Trusting the Wisdom Within With Craniosacral

by SharonHartnett | Jul 21, 2014 | Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit, Structural Integration

One of the greatest things about Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is that this modality is all about trusting your own body’s wisdom to heal.

Yes it is important to find a Craniosacral Therapist who is knowledgeable and has good experience with your issues. However- the best session will be all about having faith in the process.

During a Craniosacral Session, the first thing your practitioner will do is listen to your body to find out where there might be dysfunctional patterns that lead to pain and other ailments. This is done by starting at the feet and moving up to the head in order to check for amplitude, symmetry and other qualities of the craniosacral rhythm throughout the body. Once the primary lesion is discovered, it is easy to go to that area and start the session for healing. The rest is about following the body’s response to the work.

During evaluation and thereafter, Craniosacral Therapy touch is gentle and non-invasive. There are very few contra-indications with CST, yet the effects are far reaching and profound in your healing process. The primary benefits that you will first feel are relief of pain, more flexibility and often more vitality. By working primarily with the Central Nervous System as the focus, a Craniosacral Therapist can dialogue with every other body system to support the integration of full body functioning. Often clients are unexpectingly surprised that there can be so much change in attitude, feeling and sensation after just a few session.

Craniosacral Therapy as taught by the Upledger Institute

If you would like to find out more about Craniosacral, please contact Sharon Hartnett for a free 15 minute telephone consultation: (614) 372-6598.

Craniosacral Therapy is a self-discovery process of remembering your own light! It’s always present.

Website: www.massageincolumbusohio.com

Craniosacral Therapy for Children with ADHD

by SharonHartnett | Mar 21, 2014 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit

Does Your Child have ADHD?

It’s sometimes difficult to distinguish whether your child is suffering from actual ADHD or experiencing life with a typically high activity level with a short attention span. But what a parent does know is that it can be challenging trying to fit their kids into a mainstream educational system without some extra support.

Regulating life through New Sensory Input.

At Lighten Up Therapies, we are not so concerned where your child falls in the spectrum of ADHD, but instead we choose to focus on giving your child a new integrative mind, body & spirit experience. We have been intrigued with the success that Craniosacral Therapy has had with young people in helping them to self-regulate and be more comfortable in their daily lives. A quote that describes our outlook to healing is well spoken by Moshe Feldenkrais, “What I’m after isn’t flexible bodies, but flexible minds and to restore each person to their human dignity.” So how do we help children to find more joy and emotional balance through massage and bodywork?

It’s very helpful to imagine the mind as being inclusive of the whole body, and if you can even go outside the box a little further, into the complete human energy field. When we can allow kids to become mindful of their physical self and subtle energies if only for a few minutes here and there during a session, the brain becomes better informed. Sensory information attained through the fascial and nervous system can enliven the DNA to express itself in a new way and change our thinking and expression. By touching into the continuous web of dialogue, children can become better educated to find quiet and self-correction

One of the first things that is helpful for children during a session is to induce a still point. A still point is a period of time in which the cerebral spinal flow comes to a rest, allows improved circulation to the brain, and helps relieve adhesions around the brain’s membranes and spine. Still points can be very calming and nourishing to the nervous system. It may take time with children who don’t want to sit still, but with patience, still point is a practice that can be taught to parents and felt deeply relaxing by their children. One of the best things a practitioner can do is give their clients tools to take home to carry the work forward.

While children with ADHD might initially avoid this type of experience, eventually- the new felt sense of the subtle work of Craniosacral regulation will begin to take root. The calm will open the doorway to a more relaxed sense of wellbeing. At this point, we can then proceed with checking the diaphragms for release, listening to the flow around the spine and brain, and to encourage symmetry, strength and coherence within all the systems. With this work, as the structure changes, so does the way the energy moves The internal environment can integrate with the mind body & spirit sense of reconnection!

One of the best things you can do it interview. Sharon Hartnett LMT CST offers 15 minute free phone sessions to answer your questions at:

FAQ Page

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.

Helping your children to become more focused and centered is an experiential commitment. It often takes time to see improvements, but in most cases, dramatic change does show up.

If you would like to try a session to gain your own first hand experience of Craniosacral Therapy, ask for $10.00 of your first session.

www.upledger.com

What is Craniosacral Therapy? Sharon Hartnett CST in Columbus, Ohio

by SharonHartnett | Jan 12, 2014 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit

When I tell people I specialize in Craniosacral Therapy, they often ask me to describe what it is. While Craniosacral Therapy has been around for a while, it is just now coming more into the forefront as being known as an effective integrative health approach. So in order to bring even more clarity to this field of healing, I want to present this short blog entry. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me, Sharon Hartnett, LMT, for a free 15 minute phone consultation

614 653-08111

Craniosacral Therapy is a light touch type of bodywork that enhances the functioning of the whole body by working primarily with the Cerebrospinal fluid around the nervous system. This is done with palpation from the feet all the way to the head. The name “Craniosacral Therapy” can be misleading because while the main focus is on listening at the cranium and the sacral area, this gentle manual therapy may be approached from anywhere on the body. During a session, a client remains fully clothed and lies down on the table for about an hour. The therapist will follow listening stations and help the body find its own healing course. Craniosacral Therapy’s relaxing and balancing effects may be felt physically, emotionally and spiritually throughout the session and afterwards.

Craniosacral Flow

A Craniosacral Therapist is a listener of the craniosacral rhythm much like a Counselor may listen to the words of a client. As the session progresses, the client often calms down and lets go of stresses and pain. The therapist is guided by the body’s own intelligence to follow any dysfunctional patterns and to help the system to self-correct. The quality, symmetry and strength of the craniosacral movements are strong indicators if there are restrictions or weakness in a certain area. As certain patterns are tenderly touched, unwinding and lengthening may occur allowing healthier interaction between the nervous system and the tissues. Often people who come to a Craniosacral Therapist for a series of sessions after finding no relief elsewhere end up feeling more vitality and release of deep pain patterns.

For a quick Youtube layout of the work, check out one of my earlier teacher’s explanation of the work:

https://youtu.be/vn7AC6iktmU

Craniosacral Therapy has been helpful with relieving traumas from the body on many different levels. Once these traumatic experiences are processed in a healthy environment, the person usually feels freed up to live more fully from a clear more positive intentional place.

Sharon Hartnett CST-Diplomate specializes in helping people with anxiety & related issues, concussions, and chronic pain.

FAQ Page

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

(614) 653-8111

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

Feel Young as You Get Older with the Cobra Pose

by SharonHartnett | Dec 15, 2013 | grounding, healing, Healthy Body, Massage, meditation, mind body & spirit, Spiritual Healing

Cobra Pose for those Shortened Soft Tissues-

As we get older, often we lose the natural curvature of our spine. Gravity pulls us downward and often we end up out of alignment anteriorly and posteriorly as well. Our doctors often recommend exercise which is a great beginning. Massage, Craniosacral Therapy, and other forms of Bodywork can be very helpful too. But there is something you can do to feel young that is easy to do right at home in just about 5-10 minutes a day that will help you quite a bit.

How about spending a little time with the Cobra Pose to self-correct your posture and open up your energy flow!

Begin Cobra by lying down on your stomach with the legs extended. Place your hands fairly close to your body parallel and slowly lift your body off the ground. Continue to lift higher, but only in comfort with a light stretch.Hold the stretch as long as you feel release for up to 30 seconds. If anything feels like it is too much, move back to the ground and relax and try again when you feel rested.

Stretching

Cobra Pose for Posture: A 5-Minute Stretch to Feel Younger

Cobra Pose is a gentle backbend that lengthens the front of your body and relaxes tight back muscles, helping you stand taller and move more freely. It takes only 5-10 minutes a day, and you can do it at home on the floor or a firm bed.

Why posture changes as we age

Many of my clients come in with painful necks and lower backs. Those two areas tend to shorten and become the weakest link in posture. Often a shortened psoas muscle plays a part, but usually the fascia along the front of the body has tightened from the feet to the top of the head.

Most of our daily activities, like driving, desk work, and looking at phones, pull us forward. Cobra Pose does the opposite. It moves you into a gentle backward curve, which restores balance.

Your first step: Cobra Pose at home

Your doctor may have recommended exercise, which is a great beginning., craniosacral therapy, and other bodywork can also help a great deal. But Cobra is something you can do today, on your own schedule.

Lie on your stomach with your legs extended.
Place your hands close to your body, parallel, under your shoulders.
Slowly lift your chest off the ground. Keep lifting only as long as it feels comfortable, with a light stretch.
Hold for up to 30 seconds, as long as you feel a release.
Lower down and rest if anything feels like too much. Try again when you feel rested.

Gentle beats forceful

In many yoga classes, we’re led to push the stretch. If you’re in discomfort, I invite you to do the opposite. Don’t go all the way. Go into the stretch gently, listen to your body, and stay where it feels good.

I’ve found that when the body isn’t overtaxed, its defense mechanisms relax, and more tissue releases and spreads throughout the whole body. Comfort is what makes this work.

What you may notice

If you practice Cobra Pose routinely, you may begin to see changes in how you stand and feel each day. The front of your body lengthens, the muscles along your back relax, and your posture can become more upright and easier to maintain.

Want more support?

Cobra Pose is a great daily habit, but sometimes your body needs hands-on help to release what stretching alone can’t reach. If you’re dealing with neck pain, low back tightness, or posture that just won’t budge, craniosacral therapy in Columbus can work alongside your home practice to release deep tension gently.

Learn more about my approach or call me at 614-653-8111 to talk about what your body needs.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I hold Cobra Pose?
Up to 30 seconds, or as long as you feel a release. Stop sooner if the stretch becomes uncomfortable.

How often should I do it?
A few minutes a day is enough. Consistency matters more than intensity.

Is Cobra Pose good for lower back and neck tension?
Many people find it helpful because it lengthens the front of the body and relaxes the muscles along the back. Keep the stretch gentle and comfortable.

Who should avoid it?
If you have spinal issues, recent surgery, or any health concern, check with your physician first.

The takeaway

As we age, we don’t have to limit our movements. We have a choice to move freely, and Cobra Pose is one easy way to reclaim your range of motion. Want to feel young? Then live young!

This post is for general education and is not medical advice. Please check with your physician before starting any new physical activity, especially if you’re dealing with spinal issues.

Sharon Hartnett, CST-D
Craniosacral Therapist, Columbus, Ohio
614-653-8111

2 years of teacher training at Yoga on High
www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Positional Release for Neck Pain After Surgery: What Helped Me Heal

by SharonHartnett | Dec 11, 2013 | Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration

It’s been almost a year now since my neck surgery. I had a bone spur pressing into my spine and was in excruciating pain. There were not many options, so I made the best decision I could and went in for my first surgery ever to replace my disc.

After the first week or two, I felt very weak in the neck, but the pain was minimal. I said goodbye to my pain medications and hoped to feel back to normal quickly. Well, that did not happen. The doctors say it may be 6 months or so, but it can take longer. And I am here to tell you that if you want to feel better, it is up to you to take responsibility for your own self care. Once the surgery is done, only you can find the best healing plan for you.

Recovering after Spine Surgery

Positional release is a gentle technique where you rest your body in a comfortable position so tight muscles and joints can let go. After my neck surgery, stretching and exercise were too much for me. Positional release was the gentle practice that finally gave me back my freedom of movement.

I’m Sharon Hartnett, a craniosacral therapist in Columbus, Ohio. Here is what worked for me, and how you can try this at home.

Why I needed a long-term plan

My body had gone out of alignment from a combination of factors. I was a little overweight, I didn’t always pay attention to my posture while working on the table with clients, and my body type wasn’t naturally balanced. Even after my [cervical/neck] surgery, I needed a plan to feel better for the long haul.

I’ve focused a little on each approach below, but I choose where to spend most of my energy, which gives me a more holistic sense of health and wellbeing.

What helped my recovery

Positional release: gentle, daily, and the biggest game-changer for my neck (more below)
Physical therapy: guided strengthening and movement
Healthier diet: supporting my body’s healing from the inside
Exercise: added gradually, once my body was ready
Basic stretching: gentle and consistent
Massage, craniosacral therapy, and structural integration: hands-on bodywork to release tension
Yamuna Balls and rolling: self-massage for tight spots
A gentle home traction machine: for easing the neck at home
A chiropractor with a good reputation: reputation matters, so ask around

You may already know how to follow most of these. Positional release is the one I want to explain, because you rarely hear about it and it can be remarkably effective.

What is positional release?

Positional release (also called strain-counterstrain) is a soft tissue technique in which the body is placed in a comfortable position that eases pain and dysfunction. A massage therapist listens to your body to find the position that triggers nerve reflexes to relax the muscle. As the muscles and joints calm down, range of motion and ease of movement often improve quickly.

It’s very helpful to start with a massage therapist who can hold the positions and teach you the technique. Once you get a feel for how it works, it becomes a daily practice, like a mini yoga routine without the work.

How to do positional release at home

This is how I practice every morning to support my neck and body. I spend about 30 minutes in bed.

Set up in bed. Lie on your back or belly and prop yourself with pillows. I often lie on my belly with a pillow propped under me and turn my head to different angles.
Move slowly and mindfully. Ease into a position until you feel mild discomfort and a little resistance. On a scale of 1 to 10, aim for about a 2 or 3.
Rest for about a minute. Notice whether the discomfort fades or builds.
Back off if it’s too much. Never rest in anything more painful than a 2 or 3. If it’s too intense, move away until you’re comfortable.
Try new angles. Repeat with different head and neck positions, resting each time until you find more ease.

Why it worked for me after surgery

In the beginning after my surgery, I tried stretching and exercises, but it was too much for my body. Daily positional release was gentle enough, and it has finally started giving me the freedom of movement I want again. It also helps me trust my body’s own healing mechanisms and work within a range of comfort.

Who can benefit from positional release?

Positional release is often combined with other soft tissue therapies. It’s commonly used for:

Post-surgical aftercare
Headaches
Postural issues
Fibromyalgia
General flexibility

It’s easy, and it’s empowering because you can do it at home without special equipment.

One year later

This January marks my first full year after surgery. My neck feels much better, and my muscles are more balanced and looser. I stay in tune by constantly listening to my body. Self-care is an ongoing process, and it’s easy to get off course when life is busy. But health begins with us, and it really is important to start from within.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I hold each position?
About a minute, or until you notice the discomfort easing. Move slowly in and out of each position.

Does positional release hurt?
It shouldn’t. You’re aiming for mild discomfort, about a 2 or 3 out of 10. If it’s more than that, back off.

Can I do positional release without a therapist?
Yes, many people practice it at home. Working with a massage therapist first can help you learn the positions and feel what’s right for your body.

Is positional release safe after surgery?
It’s a gentle technique often used in aftercare, but everyone’s recovery is different. Check with your surgeon before starting any new self-care routine.

How often should I practice?
I do it daily, about 30 minutes each morning. Start with whatever feels comfortable for you.

This post shares my personal experience and is not medical advice. Please check with your surgeon or healthcare provider before beginning any new self-care after surgery.

Anyone who has undergone surgery, my heart is with you. Listen to your own inner wisdom, because the freedom rests there.

Want help learning positional release in person? I offer craniosacral therapy in Columbus, Ohio and would be glad to guide you.

Warmly,
Sharon Hartnett
Craniosacral Therapist, Columbus, Ohio
614-653-8111
Serving the Columbus, Ohio area

Before you publish:

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Rolfing and Structural Integration in Columbus Ohio

by SharonHartnett | Nov 4, 2013 | better posture, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, Structural Integration

Lately I have been getting calls asking if Structural Integration (SI) work is the same thing as Rolfing®.

So in order to clarify this, I have decided to write a short post on the subject. I hope this helps.

The Rolf Institute for Structural Integration

The Rolf Institute® blossomed as Dr. Rolf’s students began to branch out her work into the community and eventually throughout world. The original pioneers of this work called themselves, “Rolfers®”. The school and all its teachers did a great thing in expanding her education and healing work outward.

As with most types of bodywork however, the work began to evolve and different practitioners created their own new approaches to her foundational template. The next generation of Structural Integration Therapist. Thus, the spread of this craft based on fascial work sprouted new wings and took off in different directions.

Currently, there are many schools, some who keep with the original 10 series as Dr. Ida Rolf taught, and others with different formulas. These new practitioners call themselves “Structural Integration” Therapists because they attended the newer schools Also, the “Rolf®” name belongs to the Institute. But- what is similar is that all Structural Integration is originated from the original 10 series. The goal is to create better structural alignment and functioning and ease of movement for the clients.

Ida Rolf’s teaching

She found much success in this Structural Integration work because of the its wonderful ability to re-organize the connective tissues in the body which envelopes and contains all the working muscles, organs and just about everything within. Dr. Rolf established her 10 series “recipe” to be the foundation of this work to address the body from a superficial level to down deep in the core of the body. By focusing on a certain area of the body each session, the body learned how to let go of certain dysfunctional patterns from one week to the other, until they whole body began to relate to itself in a very new way without the habitual stresses from before. This is the whole of integration.

At Lighten Up Therapies in Columbus Ohio and Johnstown, Sharon Hartnett practices Structural Alignment with the basic 10 series as originally taught by Dr. Ida Rolf. She works with the same idea of moving from superficial to deeper, but now with a lighter touch. Communication is key with an ongoing dialogue to make sure the client is comfortable and able to move through the changes well. Connective Tissue massage (fascial work) is beneficial too and may be requested also in hourly sessions. It’s also helpful for people who want to continue their manual therapy on a regular basis.

There are different schools out there and “fascial” work seems to have taken root and is now being taught in regular massage schools. If you are interested though in the “original” series, make sure you ask to see if the work is the same. There are many Structural Integration Practitioners such as Sharon who have not veered off the original intent and have helped clients discover positive change. Dr. Ida Rolf created her work a certain way based on years of experience with great results. The recipe works!

Wishing you the best of finding the best Structural Integration Therapist for you in your area

* This is based on my opinion after conversations with other Structural Integrations who have studied at a variety of schools. If there are other opinions, please add to my blog.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

Worthington, Ohio|Serving the Columbus Area

614 653-8111

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

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.

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