What is the Craniosacral System Anyway?

by SharonHartnett | Jan 11, 2025 | Craniosacral Therapy

Tell Me About the Craniosacral System

Craniosacral System 101

Alright, Friends! Today, we’re going to learn about something really cool called the Craniosacral System. It sounds a bit complex, but don’t worry—I’ll explain it in a way that makes sense!

Let’s begin by by speaking about your brain and spinal cord. Imagine that these are the control center of your whole body. Like a big computer. The Seat of Intellgence.

Many essential functions begin here. Communication and information travels and brings alive your day to day functioning throughout your body.

The craniosacral system is like a special protective system for your brain and spinal cord. It’s like a friend who keeps the CNS healthy!

Here’s how it works:

Cranio = “skull” or “head,” and sacral = “sacrum,” which is the part at the bottom of your spine.
Inside your skull, there’s something called the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This is mainly created in the ventricals of your brain. It’s like a cushion of fluid that surrounds and moves through your brain and spinal cord. This fluid is super important because it helps protect your brain and spinal cord from injury, and it also helps remove waste that your brain doesn’t need.
The fluid moves around your brain and spinal cord in a rhythm, like gentle waves. This rhythm can be felt as it expands and contracts, and that’s where the name “craniosacral” comes from—the fluid moves from your head (cranium) down to your sacrum (at the bottom of your spine), kind of like a wave traveling back and forth. This can be felt by a trained Craniosacral Therapist.

So, basically, the craniosacral system is like a big, soft, protective wave that keeps your brain and spine safe. It’s very important for keeping your body healthy and balanced.

Many people don’t know much about the Craniosacral System yet. However, with the teaching of Dr. John Upledger, of the Upledger Institute, thousands and thousands of students across the world have learned to be skillful and experienced in this gentle yet profound work. Craniosacral Therapists are fairly easy to find now. In the last 50 years or so, Craniosacral Therapy has become more popular as people are speaking about the many benefits. It’s especially wonderful for deep relaxation, stress relief and in releasing tension and pain.

To find the best Craniosacral Therapist for you, check out the Upledger Page.

How to Change Your Posture with Somato Emotional Release

by SharonHartnett | Jan 2, 2025 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Healthy Body, mind body & spirit, move effortlessly, Structural Integration, upledger institute

Organizing Optimal Posture

Structural Integration, with an emphasis on posture, is based on the principle that the body is organized and held together in a coordinated, balanced manner. Any distortions in that order and/or balance can lead to physical and emotional discomfort. Fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds muscles, bones, and organs, plays a crucial role in this organization. When fascia becomes tight, scarred, or restricted due to poor posture, emotional stress, or injury, it can cause the body to lose its ability to move freely and efficiently.

Creating a healthier and more fluid Posture can be better facilitated by recognising the emotional aspect of Structure. At the core of Somato Emotional Release hands-on manual work, we consider holding the intention of using of physical touch to help a person to heal emotionally as well as physically. For many of us who have worked with clients for years, we recognize that the body stores emotional memories. The body often reflects our history and our choices. However, this can change with gentle and nourishing skillful touch.

Fortunately, some people are proactive and come in for help with their posture ahead of the game. These cases are often easier in terms of release and integration. Often though, discomfort or pain may be the leading reason someone seeks out help. Obviously, it’s always best to stay in front of the curve when possible. It’s the whole idea of treating simplity over complexity.

The Best situation for a client is when the therapist is Certified through their schooling. It ensures that they reach the top level of understanding of the anatomy, skills particular to a certain manual therapy, but also that they have learned how to support the emotional process. Because quite often people do have emotional releases when their posture is changing on a fascial level.

Emotions for some people can be a very vulnerable thing to express. Perhaps in their childhood or current relationships, there is judgment or lack of understanding. So it’s very helpful to find someone with specific training in dialoguing. Bodyworkers are not counselors, but they can and certainly do help their clients process, and find their own healing responses when trained.

Some things to look for in a Somato Emotional Release Therapist are:

A trusting and Safe Space
Neutrality
Certification ie. Upledger
Body Centered Emotional Training
An Understanding of Posture
An Ability to Listen and Work with Fascia
The Ability to Meld with the Tissues
Experience

If you are seeking out a Somato Emotional Release therapist to help free up and balance your posture, first call for an interview. It’s important to feel a bond of trust first and foremost. Then,as this type of manual therapy can help treat misalignment of the posture as well as letting go of stress and emotional baggage, ask questions upfront so that you can feel comfortable with your choice.

Processing unresolved emotional trauma can truly change how you feel in your body!

Sharon Hartnett CST-D

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

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Is A Head Massage Different Than Craniosacral Therapy?

by SharonHartnett | Dec 19, 2024 | concussion, Craniosacral Therapy, Massage, migraine

Head Massage Feels Great!

Imagine warm hands offering head massage after a stressful day. It feels wonderful creating better circulation and helping the soft tissues relax.

Even better though, when your head hurts, or you are suffering post concussion symptoms, Craniosacral Therapy is the better bet. In a Craniosacral Therapy session, you are going to have a Craniosacral Therapist listen to all the internal motions and work with the restrictions going on in your head, as well as your body at a much deeper level.

That’s right, an experienced Certified Craniosacral Therapist can listen and follow the patterns throughout the whole system by placing our hands in one place and listening intently. The amazing thing is the body shows us through the Craniosacral System where there is dysfunction and how to help achieve integration.

This is primarily done by noticing and working with the sutures and allowing our hands to follow the patterns and rhythm into releasing from superficially to the deeper issues. This can be exceptionally helpful for people with migraines, headaches, and who have hit their head.

The gentle biomechanical light pressure we use, gives small nudges to create deeper flow throughout the brain. It’s almost like an unwinding of disconnected communication patterns inside the head. Allowing more space and dialogue. Beyond this, it affects the whole body and nervous system through all the interconnections. When the brain is feeling healthy, the body does as well.

Head Massage can feel great. Especially if someone focuses on their massage this way and becomes an expert. Comparatively, a Certified Craniosacral Therapy learns about the cranium, the mouthwork, the different parts of the brain and nervous system and more. Helping to create better motion in the brain, and throughout the whole body by working with the craniosacral system can alleveiate so many challenging symptoms. Truly, it helps the whole body to heal itself.

Sharon Hartnett CST-d

Certified through the Upledger Institute

703 509-1792

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

How to Move out of Trauma Toward Health

by SharonHartnett | Dec 16, 2024 | Craniosacral Therapy, mindfulness, trauma

You are Not Your Trauma

How Craniosacral Therapy can Help You Release Your Trauma to Find Inner Peace…

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) can be particularly helpful for individuals who have experienced trauma, whether it is physical, emotional, or psychological. CST is a gentle, hands-on therapy that works with the body’s craniosacral system—comprising the brain, spinal cord, and the surrounding cerebrospinal fluid. The idea behind CST is that by applying subtle pressure, perhaps a nudge, to the craniosacral system, the therapist can help release tension, balance the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, and encourage the body’s own natural healing processes.

Here’s how CST may assist in trauma recovery:

1. Release of Stored Trauma

Trauma can manifest not only in the mind but also in the body. The body has a natural way of storing emotional and physical stress, and often, unresolved trauma can become “trapped” in tissues, fascia, and muscles. CST encourages the release of these stored tensions. The gentle listening and touch help to bring awareness to areas where trauma might be held, allowing the body to release these patterns in a safe and non-invasive way.

2. Regulation of the Nervous System

Trauma often leads to dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), resulting in a state of hyperarousal (fight or flight) or hypoarousal (freeze or dissociation). CST can help regulate the nervous system by activating the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), promoting a sense of calm and safety. This is crucial in trauma recovery, as it helps to shift the body out of a chronic stress response and back into a more balanced state.

3. Reducing Muscle Tension and Physical Pain

Many trauma survivors experience chronic pain or muscle tension as a result of the body’s protective response to trauma. CST can help release deep muscle tension and reduce physical discomfort. For people who have had physical trauma (such as accidents, injuries, or surgery), CST can also promote healing and alleviate pain associated with these injuries by improving circulation and reducing inflammation.

4. Improved Somatic Awareness

Trauma often leads to disconnection from one’s body, as individuals may dissociate or shut down in response to overwhelming experiences. CST encourages a reconnection with the body by increasing somatic awareness (the awareness of physical sensations). This process can be empowering, as it allows individuals to gently explore and process their experiences, fostering a sense of safety in their own bodies.

5. Promoting Emotional Healing

Trauma is not only stored in the body but also in the emotions. The gentle touch of CST may help to release emotional blockages that are tied to traumatic experiences. As the body relaxes and tension is released, clients often report emotional shifts, such as feelings of relief, lightness, or even the ability to access and express previously repressed emotions.

6. Trauma-Informed Approach

CST practitioners are trained to create a safe, supportive environment for trauma survivors. The non-invasive nature of CST and the respect for the client’s pace can make it an ideal therapy for those who may feel overwhelmed or unsafe with more traditional forms of bodywork or therapy. Practitioners are trained to be sensitive to the subtle cues of the body and ensure that any work done is within the client’s comfort zone.

7. Healing from Early Childhood Trauma

Craniosacral Therapy is also effective for individuals who have experienced early childhood trauma, including birth trauma. The craniosacral system plays a critical role in the early stages of development, and CST can help address any disruptions that may have occurred during birth or early childhood. This is particularly important as early trauma can affect neurological development and attachment patterns, and CST can support the healing of these early wounds.

8. Support for Dissociation

Dissociation is a common response to trauma, where an individual feels disconnected from themselves or their surroundings. CST can help with reintegration by gently guiding the body back into a state of balance and grounding. The physical touch can help bring attention back to the present moment and provide a sense of containment and stability.

9. Facilitates Deep Relaxation

CST induces a deeply relaxing state, which can be very beneficial for trauma survivors who experience hypervigilance or constant anxiety. By promoting relaxation and reducing the intensity of the body’s stress response, CST can help break the cycle of chronic stress that trauma survivors often experience.

10. Support for Complex PTSD

For individuals dealing with complex PTSD (C-PTSD), which may arise from prolonged or repeated trauma, CST can provide ongoing support. The gentle nature of CST allows individuals to slowly process trauma at their own pace, without the need for verbal confrontation of traumatic memories, which can sometimes be overwhelming.

Conclusion

Craniosacral Therapy provides a holistic, body-based approach that helps trauma survivors address the physical and emotional aspects of their healing journey. By promoting relaxation, releasing tension, balancing the nervous system, and encouraging somatic awareness, CST can be a powerful tool in trauma recovery, especially when combined with other therapeutic modalities like talk therapy or somatic therapies. It offers a gentle, non-invasive option for individuals looking to heal from the effects of trauma and reclaim a sense of safety and well-being in their bodies.

As always, it’s important for individuals to consult with trained professionals, as each person’s experience with trauma and healing is unique.

For more information about how Craniosacral Therapy can work for you,

Contact:

Sharon Hartnett CST-D.

614 653-8111

www.craniosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Looking for a holistic health package to give to someone you love?

Check out: Healthy Gift Idea

Great Deal for a Holiday Gift

by SharonHartnett | Dec 5, 2024 | craniosacral, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Healing, Holiday Gift, upledger institute

Looking for a Caring Holiday Gift?

Columbus Ohio Area

Holiday Gift Craniosacral Session Series:

Offering a 5 package group of 75 minutes sessions for $675.00. Discounted from $750.00.

Self-Care is so delicious. Taking the time to relax and receive is healing. Yet often people don’t invest in themselves to feel good inside. But what can be a better value than to feel more deeply connected? To let go of stress and tension? Finally to have a comfortable body and a smile on your face?

Why not give this holiday gift to yourself or another for Christmas?

Two Locations: One in Worthington, and the other in Johnstown.

Specific Niches of Expertise:

Concussions/Headaches/Migraines, Neck and Back Pain, Women’s Health, and Unlocking Trauma in a Safe Place. Of course Craniosacral Therapy is great as a proactive therapy to balance the nervous system and to free the body from stress and tension patterns. It’s very gentle, yet profound work.

Trained at the Upledger Institute

PS. Neck Work can get deeper to release the cervical area upon request.

www.upledger.com
www.cranosacraltherapistcolumbus.com

Plz Call me at 703 509-1792 if you would be interested in gifting this to a loved one!