(614) 653-8111 Sharhartnett@aol.com
7 Ways That Craniosacral Therapy Has Helped My Clients Feel Better

7 Ways That Craniosacral Therapy Has Helped My Clients Feel Better

by | Jan 19, 2025 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, mindfulness, stillpoint

Feel Better with Craniosacral Therapy

7 Ways Craniosacral Therapy Has Helped My Clients Feel Better

Many people report positive experiences with craniosacral therapy, though the reasons vary. It’s often described as deeply relaxing, and many find it helpful for headaches, chronic pain, stress, anxiety, and even emotional release. Overall, craniosacral therapy is a unique, holistic healing journey with a lot of benefits. Here are the ones my clients mention most.

1. Deep Relaxation and Stress Relief

  • Most people find this work deeply calming. The gentle, hands-on approach, together with the slow, rhythmic nature of the therapy, helps activate the body’s relaxation response in the nervous system. That can mean a reduction in stress, less muscle tension, and a sense of overall wellbeing.
  • People often describe feeling more relaxed after a session — some say “lighter and more spacious inside,” and more grounded.

2. Chronic Pain Relief

  • Many people with chronic pain — neck pain, migraines, back pain — have found relief through craniosacral therapy. The gentle listening and quiet nudge of support to the craniosacral system can ease tension and let muscles and fascia relax.
  • Clients with headaches, especially those caused by tension or stress, often report fewer headaches or less intensity after sessions.

3. Improved Sleep

  • Many people sleep better after a session, which likely comes from the relaxation and stress reduction. Better sleep quality helps people feel more rested and energized in the days that follow. Sleep is when the brain clears, so good sleeping habits matter too.

4. Enhanced Emotional Wellbeing

  • Some people experience emotional releases or breakthroughs during SomatoEmotional Release sessions — a surge of feeling, or a deeper sense of emotional clarity afterward. This is tied to the deep relaxation and subtle bodywork: when fascial tension leaves and the cranial rhythm comes to a stillpoint, pent-up tension and emotional blocks can let go. I pair this with somatic, trauma-informed work when it’s needed.
  • Clients often tell me they feel more emotionally balanced or have an improved mood, especially if they came in struggling with stress, anxiety, or trauma.

5. Better Mobility

  • For musculoskeletal issues, craniosacral therapy can improve mobility and range of motion where there’s stiffness or restriction. People with TMJ dysfunction or postural imbalances often notice more flexibility and less stiffness. Higher-level craniosacral therapists trained in mouthwork can follow the tissues and the rhythm to unwind and restore structural balance in the cranium.

6. A General Sense of Feeling Well

  • Proactive health is best. Even people without a specific complaint often report an increased sense of wellbeing after a session. The treatment is calming and restorative, which is why many come simply to relax and support their general health.

7. Support for Emotional and Physical Healing

  • Craniosacral therapy can be a helpful companion to medical treatment, especially in trauma recovery or long-term health challenges. People with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, or PTSD have found it to be a supportive, calming presence in their healing. The same is true after concussion or injury.

Why Do People Report These Experiences?

It’s interesting. The Western medical system doesn’t have a strong understanding of fascia or the craniosacral system, and some people dismiss it as the placebo effect. Most craniosacral therapists are heart-centered, caring people who pay compassionate attention to their clients — maybe that’s part of it. But isn’t that true of most medical treatments and medicines? They work for some people and not all. Craniosacral therapy is an experience, and it’s based on real anatomy and physiology, like any medical treatment. It’s a hands-on manual approach that happens to be profound and far-reaching, and it’s individualized because it supports your unique system to heal. If you want the mechanics, I explain them in What Does Craniosacral Therapy Do?

The relaxation response: The slow, gentle nature of this work activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the rest-and-digest side — lowering heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension, so you feel more at ease.

Therapeutic touch: Human touch, especially when it’s gentle and non-invasive, has real psychological and physiological effects. Being listened to and cared for, combined with touch, can trigger a sense of healing or comfort. How many times in our past were our real needs met? And how do we change our body’s response to that kind of connection?

A holistic approach: Craniosacral therapy considers the connections between body, mind, and emotions. When we work one-on-one, there’s a special connection between the therapist and the nervous system of the person on the table. It’s a process of healing everything in us that’s human. Everything is interconnected.

There are a lot of questions in the medical field about craniosacral therapy. In a system based on what we can see, it’s hard for people to imagine that listening to the body and helping it self-correct is realistic. But if you open your mind, there are so many possibilities. Why limit your beliefs about healing?

On a Realistic Note

Craniosacral therapy can feel magical, and deep transformation happens often. At the same time, some people don’t “get it.” It takes a certain awareness to receive, and enough trust to sense the changes that are happening. As a therapist I can feel things even when you can’t yet. This work is profound, but it does take a certain sensitivity to understand its benefits. Even so, most people feel more deeply relaxed and appreciative by the end of a treatment.

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 Calm Your Mind

How to Calm Your Mind

by | Dec 30, 2024 | Craniosacral Therapy, grounding, healing, stillpoint

craniosacral massage

To Calm the mind is essential for both mental and physical well-being. Fortunately you have come to the right place to discover a dynamic person to person modality that can help you feel more centered and at peace.

 

Craniosacral Therapy (CST)is a gentle hands on modality, which awakens the calm inside, through listening and melding with your Craniosacral System.  By tapping into your own internal intelligence, CST  helps to bring balance and deep relaxation into your life. Finding the stillpoint in your rhythm releases, and helps integrate your stresses- bringing you into a more peaceful state of being.

How can Craniosacral Therapy Help You to Live from a Calm State?  It:

1. Reduces Stress and Anxiety

When the mind is calm, it helps to lower the levels of stress hormones like cortisol. Chronic stress can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. By calming your mind, you create space for a sense of peace and relaxation, which can significantly reduce anxiety levels and improve overall emotional health.

2. Improves Focus and Clarity

A cluttered mind often leads to scattered thoughts, making it difficult to concentrate or make decisions. To calm the mind helps clear out distractions and promotes mental clarity, enabling you to focus better on tasks, think more effectively, and make decisions with greater ease.

3. Enhances Emotional Regulation

When your mind is calm, you’re better equipped to handle difficult emotions. Instead of reacting impulsively or being overwhelmed by emotions like anger or frustration, a calm mind allows you to respond thoughtfully and with control, leading to healthier interactions and relationships.

4. Boosts Physical Health

Chronic mental tension can manifest in physical ailments such as headaches, muscle tension, or digestive problems. By calming the mind, you help reduce the impact of stress on your body, which can lead to improved sleep, better immune function, and overall physical health.  You feel more deeply grounded and embodied.

5. Increases Creativity

When the mind is relaxed, it becomes more open to creative ideas and inspiration. Mental calmness reduces the mental barriers and judgment that can stifle creativity, allowing new ideas and solutions to emerge naturally. It creates a fertile ground for innovation and problem-solving.

6. Promotes Mindfulness and Presence

A peaceful mind fosters mindfulness, which is the practice of being fully present in the moment. This enhances your ability to enjoy life, engage in meaningful experiences, and build stronger connections with others. It helps you savor the simple joys of life and reduces the tendency to dwell on past regrets or future worries.

7. Supports Mental Resilience

A relaxed mind is a strong foundation for mental resilience. By practicing mindfulness or calming techniques, you build the mental fortitude to face challenges with a clear perspective. When your mind is calm, you’re more able to adapt to difficult situations, stay grounded, and maintain emotional balance, even in times of adversity.

In summary, Craniosacral Therapy is such a gentle, yet profound pathway to calming the mind.  The benefits are numerous.  It isn’t just about relaxation—it’s a powerful tool for enhancing your overall well-being, improving relationships, and fostering long-term mental and physical health.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

614 653-8111

Serving the Columbus Ohio area.

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

 

What Is Craniosacral Massage? (And Why It Isn’t Really Massage)

by | Jul 10, 2024 | concussion, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, healing, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit, stillpoint, upledger institute

Many people call me asking for craniosacral massage. The first thing I do is listen to why a person wants to come in. People talk about their health issues, and often say they’ve heard about craniosacral massage — yet they don’t really know what it is. It’s important to me to take the time to explain the basics, and then make sure they understand whether this work is a good match for what they’re looking for.

Craniosacral “Massage” Is Not Actually Massage

So let me start by clarifying: craniosacral therapy is not massage. It’s a light-touch manual therapy with a very different focus. It’s based on the craniosacral system — the membranes and fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord — and how that system relates to the nervous system.

In massage, the therapist works the muscles. In craniosacral therapy, I use about five grams of pressure — roughly the weight of a nickel — to listen to the subtle rhythm of the craniosacral system and support the body’s own ability to release restrictions and come back into balance. Nothing is forced. The touch is so light that many people are surprised anything is happening at all, until they notice how different they feel afterward. I explain the mechanics in What Does Craniosacral Therapy Do?

People search for “craniosacral massage,” “cranial massage,” “cranial sacral massage,” and “sacral therapy” — they’re all the same thing, and the proper name is craniosacral therapy. Whatever you call it, you’ve found the right place.

Cranial Facial Release and Craniosacral Fascial Therapy

Two other terms people search for are cranial facial release and craniosacral fascial therapy. Both describe gentle work on the bones of the face and skull and the fascia connecting them — which is a core part of what I do. Through intraoral craniosacral therapy I also work inside the mouth, releasing the jaw, palate, and cranial base for people with TMJ, headaches and migraines, tinnitus, and sinus pressure.

And because I trained and practiced in Structural Integration for years before craniosacral work, myofascial release and craniosacral therapy blend naturally in my sessions. I follow the fascia wherever it’s restricted — neck, diaphragm, pelvis, feet — and let the craniosacral rhythm set the pace. For people with chronic pain, that combination is often what finally works.

Who Craniosacral Therapy Can Help

Just to name a few, it’s great for people dealing with:

Because the touch is so gentle, craniosacral therapy can be used with almost everyone, from babies to seniors. There are a few contraindications — recent skull fracture, acute intracranial bleeding, or aneurysm — which we discuss before any session. You can read more at the Cleveland Clinic or the Upledger Institute.

What a Session Is Like

You stay fully clothed — wear something comfortable and loose — and lie on a padded table. A session normally lasts about 75 minutes. I begin by listening with my hands to the craniosacral rhythm, usually starting at the feet, sacrum, or head, and follow what your body shows me. Sometimes the whole session is quiet. Sometimes, when you’re ready, we talk about what’s coming up. Most people drop into a deep relaxation and leave feeling lighter, clearer, and more connected to their body.

How many sessions? It depends on the person. Many people feel a shift after one session; for a chronic issue, weekly sessions for a period of time tend to produce lasting change. It took months or years to get out of balance, so patience pays off on the way back to center.

How to Choose a Craniosacral Therapist Near You

When you search “cranial sacral therapist near me” or “best craniosacral therapy near me,” the results mix massage therapists, bodyworkers, and certified craniosacral therapists together. There’s a big difference between practitioners and therapists. Practitioners may have taken a class. Therapists who go through the rigorous certification process at the Upledger Institute are much deeper in the work. The touch is light and simple in a way, but there’s a lot of complex anatomy and technique to learn, and years of experience to gain, to become a skilled and helpful therapist. A few questions sort it out quickly:

  • Are you certified by the Upledger Institute, and at which level? Techniques certification (CST-T) shows solid competence. Diplomate certification (CST-D) is the highest level and requires years of advanced coursework, mentorship, case studies, and examination.
  • Is craniosacral therapy a stand-alone session, or part of a massage? You want a full session devoted to it.
  • How long have you practiced it, and what do you specialize in? Look for someone who can speak to your concern — concussion, TMJ, migraines, trauma, chronic pain — not just “relaxation.”

I’m an Upledger Diplomate-certified Craniosacral Therapist (CST-D), the highest level the Institute offers, with about 30 years of hands-on practice. I’ve written more about how to find the best craniosacral therapist for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is craniosacral massage the same as craniosacral therapy?
“Craniosacral massage” is what many people call it, but the correct name is craniosacral therapy. It’s a light-touch manual therapy, not a massage, and doesn’t involve kneading or deep pressure on muscles.

Does craniosacral therapy hurt?
No. The pressure is about five grams — extremely light. Most people find it deeply relaxing. Occasionally old tension or emotion surfaces as it releases, but the touch itself never hurts.

How long is a session and what do I wear?
About 75 minutes. You stay fully clothed, so wear something comfortable and loose.

How many sessions will I need?
Many people notice a change after one session. For chronic issues, weekly sessions for a period of time usually bring the deepest and most lasting results. We’ll talk about what makes sense for you.

Where are you located?
My office is at 6797 N High Street, Suite 333, in Worthington, Ohio, serving the greater Columbus area — Dublin, Powell, Westerville, Upper Arlington, Clintonville, Grandview, New Albany, Gahanna, and Delaware. I also offer long-distance energy healing sessions by phone or video.

Find Out If Craniosacral Therapy Is Right for You

I love craniosacral therapy because it can help almost everyone. It’s attentive and gentle, yet profound. It nudges the body into self-healing and deeper awareness.

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 (not craniosacral massage!) 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.

Communicating the Value of CST

Communicating the Value of CST

by | Mar 16, 2017 | Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, stillpoint

 

Communicating the Value of CST

People who come in for a Craniosacral Therapy Session are often looking for corrections to their bodies such as with balance, healthy motion and dialogue. What they often leave with is a sense pain relief, more freedom in movement, and a sense of better grounding.

What makes a session helpful to clients is that they feel like their concerns are heard and that their therapist can speak the same language verbally, but also with their presence and hands.

In my experience, for the best results, the therapist is listening from moment to moment  as to what the body is saying.  As a client, I can really feel the difference when I am touched as to the quality of connection.  So when I work, and teach other therapists, I offer this teaching as one of the most important guide posts to providing a valuable session.

Once this criteria is met, techniques come into play that can help the body to self-correct in the most gentle way. With Craniosacral Therapy, the touch is so light, that it feels like a whisper on the skin that nourishes and promotes efficiency and wellness.  This is why it is such a wonderful therapy for ages from infancy to working with seniors.  Almost all people can receive this type of work easily.

A trained Craniosacral Therapist will check the motion of how the cerebrospinal fluid is moving through the Craniosacral System (CSS).  What he or she will feel are the flexion and extension phases that are constantly providing information to the therapist about any restrictions or dysfunctional patterns in the system itself, or with fascia and other parts of the body.

Once the pattern expressions are presented, the therapist listens, follows, and encourages gentle changes to help with symmetry, amplitude, rate and quality.  This can have a great impact on how the CSS  functions.  When the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) can flow freely, it allows the nerves to function more optimally.  Without getting into too much detail,  the clients often feel more balanced, at peace, and more centered after a session.

Craniosacral Therapy

CST

I have been a Massage Therapist and Bodyworker for about 20 years.  In the last 10 years, I have refocused much of my work into the field of Craniosacral Therapy, SomatoeEmotional Therapy, Brain Work and Visceral Manipulation because the effects are profound and yet the touch so tender and precise.

I have learned so much at the Upledger Institute because I value their contribution to the wellbeing of so many people across the globe.  One man, Dr. John Upledger, explored into an unknown frontier and brought this science based medical work to hands on practitioners to bring health and joy back into individual lives. I have seen dramatic changes for people with chronic pain and energy issues, to people recovering well from TBI’s and concussions,  back and and neck pain relief, fibromyalgia relief just to name a few conditions.

I don’t think that anyone can quite explain what a session is like. Yes, I could say that you come in fully clothed and you are touched this way or that.  But hardly anyone expects how great they feel by the end of the session.  This work goes beyond a gentle one hour treatment.  Its reaches go deep into the cells along with the mind connection there.  It simply is bliss.  And the changes continue to happen for days, and often times longer.

As with most types of massage and bodywork, each client is unique.  And each will have a different experience.  One person may feel huge shifts the first time, and others- well it may take them some time to really relax.  But most often they do, and people often discover new sources of tranquility, energy and a sense of Self.

So that is my take on Craniosacral Therapy at this point in my practice.  I love the work.  I love practicing it, and I love receiving it.  It has helped me on so many levels: physically, emotionally, in my heart and with spirit. And I have been blessed to help others with it.

If you would like to learn more, or have some questions about Craniosacral Therapy, I do offer a free 15 telephone consult.  I love to share this work, and hopefully I have educated and imparted an idea of how it can help you.  I haven’t found one person yet who hasn’t found some benefit in CST.

Sharon Hartnett Craniosacral Therapist Columbus

614 653-8111

Serving the Columbus, Ohio Area

For information, go to my main page. 

 




What is SomatoEmotional Release (SER)?

What is SomatoEmotional Release (SER)?

by | Dec 9, 2015 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, mind body & spirit, stillpoint

Many clients who come in for Craniosacral Therapy ask about SomatoEmotional Release (SER).

They have usually heard from their friends or associates how much better they feel after a few sessions.  Yet they are not quite certain what  SER is.  So in order to educate potential clients, I’d like to take the Upledger’s description to share,

“ SomatoeEmotional Release may be defined as a release from the body tissues of energy that has been stored in the tissues for some time subsequent to an incident resulting in the placement of this energy in those tissues. The energy, which is foreign to the tissues in which it resides, almost invariably has within it an emotional component.  When the SomatoEmotional Release technique is effectively carried out, the emotion is re-experienced by the patient/client and, most often, a rather vivid memory of the incident during which the energetic placement occurred comes into conscious awareness.”

The most important intention that comes to my mind as a Craniosacral Therapist who works with SER, is to create a sacred environment that focuses on working with unity of the mind, body and spirit.  By holding space for the whole person, whatever shows up during a session can move forward,  all taken care of by the client’s own “Inner Physician (IP)”.  That inner intelligence that lies within regulates the session and helps the client to release energy that is caught up.  The Therapist is connected to the IP and follows its guidance without judgment.  This helps to complete unfinished cycles so that the client can feel finished with whatever unconscious material shows up.

SomatoEmotional Release

SomatoEmotional Release

Clients who have experienced trauma, anxiety and other emotional extremes often feel much better balanced after an SER session.  Not only from a feeling perspective, but also physically as well.   When the client is able to move through fear along with letting go of dysfunctional tissue patterns, they are often able to move more freely into their future.

SomatoEmotional Release can be an excellent addition to psychotherapy.  While students are trained in this type of work at the Upledger Institute , the foundation of the training is on working with the Craniosacral system.  I like to think that this training helps manual therapist to be prepared for whatever shows up in the session without trying to control it or working towards fixing things.  This is a journey of discovery and self-awareness.

If you are interested in finding out more about SER, please call Sharon Hartnett CST, at 614 653-8111 for a free 15 minute phone consultation.

Sharon Hartnett Craniosacral Therapist Columbus

614 653-8111

Serving the Columbus, Ohio Area

For information, go to my main page. 

 

What is a Stillpoint?

by | Nov 19, 2015 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K, stillpoint

The Benefits of a Stillpoint

As taught by the Upledger Institute,  the Craniosacral System is a semi-closed hydraulic system that is held within the membrane of the Dura, which contains the brain and the spinal cord.   The functioning aspect of this system that contributes to human life is the circulation and reabsorption of the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF).

When a Craniosacral Therapist is working with clients, we are listening to the continuous rise and fall of this fluid rhythm by its subtly felt expansion and contraction throughout the whole body.   We pay attention to the ways the bones and membrane dance with the CSF through symmetry, quality, amplitude and rate.  The intention is to use our listening and help the body to self-balance through gentle melding by touch.

When Craniosacral Therapists use the term, “Stillpoint” what we are expressing is the gradual stopping of the system through a gentle manual technique.  In particular, one way that is often used is the CV4 by using cupped hands to bring the occiput and surrounding tissues into a therapeutic stop.  The Craniosacral Therapist induces the Stillpoint by creating a barrier at the end of either the flexion or extension movement.  As the fluid quiets down, pressure is built back up, and when the tissues are released, a gentle cleansing flow can move through the body, releasing restrictions and adhesions.  This is very healthy for the Central Nervous System. Stillpoint can be applied anywhere on the body for positive therapeutic results.

For clients who have experienced Stillpoint, many have stated that they felt much less stressed, and some have had the experience of feeling a re-organizing type of sensation in their bodies.   Headaches can disappear, aches and pain go away .  Stillpoint is a wonderful technique that can have profound life effects. The Upledger Institute sells Stillpoint Inducers that can be used everyday from about 30 seconds to 10 minutes to create more freedom and flexibility in the body.  Yet the experienced hands of a Craniosacral Therapist can take you to la la land.

If you would like to learn more about Craniosacral Therapy in the Columbus, Ohio area,  call Sharon Hartnett CST-D

Sharon Hartnett Craniosacral Therapist Columbus

614 653-8111

Serving the Columbus, Ohio Area

For information, go to my main page.