sometimes they can help, and sometimes not. But some centers do have helpful tools.

Having your brain operate differently doesn’t make a person bad or unhealthy. Being sensitive is just a different expression of being human. Seek courageous ways to face your challenges, but also find the right balance of self-care. Overwhelm does not have to be your life. Know that you are not alone, and that our differnces are what make us interesting.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com