How do the Mind and Body Connect?

by SharonHartnett | Aug 26, 2025 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, meditation, mind body & spirit, mindfulness

The Inseparable Dance of Body and Mind

Craniosacral Therapist Columbus: Sharon Hartnett CST-D

Long regarded as separate, our physical and mental realms are now understood to be intimately intertwined—so tightly that you can’t fully experience one without acknowledging the other. In the past, if we felt off or ill, we would go to a doctor and have a look at our physical results. But there is so much more to health than to only focus on the on the body!

1. Neural Highways: Built-In Bridges Between Thought and Physiology

A 2023 study from Washington University School of Medicine uncovered a structural integration within the brain: movement-control regions are directly linked to networks governing thought, planning, and vital involuntary functions like heart rate and blood pressure. This reveals that the body–mind connection is literally wired into our neural architecture Minnesota Clinic For Health & Wellness+11WashU Medicine+11NSF – National Science Foundation+11.
These findings offer insight into phenomena like “butterflies in the stomach,” anxiety‑driven pacing, and why calming the body—through breathing or meditation—can soothe the mind NSF – National Science Foundation.

2. Interoception: Listening Within

Interoception refers to how our brain monitors internal bodily signals—like heartbeat, breathing, or digestion—and integrates them as part of our self-awareness. Misinterpretations of these signals can contribute to anxiety, depression, or eating disorders Wikipedia+2The New Yorker+2.
Psychologists and trauma informed Craniosacral Therapists (and other somatic practitioners) now see mind and body not as separate, but as synchronized in a continuous “prediction system,” in which the brain and body jointly forecast and react to experiences The New Yorker.

3. Embodied Cognition: Think with Your Body

Emerging research in “embodied cognition” emphasizes that our physical being shapes how we think:

Emotions are not just mental experiences—they map onto the body.
Memory, decision-making, and even language comprehension are influenced by our sensory-motor systems and environment Wikipedia+1.
For example, mimicking facial expressions helps us perceive emotions more accurately—a testament to the body’s role in interpreting the mind Wikipedia.

4. Mindfulness & Its Physical Echoes

Mind–body practices such as meditation, mindfulness-based pain management (MBPM), somatic therapies like Craniosacral Therapy and things like mindful exploration through Hakomi & other guided imagery deliver measurable benefits:

Meditation reduces depression, improves mood and stress resilience, and helps with attention and recovery from illnesses Nature+2Wikipedia+2Wikipedia.
A study from UC San Diego found that just 20 minutes of mindfulness can significantly decrease pain perception, altering both intensity and emotional response New York Post.
MBPM, combining mindfulness with compassion, has shown long-term improvements in pain acceptance, mental health, and quality of life for chronic pain sufferers—even nine years after the intervention Wikipedia.
Guided imagery, breath work, hypnosis, and related mind–body interventions like Upledger Craniosacral Therapy have been shown to help with chronic pain, nausea, coronary disease, and enhance immune responses via psychoneuroimmunology—highlighting how thoughts can shape physical health Wikipedia.

5. Body Health Reflects Mental Health, and Vice Versa

Recent large-scale evidence indicates that poor physical health—especially metabolic or immune system dysfunction—often signals underlying mental health issues more clearly than brain scans do health.com.
Moreover, chronic mental states like depression can increase the risk of physical ailments such as heart disease or arthritis, mediated through inflammation and stress hormones time.com.

6. Bridging Western Medicine’s Divide

A 2025 exploration by Cambridge researcher Camilla Nord challenges Western medicine’s traditional split between “physical” and “mental” illnesses. She argues no condition exists purely in one realm—every illness involves both biological and psychological elements The Guardian.

Why This Matters

Clinical Practice must evolve toward holistic care—treating both body and mind together, not separately. As a Craniosacral Therapist in Columbus for many years, I have seen deep healing with hands on manual work. Especially when engaging the mind and body and interdependent and melding.
Everyday Life benefits too: practices like yoga, embodied learning, meditation, and mindful awareness can enhance wellbeing and resilience.
Personal Insight helps us recognize that physical discomfort, emotional stress, or mental fog are not isolated—they’re part of a unified system.

Being in the world of healing for 30 years, I KNOW from experience that we are more than just a physical shell. The body is something that we live within. It gives us an opportunity to be human and to have real life experiences. However, we are also our feelings, our beliefs, and our connections. We are much more than we ever imagined. Re-connecting our sense of mind and body gives us the chance to deepen and feel more whole.

In a nutshell: The body and mind are not two separate entities but parts of a holistic ecosystem. From neural wiring to emotional awareness, from physical sensations to mental health—each influences and shapes the other. Embracing this connection can guide us toward deeper healing, greater self-awareness, and more compassionate care—for ourselves and others.

Let me know if you’d like suggestions for practical exercises or healthy routines that honor this synergy!

Why Self-Care Matters—Now More Than Ever

by SharonHartnett | Jul 20, 2025 | Craniosacral Therapy, healing, Healthy Body, mindfulness, upledger institute

Self-Care with Cranosacral Therapy by Sharon Hartnett CST-D in Columbus, Ohio

In today’s fast-paced world, stress and anxiety are more prevalent than ever. The constant demands of work, family, and digital life can leave us emotionally drained and physically exhausted. For individuals in chronic pain, this cycle can become especially punishing—where pain fuels stress, and stress fuels pain.

Cultivating a self-care routine isn’t just a luxury—it’s essential care. For those juggling stress, anxiety, or chronic pain, self-care can:

Break the stress-pain cycle, calming the nervous and working with the fascial and musculoskeletal systems.
Improve mood, sleep, and resilience through regular relaxation and mindfulness practices. HealthWikipedia
Boost quality of life—especially critical for those managing long-term health challenges.

Key Self‑Care Practices for Stress, Anxiety & Pain

1. Mindfulness & Meditation

What it does: Lowers anxiety, enhances emotional regulation, reduces chronic pain signaling. HealthTIME
Try this: Five minutes of mindful breathing daily, or guided meditations via apps. Or take a mindful walk outside!

2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

What it does: Reduces muscle tension, anxiety, insomnia, even chronic pain.
Try this: Tense and release muscle groups from head to toe, with deep breathing. Take your time!

3. Gentle Movement (Yoga, Walks, Stretching)

Encourages physical ease, mental clarity, and helps interrupt chronic pain patterns.

4. Craniosacral Therapy (CST)

There are Craniosacral Therapists across the world who work with people to deeply relax and to heal. Check out the Upledger Institute for a therapist near you.

5. Journal, Express Yourself in Safe Places, and Be Social

✨ Spotlight: Craniosacral Therapy

What it is
A gentle, hands-on approach where a trained therapist uses soft touch along your skull, spine, and sacrum to ease tension in the fascia and support the body’s self‑healing mechanisms. Byrdie+3Cleveland Clinic+3Verywell Health+3

How it helps

Reduces headaches, neck/back pain, and other chronic pain symptoms. Cleveland Clinic
Promotes deep relaxation and eases stress/anxiety by calming the nervous system. Inspire Movementoralmyology.comHealthline
Meta-review shows meaningful relief in both pain and improved function lasting up to six months. Inspire Movement+15pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+15takingcharge.csh.umn.edu+15

What to expect

Sessions last 30–60 minutes, fully clothed on a therapy table. Verywell Mind+15Cleveland Clinic+15Flourishing Lives+15
Many report deep calm, emotional release, sense of spaciousness. MindBody Med+10Byrdie+10Inspire Movement+10
Generally safe, though individuals with certain medical conditions should consult their provider. Verywell Mind

A balanced view

Craniosacral Therapy is a unique experience for each person. The body holds the wisdom to heal and that Inner Physician is what leads the session. As such, you can depend that your sessions are different than other peoples. However, most people walk away feeling very calm, centered and relaxed in their mind, body and spirit.

Building Your Self‑Care Toolbox

Here’s how to create a well-rounded routine:

Practice	What It Does	Frequency
Deep breathing or meditation	Calms nervous system, reduces anxiety	Daily, 5–15 min
PMR stretch session	Eases muscle tension, pain, insomnia	3–5× per week
Gentle movement	Improves circulation, mental health	Daily or most days
Craniosacral therapy	Releases chronic tension; resets pain/stress	Weekly or biweekly
Journaling/social connection	Processes emotions; strengthens support	Weekly

Final Thoughts

Self-care isn’t about indulgence—it’s about repairing and protecting your system. Be Proactive !When you feel your stress or pain rising, lean on these practices before symptoms spiral. Over time, small, consistent habits build a powerful buffer against the daily overload.

If you’re struggling, especially with chronic pain or anxiety, consider adding craniosacral therapy to your routine. Consult your healthcare provider and seek out a trained practitioner. Combined with mindfulness, relaxation, and movement, CST can become a gentle yet potent path toward relief and resilience.

Reminder

Everyone’s journey is different—take time to explore what resonates with you. Consistency beats intensity. Start small, stay curious, and let your routine grow alongside your needs.

Take care of yourself—you’re worth the effort. 💛

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

614 653-8111

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

How to Free Yourself through Breath

by SharonHartnett | Jun 7, 2025 | Craniosacral Therapy, fear, grounding, healing, healthy, mindfulness

The Breath: A Path to Healing and Inner Calm

By Sharon Hartnett CST-D | Craniosacral Therapist in Columbus, Ohio

?️ The Sacred Breath of Life

Why do so many of us hold our breath—or barely breathe at all? As a Craniosacral Therapist in Columbus, Ohio, I’ve asked this question for years. I see it daily in my clients… and I’ve seen it in myself too.

Shallow breathing has become the norm in our fast-paced world. But our breath holds the key to a more relaxed, resilient, and nourished life.

? My Journey to Breathing Better

Years ago, I enrolled in a yoga teacher training course, partly to deepen my understanding of breathwork. I enjoyed it, but honestly—I didn’t keep up with the practices. They didn’t quite stick.

Later, I read Breath by James Nestor, and it sparked something deeper in me. I tried mouth taping at night (as he suggests), and noticed my jaw relaxed, and I breathed through my nose more often. But again… I fell off the routine.

Creating new habits takes effort, and I’ll admit—like many of us—I didn’t always make it a priority.

✨ A Turning Point: Breath & Awareness

Eventually, I discovered a breathwork teacher who helped me realize something important:
My exhale was restricted, and the pause after exhaling was even harder. But through consistent practice, I noticed improvement. My breath began to shift, my awareness deepened.

More recently, I took a five-hour course on The Breath and Digestion with Nikki Kenward and another brilliant teacher. This time, it landed differently. The experience was informative and embodied—helping me understand how deeply the breath is connected to our digestive health and nervous system regulation.

With mindful breathing, gentle touch, and a calm presence, I could feel my body soften and re-energize.

?‍♀️ Breathing in My Craniosacral Practice

I’ve shared simple breathing techniques with clients for years, but this workshop gave me new insight. Breathing—especially with awareness—can support digestion, emotional healing, and a balanced nervous system.

Now, I’m weaving breathwork more intentionally into my Craniosacral Therapy sessions. When clients tune in to their breath, it opens the door to inner wisdom, subtle motion, and profound relaxation.

? Why Breathing Efficiently Matters

Efficient breathing means slow, intentional, and diaphragmatic breathing. Here’s why it’s so powerful:

? Physical Benefits

Better oxygen flow: Nourishes tissues and supports healing

Improved posture: Strengthens the diaphragm and core

Lower blood pressure & heart rate: Activates the parasympathetic response

Enhanced digestion: Calms gut tension and supports regularity

More energy: Oxygen supports every cell in the body

? Mental & Emotional Benefits

Reduces anxiety: Signals safety to the nervous system

Increases focus and clarity: Breath calms the mental chatter

Supports emotional balance: Builds capacity to respond, not react

? Nervous System & Sleep Support

Moves you from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest”

Improves sleep quality and supports gentle recovery

? A Simple Practice to Begin: The 4-6 Breath

This is one of my favorite practices to return to—especially when feeling anxious or disconnected.

The 4-6 Breath

When to use: Morning, bedtime, or anytime you need calm.

Sit comfortably or lie down

Inhale gently through your nose for 4 seconds

Exhale slowly through your mouth or nose for 6 seconds

Repeat for 2–5 minutes (or longer if you’d like)

Optional: Place one hand on your chest, one on your belly. Let the belly rise more than the chest. This signals the nervous system to soften.

? Closing Reflections

I still return to this truth: Breath is medicine.

Breathing mindfully—especially with longer exhales—helps us release fear, calm anxiety, and reset the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our system. I can feel it shift my mindset and open space for healing.

If you’re on a healing journey, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually, try reconnecting with your breath. And if you need support, I’m here.

Let’s explore how Craniosacral Therapy and mindful breathing can help you feel more whole, more connected, and more at ease in your body.

With breath and presence,
Sharon Hartnett CST-D
Craniosacral Therapist Columbus Ohio
? Worthington, Ohio
? 614-653-8111
? www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

What Should I Expect in a Craniosacral Therapy Session?

by SharonHartnett | Jun 3, 2025 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, fear, mind body & spirit, mindfulness

Craniosacral Therapist Columbus vs. head massage

What Should I Expect in a Craniosacral Therapy Session?

Craniosacral Therapy in Columbus, Ohio

If you’re curious about craniosacral therapy in Columbus, Ohio, you have come to the right place. Many people are looking for natural and organic ways to feel better in their bodies—and craniosacral therapy (CST) offers a deeply relaxing and effective option. Some of the things that you can expect to have in a professional space:

A Neutral and Compassionate Space

This creates a safe therapeutic relationship with your Craniosacral Therapist—one that is compassionate, neutral, and professional.

Especially when fear is being held or recycled in the body, having a calm and peaceful therapeutic space and presence can help the nervous system settle. This sense of safety supports the mind in letting go and allows the body to begin healing more deeply.

A Gentle Yet Deep Experience

Craniosacral therapy uses very light touch to release tension in the nervous system. The body responds well because the approach is so gentle—it doesn’t resist the change, it welcomes it. This allows the healing to ripple through all systems in the body: muscular, skeletal, digestive, and emotional.

Many clients report feeling calm, centered, and more connected after just one session.

What Happens in a Session?

Sessions are typically 60–90 minutes, depending on the therapist. You’ll lie fully clothed on a comfortable treatment table. The practitioner uses gentle hand placements to encourage the release of restrictions and integration in the tissues, and to hold a space for embodied healing.

Because the body holds cellular memory, it’s not uncommon for emotions, images, or old thoughts to arise during or after a session. This is part of the body’s natural healing process. You can check into Somatoemotional Release to find out more.

Choosing the Right Craniosacral Therapist Matters

Not all craniosacral therapy is the same. Every practitioner brings a different level of training, experience, and personal approach to the table. Some may weave craniosacral work into other bodywork modalities, while others have made it the core of their practice through years of advanced study.

Before booking a session, take time to learn about a therapist’s background. Ask about their certifications, where they trained, and how long they’ve been practicing. For example, practitioners certified through the Upledger Institute have completed extensive hands-on education rooted in the foundational principles of this gentle, powerful work.

Because this is such subtle and deeply transformative therapy, finding the right match can make all the difference. Sometimes that means traveling a bit farther to work with someone whose approach truly resonates with your needs.

Your healing journey is personal—choose a therapist who brings presence, skill, and heart to the table.

Feel Better in Your Body

Clients often seek craniosacral therapy for chronic pain, stress, trauma, or simply a desire to feel more at ease. Over time, CST helps you feel more grounded, resilient, and balanced.

Looking for Craniosacral Therapy in Columbus, Ohio?
Reach out to a certified practitioner in your area to experience the value of feeling better in your body—gently and naturally.

If you are local to Columbus, Ohio, call:

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

614 653-8111

FAQ

How Craniosacral Therapy Helps Your Nervous System heal from Chronic Stress

by SharonHartnett | May 22, 2025 | Craniosacral Therapy, healing, healthy, Healthy Body, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, upledger institute

How Craniosacral Therapy helps the Nervous System

Your body has an innate intelligence which knows how to heal. But when stress is constant, your ability to function optimally decreases. Craniosacral Therapy can help the body get out of the fight-or-flight response that can occur after a stress overfload. By encouraging the parasympathetic system to shift louder so to speak, the body can create a space for self-repair.

My clients often report:

A noticeable release of jaw or neck and head tension
A sense of inner stillness and calm as the nervous system calms down.
Improved sleep and digestion
Fewer stress-related flare-ups
Deep relaxation throughout the whole mind and body.

Why Chronic Stress Needs a gentle approach

Stress is not taking space only in your head, but it affects the whole body as well. The tissues, the organs and all those miraculous things that keep you alive and well do better when they come into balance. Craniosacral Therapy is considerate, welcoming and the techniques are very supportive to good health. The nervous system has the chance to optimize and create harmony in the whole body.

Find Relief in Columbus, Ohio

At Lighten Up Therapies in Columbus, craniosacral therapy is offered with skill and care. Whether you’re living with long-term anxiety or just feel like your body needs a reset, CST can help restore your nervous system to feel a deeper sense of safety and ease.

Ready to reconnect with calm?

Contact Sharon Hartnett CST-D at 614 653-8111.

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

To find a Craniosacral Therapist anywhere in the world, check out the Upledger Institute.

Nothing Exists Alone: Embracing Connection as a Path to Wholeness

by SharonHartnett | May 19, 2025 | change, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, healing, healthy, Healthy Body, mindfulness

Through mindfulness and the recognition that everything exists with connection, we begin to heal. Not just ourselves. But also our relationships in the world around us.

When we become mindful of how everything lives in connection, the universe shifts into a deeper mutual place of compassion. Truly discovering that we are not isolated objects is a powerful realization. That’s something we could all use just about now.

It’s not so simple that we are just individuals moving through separate experiences. From the breath we take to the words we speak, our lives are constantly woven into a larger web of interdependence. From the quantum level to how the butterfly effects of one choice changes everything.

I bring this up because as a Craniosacral Therapist, working in Columbus, Ohio, I find that awakening to the bigger picture brings about deep healing, growth and evolution.

Because we are so ingrained to believe in separatness and individuality, we forget that there is more richness in inter-dependence and mutual help and support. Yes, we have a sense of independence, but we are also here in mutuality and connection.

When I work with clients, often I feel that there seems to be a “part” that is dysfunctional. yet as my hands listen, and notice- the other fluids, tissues and systems come into play in the healing process. Nothing can heal in separation or parts. What seems like a problem is actually an expression of something waiting to change and move toward connection, Mostly, I manually wait for the deeper inner intelligence of the body to reconnect and remember the innate wholensss that lives in everything. Other times, the client may speak about past experiences of trauma that are ripe enough to heal. I trust whatever happens to bring the “pieces” back together into the present.

There is always more to us than we ever imagined. To self-realize and discover the value of reaching beyond is a compassionate and wise way to live and grow. Not only for our own personal journeys, but also knowing that each choice we make ripples across the Universe. We all matter. Everything we do counts. Being mindful changes everything.

To learn more about Mindfulness and Connection, check out: www.hakomi.com

To find out more about Craniosacral Therapy, check out: www.upledger.com

Sharon Hartnett CST-d

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com