How to Relieve Tension Headaches?

by SharonHartnett | Aug 20, 2024 | concussion, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, meditation, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, upledger institute

The Steady Ache of Tension Headaches

Find Relief:

Stay Hydrated: Dehydration can cause tension headaches.
Get Rest: Headaches can worsen without enough sleep.
Meditate: It focuses and clears your mind.
Scalp Massage helps to loosen the soft tissues on the head.
Ice Your Tension Areas
Cognitive Therapy can help you to Sort things out.
Craniosacral Therapy-deep support for motion in the cranium. This supports better motion and fluidity in the head.

If you are feeling that tightening pressure around your head, change what you are doing. Tension headaches are usually patterns. The good thing is that tension headache patterns can be broken.

As a Craniosacral Therapist, there have been times when I have worked with a person for 5 minutes and a 7 year old headache finally disappeared. This isn’t always the case, but motion and nourishment can and often shift you right out of pain.

Quite often, clients who come in once a month after initial sessions end up feeling pain free. It’s all about the fluids, the softness and giving the head and neck the ability to stay connected to the body.

If you’d like to find out more about how Craniosacral Therapy can work for you, contact:

Sharon Hartnett CST-D
703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

6797 N. High St. #333 Worthington, Ohio 43085

I Don’t Know How to Feel

by SharonHartnett | Aug 12, 2024 | change, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, thought for the day

Do You Know How to Feel?

From where I am listening, Billie Eilish is taking music to the next level. Her songs are helping the younger generation to know how to feel. However, it’s not just Gen Z and Gen Alpha, but truly anyone can appreciate the talent she brings forth through her music. I am in my 60’s, and her albums call me inward. I am amazed at her mindfulness, talent and the messages in her music.

Most recently, I have been listening to her songs a lot. “What I Was Made For” is just one of the many songs that has touched me. An artist, she creates a story about self- discovery. She takes us through a journey of healing over and over again through her delicate, gentle, and soft storytelling voice. My guess is that so many people are awakening to feeling through her sound.

I think about the work I do with Craniosacral Therapy. So much of it is about Healing. Listening to the music inside of each person, there is a symphony waiting to happen. An expression. A Happening. We only need to tune in and blend into the wave and the rhythm. Although it is a very physical process, it’s similar in that it is a mindful dance with life. Billie is fortunate, in that she delivers on a huge scale exploring how to feel. Open minds are fortunate in having life teaching through voice in such a courageous and talented way.

I admire the vulnerability in stating the collective human challenge right now in , “I don’t know how to feel”. So much of the violence which is happening in the world today is because beliefs get in the way of our protected emotions. We really are at a stage where it is worth the risk to open up more and be our own artists.

I hope that Billie and more young people catch this groove and continue to expose and be transparent and honest. We need this in the world today. As a soon to be grandmother, I enjoy seeing the world change, and the people in it. Let’s move forward for freedom of individuality, but also in love and acceptance for ourselves and for others.

Break the cycle. Be open to Learn How to Feel! Open the door.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

6797 N. High St. #333 Worthington, Ohio 43085

How to Sense Your Body with Somatic Gentle Touch

by SharonHartnett | Aug 11, 2024 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, mindfulness, Spiritual Healing

What is Somatic Bodywork?

It is a form of body centered therapy that focuses on the living experience of embodiment. The term, “somatic” comes from the greek word “body”.

There are different schools that teach various approaches to Somatic Bodywork. Some of them are: The Hakomi Institute, The Upledger Institute , The Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, and Peter Levines’ the Trauma Healing School.

In my past experience of studying Hakomi, SER Therapy, and Trauma Therapy at SPI, I have learned Somatic techniques with both psychotherapists and also bodyworkers. The boundaries are a bit tricky from both ends due to licensing in each state around touch and therapy. Generally, manual Bodyworkers use somatic-emotional type of therapy to support any type of emotional or spiritual arising that occurs while working with the body primarily within a session. On the other hand, psychotherapists focus on the mind body relationship more from a distance. Yet each state has different laws that must be checked to keep within the license of practice.

Hakomi uses mindfulness as its key to developmental issues and to “heal attachment wounds”. At SPI, my training was more directed toward supporting any type of trauma that shows up on the table in a session. While I have not studied the SE Work, my understanding is that is similar to SPI’s focus on trauma.

Basically, what we are working with is an emotional response to distressing events. Some call this cellular memory. It is usually something that has not processed all the way through,

All of these modalities, help to release stress, tension and sometimes trauma from the body. I tend to focus most of my work on the table with gentle Craniosacral Somato-Emotional presence. When something deep or painful arises while I am melded with the person’s body, I may delve into my other techniques to help my clients come to their own deeper inner resources for completion. Often the healing response comes from sensing within. Working from a bottom of approach can help to integrate things that are not as available as in only talk therapy.

Remember, that if you are looking for a therapist to help you to heal deeply, that most programs and schools teach us to create a safe and trusting environment first and foremost. Still, it is important to interview and ask your therapist about their experience and backgrounds. Find the person who fits your needs best. All therapist have unique approaches.

Somatic Therapy is very helpful because it integrates the mind and body beautifully.

If you have any questions, contact me, and I offer free 10 minute phone sessions.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

6797 N. High #333 Worthington, Ohio 43085

Loving the Silence of the Heart

by SharonHartnett | Aug 10, 2024 | meditation, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, Spiritual Healing

Discover the Power of Silence

The absence of sound. Stillness. Quiet. There is such a rich quality of life that is found when we stop talking. It’s a black velvet void. It’s peace of mind. Yet, silence can’t quite accurately be described in words. Words are too limiting. The best way I suppose, simply put, it’s an experience of nothingness.

To discover silence, although nothing can take us directly there really. There are guidepost points that can make helpful suggestions. Here is a list of 5 things I recommend.

1. Mindfulness. Mindfulness is practiced by each person indiviudally. To begin though, it’s wise to bring the attention of awarness inward. Bring your open attention to the present moment in a “listening” mode. With an intention of open awareness, the quiet has an entrance point to come to you.

2. Go out into nature. Being outside gives us an aesthetic sense of the the beauty of life. It also allows us to quiet down into silence to observe the natural order of life as well. With the different moments, different seasons, we witness the cycles of life from birth to death. This can be a great learning experience. It can also bring forth spiritual transcendence experiences, along with joy and wonder. Also, being out in nature can make us feel more safe in our emodiment because of the deep meanings we find in the silence of nature.

3. Breathing. Breathing is at the core of keeping us alive. There is something so intrinsicly important about being connected to our breath. The best way to help us reduce stress is to breathe naturally. If you breathe shallow, breathe shallow. Visa Versa, if you breathe deeply, breathe deeply. Observe the experience of the breath without alterning. However, if the breath change on it’s own accord, be with the change. The breath takes us deep into the core of silence. Trust in the breath!

4. Stop talking for a certain amount of time each day. Sciecne has actually shows that this can help nourish brain cells.

5. Art. Expressing ourselves through art can be a very quiet endeavor. Finding our creative wave and allowing it to move through us, quiets the mind, and bursts forth expressions of life’s experience. The more immersed we are, the deeper rooted we can become in the engagement of the dance of silent exploration.

Silence is an experience of nourishment. I think that when we stop the busyness and give ourselves some space to be, that the rest in silence is so vitally important to our health and wellbeing. Yet so often overlooked in our daily schedules.

Be kind to yourself. Balance out your list of “to do” things with some empty quiet time. You’ll feel better. You’ll feel more rested. You may find yourself actually feeling more full in the emptiness. When the mind quiets, the heart sings.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

6797 N. High St. #333 Worthington, Ohio 43085

How to Change with Ease: Craniosacral Therapy

by SharonHartnett | Aug 6, 2024 | change, meditation, mindfulness

Change Opens Doors…

Do you want to change and get “Unstuck”? If you do, that big scary thing is going to happen. Life is going to shift and the ground is going to crumble. Nothing stays the same forever. Life is a constant “happening”. Deep down, you know that!

Do you ever remember having the feeling that you were caught in a loop? Or maybe a spiral? It’s that deja vu feeling that you have already lived the dynamic in which you are now repeating. It gets so old at some point.

So often, we individuals, find ourselves resisting “change”. We fight it. We yell. We scream. We run. Anything to stay in the familiar. We protect the past, and refuse to be in the present. What a crazy thing for us to do. Right?

The challenge is that our brains are wired this way. We are animals, looking for safety and to meet our basic needs until they are fully met. Our thoughts of trust and grounding need to be strong in order for us to trust and to let go of the conflict between “change” and “static”.

If you don’t have a compassionate and nurturing past, it makes it much harder to deal and interact from the present “Now”. Yet it’s never too late to change course. If you are tired of playing the same story over and over, question your thoughts. Pray. Meditate. Find a Therapist or a Friend to get new perspective.

Change is always here with us. A friend, an opportunity, a gift. We never get bored with change. Yet most of us have to find a way to navigate through the ease of change to get to the other side.

About 20 years ago, I moved the focus of my work into Craniosacral Therapy (CST). I found more than anything, CST brought me back inward to help me discover the core of myself. I learned to trust my body, and my other internal and external processes by calming my nervous system, and also by receiving nourishing touch and melding with healthy boundaries.

I have been working for close to 30+ years in the field of healing. Never have I felt so focused and grounded, and at the same time free and open. As the body receives new information the old unwinds and opens doors to a deeper connection to Self and to others. Embraced change brings vulnerability, but it also blesses us with embodied power and love.

If you’d like to find out how Craniosacral Therapy can help you navigate through resistence and change, look for a Somato Emotion Release Therapist near you. www.upledger.com

Sharon Hartnett CST-d

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

6797 N. High St. #333 Worthington, Ohio 43085

Grounding: 7 Fun Ways to Start Your Day Afresh

by SharonHartnett | Aug 3, 2024 | Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, meditation, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, Spiritual Healing, thought for the day

What is Grounding?

In all the years I have been doing healing work, whether energetic or geared toward embodiment, I have heard a lot of talk about grounding. But what the heck does that word, “grounding” mean?

In current times, grounding means reconnecting to the earth’s electric energy. I have often read and observed that when done properly, grounding can help calm anxiety and stress. As a Craniosacral Therapist, while I am sitting at the feet of a person who comes into awareness of their body, it’s easy to sense their ” grounded presence’ down to the toes. It feels very integrated, and full.

Here are a few ideas you can try to have your own experience of grounding:

1. Breathe into your body with awareness. Mindfulness wakes up the body communication between the brain and the rest of yourself. Start by breathing in your head, and work downward until you embrace the sensation down to your toes.

2. Walk barefoot outside. I know that when I walk outside, I feel my feet being supported by the earth. I listen to what the earth sounds to me, and it feels so structured, nourishing and strong. It’s great!

3. With loose wrists, do percussion slapping lightly around your whole body. It’s sort of like cupping very quickly to a rhythm. It’s stirs the nervous system into attention.

4. Jump into some water. Either a shower, bath or a pool. Soak and feel the sensations. Water can help us to feels refreshed and awake.

5. Play with your dog or cat. Animals are naturally grounded. Interacting with them can bring such joy and groundedness.

6. Jump rope or jump on a small trampoline, or sit on a bounce ball. All of these help to connect the feet and legs to the earth. Of course waking up our lower part of our bodies well.

7. Dancing: Anything that is done through movement with the body can be very grounding. It’s fun, creative and opens us up to the more physical parts of ourself.

I can’t tell you how many times people lose their connection to the ground, especially as they get older. It’s important to connect to the physical part of our being. It helps us to feel like the earth is here to provide us with what we need. It helps us to trust in life.

So when you are feeling afraid, or stressed. Set your intention to reconnect again by grounding. Make it a daily practice. Notice how much more secure and happy you feel. Pull yourself up from your bootstraps and take off!

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

6797 N. High St. #333. Worthington, Ohio 43085