614 653-8111 Sharhartnett@aol.com
Craniosacral Therapy in Columbus: How Gentle Touch, Somatic Awareness, and Visceral Manipulation Support Deep Healing

Craniosacral Therapy in Columbus: How Gentle Touch, Somatic Awareness, and Visceral Manipulation Support Deep Healing

by | Oct 4, 2025 | barbara brennan, better posture, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, grounding, hakomi, healing, healthy, mind body & spirit, mindfulness, Structural Integration, trauma, upledger institute

craniosacral therapy worthington ohio

Call Craniosacral Therapist Near Me

Sharon Hartnett CST-D is a Certified Diplomate Craniosacral Therapist through the Upledger Institute

30 years of experience in mind/body centered healing and somatic work.

Telephone:  614 653-8111

Located in Worthington, Ohio and Serving the Columbus area.

Listening to the Body’s Deeper Intelligence

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle approach to listening to the body’s own deeper mind-body intelligence. Rather than trying to “fix” a symptom, I listen with my hands and my presence to what your system is already communicating. When the body feels safe enough to express itself, the central nervous system begins to balance, nourish, and restore itself from within.

This work opens communication with the essence and core of each individual. When the craniosacral rhythm is flowing freely, people often feel deeply relaxed, more aligned, and connected to themselves again. Over the years, I’ve seen clients leave sessions feeling lighter, clearer, and more at peace in both body and spirit.

Why I Was Drawn to Craniosacral Therapy

I first experienced craniosacral therapy decades ago. What struck me most was how such light touch could create such profound change. My body softened. My mind quieted. I felt healthier and more whole.

As a practitioner now, I use CST as the foundation of my work because it meets people exactly where they are. The body knows what it needs — my role is to listen deeply, stay neutral, and help the system find its own natural balance.

Many people assume that light touch is less effective than deep tissue work. In reality, working gently with the tissues and dialoguing with the nervous system is often far more powerful for lasting healing. The change arises organically rather than being imposed from the outside.

An Integrative, Trauma-Informed Approach

My practice combines craniosacral therapy, somatic therapy, visceral manipulation, and energy healing in an intuitive, trauma-informed way. Every session is customized to the person in front of me. I draw on what I’ve learned from the Hakomi Method, Barbara Brennan Healing Science, Upledger CST, and years of working with clients through trauma, injury, and personal transformation.

This integrative model allows the body to unwind from multiple levels — structural, emotional, energetic, and spiritual. Healing is never just physical; it’s a whole-person process.

What Happens in a Typical Session

When a client arrives, I begin by listening. The first few minutes are about connecting — hearing what brings them in, noticing their tone of voice, posture, and how they inhabit their body. Everything tells a story about how their system is adapting and compensating.

After about ten minutes, the client lies fully clothed on the table. I place my hands gently at different areas — head, sacrum, feet — and listen to the craniosacral rhythm. This subtle motion naturally goes into flexion and extension with pauses in between. I assess its quality, rate, and symmetry. Where there are restrictions, I support the tissues in finding balance.

Sessions last about 75 minutes, longer than most bodywork sessions, because I want clients to have time to drop into deep stillness without feeling rushed. Afterward, I ask what shifts they noticed and how they might integrate these changes into daily life. Healing continues long after the session ends.

How I Track Progress

Progress often shows up in small but meaningful ways — easier movement, deeper sleep, less anxiety, or feeling more “present” inside the body. Each session, I ask questions to help clients notice what’s changing.

Because the work is so individualized, I often suggest people start with three sessions to feel how their system responds. From there, we adjust frequency based on their goals and progress. Some people come short-term for an acute issue; others choose ongoing sessions for maintenance, stress relief, and emotional regulation.

Somatic Therapy: Bringing Awareness and Empowerment

Somatic therapy helps clients develop awareness of how emotions and experiences live in the body. Using a Hakomi approach, I notice subtle cues — a breath held, a shoulder tightening — and may reflect or ask mindful questions to bring unconscious patterns to light.

Sometimes, we explore these through small “experiments” in awareness. This isn’t talk therapy; it’s an embodied inquiry that helps people discover their own inner wisdom. When someone becomes more self-aware, they naturally become more self-empowered. They begin to trust their body again and make new choices from a grounded place.

Visceral Manipulation: Restoring Internal Balance

Visceral manipulation focuses on the gentle mobilization of the organs and their connective tissues. Every organ in the body needs a certain freedom of motion to function optimally. When there’s restriction — from injury, surgery, posture, or emotional tension — it can affect digestion, breathing, or pelvic health.

I often work with women who experience pelvic discomfort, digestive issues, or breathing limitations. Through subtle assessment and touch, I help release restrictions so the organs can move in harmony again. This work often relieves pain, improves range of motion, and restores vitality throughout the entire system.

A Trauma-Informed Lens

Over the years, I’ve worked with many women who have experienced sexual abuse or boundary violations. Healing touch must always be guided by safety and choice. Sometimes clients say they want touch but their body shows hesitation. In those cases, we pause and explore what safety feels like together before any physical work begins.

Empowerment is at the heart of trauma-informed care. My goal is never to override a client’s readiness but to help them rebuild trust in their own boundaries and sensations. Healing is not about forcing release — it’s about re-establishing connection to the self in a way that feels deeply safe.

Real Stories of Change

Over the years, I’ve witnessed remarkable outcomes — not because of me, but because of how powerfully the body can heal when listened to.

  • Tinnitus relief: A woman came in with persistent tinnitus that had been plaguing her for months. By the end of the session, the ringing had stopped — and it remained quiet when we followed up later.
  • Chronic headaches: Another client had experienced daily headaches for six years. Within ten minutes of gentle craniosacral work, the pain disappeared and stayed away.
  • Post-accident recovery: A young woman who’d been in a car accident and lost her baby struggled to walk and was overwhelmed by grief. After ten sessions, she could move more freely, felt calmer, and began reconnecting with life.
  • Concussion and sensory overload: One woman with foggy thinking and extreme light sensitivity after a concussion felt clear enough after ten sessions to resume outdoor activities and adventures again.
  • TMJ Jaw and mouthwork that released tension in the jaw and joints.
  • Post Surgery Recovery A client recovered quickly after breast surgery.  Her range of motion and flow was much better.

Not every case shifts this quickly — each person’s healing journey unfolds uniquely. But these stories remind me daily of why I do this work.

Physiological and Energetic Perspectives

Physiologically, I believe that every relationship and life experience influences the body. When I come from my higher self — grounded, experienced, and connected — it opens communication down to the cellular and even quantum level. The body begins to reorganize itself toward health.

Energetically, I work with both flow and structure. Sometimes that means clearing congestion in the chakras or balancing the auric field. These subtle levels often correspond directly to physical tension and emotional holding patterns.

Who Can Benefit

Craniosacral therapy can benefit nearly anyone — from babies to seniors. I work with people dealing with:

  • Back and neck pain
  • Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue
  • Migraines and headaches
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Nervous-system dysregulation
  • Emotional trauma
  • Postural imbalances and limited range of motion
  • A general sense of disconnection or depletion
  • TMJ Relief

The only contraindications are conditions like active aneurysms, blood clots, or other medical issues that require more acute care. Otherwise, this work supports overall wellness and prevention by helping the body function at its best.

A Community Approach to Healing

Since moving to the Worthington area, I’ve noticed a need for more connection among bodyworkers and healers. I believe in collaboration and often refer clients to other trusted professionals — physical therapists, massage therapists, chiropractors, and counselors — to make sure they get the most comprehensive support possible.

Putting the client’s needs first means honoring all aspects of their healing. True wellness happens when we see the whole person, not just a symptom.

Why I Do This Work

I do this work because I believe each of us is capable of evolving into the best version of ourselves. My teachers and experiences have shown me that living with core values — curiosity, compassion, and authenticity — brings meaning and purpose to life.

When we learn to listen to the wisdom of the body, life begins to flow differently. Healing is not just about relief from pain; it’s about remembering who we truly are and allowing life to support us fully.

Begin Your Own Healing Journey

If you’re curious about how craniosacral therapy, somatic therapy, or visceral manipulation can help you, I’d love to meet you.

My 75-minute sessions in Worthington, Ohio, offer a peaceful space to unwind, rebalance, and reconnect with your own inner wisdom.

You can reach me through craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com or call 614-653-8111 to schedule an appointment. Together, we’ll explore what your body is ready to release — and what new possibilities it’s ready to open to.

What a Craniosacral Therapist in Columbus Really Does

What a Craniosacral Therapist in Columbus Really Does

by | Aug 16, 2025 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Healthy Body, upledger institute

Craniosacral Therapist Columbus

 🌿 What a Craniosacral Therapist Does|Human Connection

 

Listening Beyond Words

A craniosacral therapist in Columbus, Ohio supports healing through both presence and technique. This is not energy work—though energy often shifts as the body releases and reorganizes. Instead, it is hands-on, gentle work guided by deep listening. The focus is the Cranosacral System.

With finely tuned sensitivity, a craniosacral therapist feels the craniosacral rhythm—a subtle wave created by the movement of cerebrospinal fluid. This rhythm carries vital information about the body’s state of health and balance.

How Craniosacral Therapy Works with Bones, Fascia, and Fluids

Craniosacral therapy involves gently connecting with the bones of the cranium, spine, and sacrum. By following the body’s cues rather than forcing change, the therapist helps free restrictions that limit fluid motion and structural balance.

Fascia—the connective tissue that weaves throughout the body—softens and responds. Cerebrospinal fluid begins to move more freely. Ligaments surrounding the organs may also gain more space when nearby restrictions release, improving flow and ease in the whole system.

Supporting the Body’s Natural Correction Through Craniosacral Therapy

The focus of craniosacral therapy is always the craniosacral rhythm. By releasing restrictions that interfere with its expression, the body naturally finds better balance. Sometimes this work also reduces strain around the lungs, heart, or organs—not by directly treating those rhythms, but by removing barriers so the body can self-correct. The tissues recognize this freedom as nourishment, allowing release and deeper integration.

Craniosacral Therapy is not only about releasing pain or easing restrictions. It’s about bringing resonance back into the body, creating space for the nervous system to reset, and supporting the deep human need for connection and healing.

Benefits of Seeing a Craniosacral Therapist in Columbus, Ohio

When tissues are freed and the craniosacral rhythm moves more easily, the body can:

  • Release tension and long-held restrictions

  • Improve nervous system regulation and resilience

  • Support organ function by easing strain in surrounding structures

  • Encourage natural balance in the musculoskeletal system

  • Integrate changes so shifts hold more deeply over time

  • Deepen a sense of inner calm, presence, and wholeness

A Different Kind of Healing Relationship

Craniosacral therapy is not about doing to the body, but listening with it. By creating resonance and supporting the body’s innate intelligence, a craniosacral therapist in Columbus, Ohio helps restore motion, balance, and health. Where there is motion, there is life.

Sharon Hartnett Craniosacral Therapist Serving the Columbus Area

614 653-8111

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus..com

Why Self-Care Matters—Now More Than Ever

Why Self-Care Matters—Now More Than Ever

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

self care

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

What to expect

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

More than Relief: How Craniosacral Therapy Helps You Come Home to Yourself

More than Relief: How Craniosacral Therapy Helps You Come Home to Yourself

by | Jul 12, 2025 | Craniosacral Therapy, hakomi, Healthy Body, Structural Integration, upledger institute

Somatic Therapy Columbus Ohio

  

A Somatic Approach to Healing Trauma, Pain, and Disconnection | Columbus, OH

By Sharon Hartnett, LMT, CST-D, Hakomi and SPI support

I never did expect that I would become a craniosacral therapist. Like many people, I started with a desire to help others feel better—but I hadn’t yet discovered the kind of work that would change me, and also support others from the inside out.

In the early days, I briefly began with massage therapy. It taught me the importance of touch, but something felt missing.  It didn’t move me in a way that felt meaningful.  So I moved into structural integration, a bold and powerful way to realign the body.  I learned to look and feel the fascia and understand the interconnection within. The results were visible—but the work was very assertive, and over time, it wore on my own body. I needed something more sustainable, more nourishing.  Bodyworkers need to listen to their own bodies with care, so they can do the same for others.

What I found was Craniosacral Therapy. Or maybe, it found me.

The Gentle Work That Goes Deep

When I first encountered CST in 2003, I was skeptical, as I practiced mostly Barbara Brennan’s work and  deep fascial work in an embodied somatic way. I didn’t understand all the brain and spinal anatomy along with the Craniosacral System. I really hadn’t heard about it much until I received it myself from a local Craniosacral Therapist in McLean, Virginia names Suzanne.  She was something else, and I felt very nourished and my internal environment began to shift in a new way.  So I wondered-could something this gentle really create meaningful change?

As I trained, practiced, and received sessions myself, I saw just how powerful CST was—especially when paired with somatic awareness. It supported not just the body, but the whole person. I watched people soften, unwind, and remember who they were beneath my hands as we worked with the pain, the anxiety, the disconnection.

This work changed me too. It taught me the power of the feminine in healing—how to listen rather than fix, to support rather than push, to witness rather than direct. I’ve come to trust that real healing happens when we make space for what’s already inside someone to emerge. Rather, it’s the balancing between the empty listening and the emerging movement that creates powerful change.  It’s the blend.

What People Feel After a Session

After a session, people often say: “I didn’t know I could feel this relaxed.”

That deep nervous system settling is more than just a nice feeling. It’s a gateway. In that stillness, the body begins to unwind old trauma. Emotions surface and release. Thoughts become clearer. Pain softens.

But it’s not always instant. Believe it or not- some people feel so unfamiliar with peace and deep relaxation that it takes a few days—or a few sessions—for the benefits to truly land. That’s understandable with the stressful lives we live in.  Also, healing isn’t linear, and it’s never one-size-fits-all. It’s a relationship—between your body, your story, and the presence of someone who knows how to listen.  Everyone shifts and changes at their own unique pace.  Usually, it takes about 5 sessions to truly feel the work making a big impact.

Healing Is Personal: Stories from the Table

One woman came to me after surviving abuse. For the first 10 sessions, I didn’t  touch her. Instead, I sat a few feet away—listening, witnessing, letting her body begin to feel safe again. Slowly, over time, her system began to tremble, release, and open. We weren’t just releasing trauma; we were helping her relationship to her own body to heal.  It was beautiful and full of grace.  Eventually we were able to do minimal hands on Craniosacral Therapy.

Another client came in after a serious concussion symptoms which she had been dealing with for two years. Her thinking was foggy, her balance off, and she was highly sensitive to light. After ten sessions, her clarity returned. A few months later, she enrolled in yoga teacher training—and today, she’s a craniosacral therapist herself.  An amazing therapist honestly.

There was also a woman in hospice care, diagnosed with terminal cancer. I saw her weekly for six months, using only the lightest touch. The doctors had given her 6 months to live—but months later, she was still alive, and eventually the doctors told her children that the cancer had gone. I don’t claim to know what happened. But I do know that something in her body responded to being met with gentleness and of course her own “inner wisdom”.  Something in her chose to live due to all the help around her.

These stories aren’t about miracles thought They’re about what happens when someone finally feels safe, seen, and supported—on every level.  There are so many possibilities in outcomes.

Why Somatic Presence Matters

Craniosacral Therapy works deeply with the nervous system, fascia, and energetic body. When combined with somatic therapy—like the Hakomi method, Upledger dialogue, and trauma-informed techniques—it becomes even more powerful.

In my sessions, I guide people to sense what’s happening inside: not just the symptoms, but the felt sense beneath them. I ask gentle questions. I reflect what I see. I stay in curiosity, allowing each person’s own inner wisdom to lead the way.

This is not about fixing. It’s about remembering and reconnecting.  It’s a powerful self-discovery process.

But… Does It Really Work?

People sometimes ask, “Can such a light touch actually do anything?”

It’s a fair question—especially in a culture that prizes doing, pushing, and proving. But the body doesn’t need to be forced to heal. It needs to be listened to.  It’s inner wisdom needs to be ignited to do the powerful work it is capable of doing.

There’s science to back CST, yes—but more importantly, there’s your own experience. I always say: try 4 to 6 sessions. See how you feel. The proof is in your body, not in statistics.

An Invitation to Come Home to Yourself

Whether you’re carrying trauma, living with chronic pain, struggling to sleep, or just feeling off—there is hope. And you don’t have to go through it alone.

In my Columbus, Ohio Craniosacral practice, I offer craniosacral therapy informed by decades of somatic training and real-life experience. I’ve worked with women, men, teens, and children. Sensitive people. Stressed-out people. People trying to heal from what they’ve never been able to name.

If you’re ready to feel more like yourself again—more relaxed, more present, more whole—I invite you to come in. Not for a fix. But for a beginning.

Because healing isn’t about becoming someone new.
It’s about remembering who you are.

Warmly, Sharon Hartnett CST-D

Upledger Trained and Certified and serving the Columbus, Ohio area.

614 653-8111

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Craniosacral Therapy for ADHD:Gentle Treatment that enhances Focus

Craniosacral Therapy for ADHD:Gentle Treatment that enhances Focus

by | Jul 12, 2025 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, upledger institute

Finding Calm and Focus: How Craniosacral Therapy Supports People with ADHD

Living with ADHD can feel like your mind and body are always on the go. Thoughts race ahead, focus slips away, and it’s hard to find a moment of true calm. While medication and behavioral tools help many people, some seek a more natural way to settle their nervous system and feel grounded in daily life.

What is Craniosacral Therapy?

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on approach that works with the body’s deepest rhythms. Using a light touch, the therapist listens to subtle motions in the tissues and fluids around the brain and spinal cord, helping release tension and restore balance to the central nervous system.

Why Does This Matter for ADHD?

ADHD isn’t just about attention; it’s also about how the nervous system regulates itself. Many people with ADHD feel restless inside, as if their body can’t fully settle. Craniosacral Therapy helps by:

  • Calming the nervous system. Gentle touch signals safety, helping shift from a constant state of alertness into deeper relaxation.

  • Releasing hidden tension. The body often holds tightness in the head, neck, and spine that adds to mental overwhelm.

  • Creating grounded presence. Sessions bring a sense of stillness and connection, making it easier to focus and feel centered.

  • Supporting self-regulation. Over time, people find it easier to access this calm state on their own.

What Do People Experience?

Clients often leave a session feeling deeply relaxed and clear-headed. Some describe it as if the mental “static” has quieted, allowing thoughts to come through one at a time instead of all at once. Parents notice their children feel calmer and more settled, which can make daily routines, homework, and transitions feel easier.

Is It a Standalone Treatment?

Craniosacral Therapy isn’t a replacement for medical care or other therapies. It’s a supportive practice that works alongside what you’re already doing, giving your body and mind an extra layer of ease and integration.

A Final Thought

ADHD can make life feel scattered and overwhelming. Craniosacral Therapy offers a gentle pathway back to stillness. It’s not about changing who you are, but about helping your system find its natural rhythm so you can move through the world with more clarity and peace.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

614 653-8111

Serving the Columbus ARea

Imagine a Better World

Imagine a Better World

by | Jul 9, 2025 | change, craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, mind body & spirit, move effortlessly, upledger institute

Creating a Better World Starts Within

It’s easy to look at the world and wish it were different. Kinder. More peaceful. More connected.

But what if creating that world doesn’t start out there?

What if it starts right here – within you?

Every time you choose to listen with compassion instead of reacting in anger, you create a small shift. When you speak with honesty and kindness, you create trust. When you soften your judgments and open your heart, you create space for healing.

These choices may seem small. But together, they become a ripple.

Your relationships change. Your community feels it. The world feels it.

We often forget how much power we hold to create change. Not by controlling others, but by becoming the person we wish everyone else would be.

Imagine the world you long for. Feel it in your body. Live it in your daily choices.

Because creating a better world starts within you… and then expands outward, touching everything you’re connected to.

You are that powerful.

As a Craniosacral Therapist and Healer for close to 30 years, I see the need that is here right now.  Especially for women.  To find this sense of power.  To feel it in the bones,  To move with the body.  Let this mindful work help you to discover your deepest truth.

Sharon Hartnett CST-D through the Upledger Institute and Barbara Breenan Energy Healer/Reiki

614 653-8111

Serving the Greater Columbus Area.

The Ripple Effect of Kindness…..