chronic pain | craniosacral therapy columbus

Treating Concussions with Craniosacral Therapy

by SharonHartnett | Mar 27, 2019 | Massage License in Ohio: 33.007505-H-K

Who Gets Head Injuries?

Did you know that there are an estimated few million sports concussions and brain injuries each year? Many of those are young athletic children who hit their heads during their daily sports activities. Likewise, there are also many more people who hit their heads while involved in exercise, car accidents, falling off roofs, bikes, and also those who experience such mishaps as slipping on ice or tripping on a sidewalk. The symptoms of a concussion may not feel apparent at the onset of a fall, but these head injuries can often negatively affect the functioning of the brain. It’s important to keep an eye for any indications of a concussion after any forceful head impact. Even more critical is that you take good care of yourself until you heal and follow your doctor’s advice.

My Clients:

These are the types of people with whom I work. Many of my clients who have come in to see me have been in an accident. I’d say about half of them have experienced some type concussion signs. Some also find themselves in chronic pain. While most people do recover pretty well from concussions, there are those who do not. Some of the unresolved issues I have worked with are: confusion, blurry vision, headaches, imbalances, difficulties with concentration, fatigue, and sensitivities to light. Sometimes for months, and even years- my clients had not found any type of relief. Often Craniosacral Therapy is their last stop.

Heal Your Brain

Upledger Institute

Brain Concussions and Trauma can become a huge disturbance in your life. I have worked with people who have had to quit their jobs and those who have been “let go”, only because there was no cure to pain and disorientation in their head. But rest assured, there is help. One of the places that encouraged me to become specialized in head trauma is the Upledger Institute. They have been doing Comprehensive Intensives with professional athletes at their clinic in Florida. The results of their work and reviews by clients have demonstrated time and time again that the brain can be helped to become better organized biomechanically and supported to self-heal. On a personal note, as I have attended a few 5 day intensives with the Institute both as a support and primary therapist, I have seen what seemed like miracles happen with many clients many time over. Observing improvements like that influenced me to go ahead and receive my Diplomate level expertise to treat just as effectively to bring out optimal health. Over the years, I have seen quite a few people walk out of my office happier and healthier people. They re-discover how to function more clearly in life again. A series of sessions can the symptoms disappear resolve and disappear.

How Brain Work Works

I have been doing massage therapy and bodywork for about 20 years, but the Brain Work that I have learned at the Upledger Institute has given me the tools I need to support my clients Inner Wisdom. During a session with a client who has experienced a concussion, I am often led to dialogue with different parts of the brain, while keeping a holistic picture approach. This can be done quietly biomechanically, but at other times, the client will speak and share his/her experience from this internal environment. The intelligence of the body leads him/her back to health and wellbeing like nothing I have seen before.

What I love about being a Craniosacral Therapist is that the work is so gentle, and it listens to the wisdom of the body to direct the session. All of the facilitation leads you back to the Inner Guidance inside of you leading the session toward your health. The results have been profound as the work releases unhealthy restrictions, and promotes more fluid flow and motion. I am the facilitator who uses learned techniques to treat, but the body and the essence of the person is what heals.

Self Care

If you have hit your head, or someone in your family has, please go see a physician and get yourself diagnosed and treated. It’s important that you focus on self-care. I will say, I have had personal experiences with concussion too. The worst trauma I felt was after I fell off my horse and hit my head. I rested for a month and could hardly do anything. No television. No computer. No reading. Just quiet rest. However, once I could travel, I went straight to the Upledger Institute and put myself in the hands of Craniosacral Therapy. I also found a local therapist here in Columbus too who helped me. I recovered. Ever since, I have made Concussion work my primary focus in my work serving clients.

Free Telephone Consultation If you have been diagnosed with a medical condition or are having questions after talking to your physician, please call me. I offer a free 10 minute phone consultation. Whether you come here, or need assistance to find a therapist near you, I am glad to help. My phone number is 703 509-1792. I enjoy working with people who are ready to turn the tide back to health and wellbeing.

Warmly,

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

703 509-1792

Are You Dealing with Chronic Pain?

by SharonHartnett | Dec 31, 2017 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, Massage, Structural Integration, upledger institute

Chronic Pain throws a jolt into life, doesn’t it?

One of the most difficult things about chronic pain is that there is no break. The body continually sends signals to the brain that say “OW”, and there is no rest on a physical level. If your chronic pain is lasting days, weeks or even months, you need some help. And if your chronic pain is coming from an illness level, it’s important that you seek medical help. In addition to that, naturopathic and/or functional medicine can also be very helpful in supporting an overall maintenance or health recovery.

chronic pain

What I would like to talk about is twofold. The myofascial component of pain, and also how the mind reacts to pain.

Fascia-If there is inflammation in the body, it often affects the fascia as pain or dysfunction of some sort. In the reverse, if the fascial body is tight, disorganized or unhealthy, it can also cause pain patterns. Because fascia interacts with all the living things in your body, it is important to address any myofascial issues that contribute to your chronic pain. The problem is that most people have never even heard of fascia. So they go on medications and travel the traditional route looking for answers. Sometimes- the answers are there. Sometimes not. Mostly, in my practice I receive clients who have found no resolutions anywhere. So what do we do? We begin a dialogue between my hands and the person’s fascia. The body tells me where to go. Whether there are tight sheets, torques, pulls, resistance or whatever- we work there until the soft tissues start to melt and re-vigorate. I look for more hydration, flexibility, motion and general health in the fascia. When this happens, compression and dysfunctional patterns disappear, leaving more flow and energy to help self-correct the physical body. The body eventually begins to feel more space and alignment, and voila- you can breathe again.
The Mind- It plays a huge part in how we respond to physical pain. It is true, that as human beings, we can suffer with physical pain. But there are other things that can make pain worst. And usually, believe it or not- when we ignore our pain- the pattern usually gets worst. Ignoring our bodies does not create better health. One thing that is helpful to do to relax pain patterns is to do a breathing meditation, Breathing with awareness helps to bring motion back into the body. Motion is vitality. On top of that benefit, when we start to notice our thoughts, and beliefs, we become more empowered in understanding how our mind is organized. When we experience our bodies, with gentle awareness, pain often softens and can actually subside. As we question our unhealthy thinking, the mind expands, and so does the space inside of us. I know, that sometimes it is easier to resist the pain- but that really doesn’t help long-term. Take some time each day to find the silence in the moment, the places in your body that are feeling good, or ask for loving kindness to fill you up. The mind’s relationship to pain is important. If you want to feel better, it is crucial that you start to explore other conscious choices.

I have worked with people on the table for close to 30 years. Chronic Pain is not the easiest thing to shift. But with a holistic approach, I have seen people get better, and heal. Looking at the foods you eat, your exercise schedule, how you think and act, along with your meditation practice can truly help. Finding a person to journey with you and support you through modalities like SomatoEmotional Release can be life changing.

Remember, that chronic pain can be a lonely place. Don’t leave yourself in that position. Get some help because your life is important.

Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST-D, SomatoeEmotional Release, SI, BHSP, Hakomi

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Serving The Columbus Area