Craniosacral

Trauma and shock and the craniosacral system

Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, non-intrusive, hands-on therapy that uses subtle techniques on the head, spine, sacrum and limbs to promote rest, relaxation and the release of stress and energetic blocks in the body. This non-intrusive, gentle therapy had been recognized as an effective modality in dealing with trauma and shock. Current studies and research shows that the cranial bones are dynamic and moveable through the connective tissues of the cranial sutures and underlying membranes which join and line the cranial bones. Any kind of long standing or recent stress, trauma, tension, shock, and physical injury can pull the membranes and sutures out of position resulting in misalignment of the cranium, spine, and sacrum causing the entire system to be out of balance.

We are living in a time in which our systems are actually experiencing a continuous state of trauma and post-traumatic stress. Thus our nervous system is in a constant state of activation in order to cope. We now know that something happens during a trauma event to a person’s system that causes the information to be stored in a different way than a non-trauma event.

In a session:

Conventional talk therapy works in the prefrontal cortex part of the brain. That is, the part that deals with verbal and logical communication. However, trauma events generally register outside of the prefrontal cortex. Trauma works through the limbic system, which is responsible for the 4 F’s: fleeing, fighting, feeding and reproduction. All very body-centred functions. So words are good but not enough. Dealing with trauma effectively requires that we use therapy that is somatic in nature. That is, body centered therapy.

Craniosacral therapy is a gentle somatic therapy that works to release stress and tension thus realigning the cranium, spine and sacrum which in turn opens up the entire nervous system. This causes the restoration and free flow of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) which impacts the entire human body, mind and well being of a person.

Through this somatic process, the body begins to melt tension and tightness and emotions that are lodged in the body begin to bubble to the surface. The process becomes then a somatic-emotional process. We work with the trauma in small pieces. We are constantly on the look out for signs of overwhelm so that re-traumatizing does not occur.