FAQ
Q: What is CranioSacral therapy (CST)?
A: CST is a gentle manual treatment approach that works with the natural self-corrective mechanism of the body and the CranioSacral system – the membranes and fluids that surround the brain and the spinal cord – to detect and release restrictions in mobility and enhance function. CST works gently to facilitate the free flow and ease of movement of all the body’s energies, fluids, membranes, muscles and fascia.
Q: What is the CranioSacral system (CS system)?
A: The CS system is a real physiological system which comprises of the brain, spinal cord, the membranes and the fluids that surround the brain and the spinal cord Cerebrospinal fluid.
Q: Does the CS therapist just treat the head (Cranium) and the bottom part (Sacrum) of the person?
A: The CS therapist actually works with the entire body along with the brain and the spinal cord as the CranioSacral rhythm can be felt anywhere in the body.
Q: Is CST similar to massage?
A: Actually CST is performed very differently. The client is fully clothed during therapy and there are no long or short strokes on the body.
Q: So is CST like Therapeutic Touch or Reiki?
A: In CST the therapist uses very light touch to actually engage with the body tissues, organs, fluids and energies etc. Unlike the other two therapies, CST uses fascias of the body to work with the different tissues of the body.
Q: I am a fairly healthy person. I eat right and exercise regularly and feel good. Do I need CST and why?
A: We believe that CST done on a regular basis, is one of the best health enhancement activity you can do. CST balances the Autonomic nervous system, affects all the major systems of the body and enhances the immune system activity. In spite of how good you feel with your current life style, you may feel even better than you normally feel, less stressed and even get less sickness.
Q: I am a very healthy individual with no serious problems except for occasional cold, coughs and allergies, you know like everyone else I know, so its not a big deal. I think I do get stressed from time to time and probably that gets me down with those complaints. Can CST be of any help to me?
A: Yes most certainly. CST balances the Autonomic nervous system response so it is very relaxing and helps build up immunity of the body.
Q: Can CST help autoimmune problems?
A: Yes, it certainly helps to enhance the body’s own resources to work with the deeper issue that may be causing the autoimmune problem.
Q: Can I get regular CST as a preventive health measure?
A: Most certainly.
Q: What is the right age to get CST?
A: CST is beneficial at any age; from newborns to adults.
Q: I am pregnant. Can CST benefit me?
A: Yes. CST helps with prenatal and postnatal problems. It can prevent a lot of the problems faced during these phases (e.g. morning sickness, labor, delivery, postpartum depression etc.)
Q: Can CST help headaches?
A: CST can help all kinds of headaches about 90% of the time.
Q: Can CST help chronic back pain?
A: CST has been used with great success to alleviate chronic and acute back pain.
Q: I have a teenager who was doing well and now for some time he seems very stressed and depressed. Can CST help him? I have been suffering with depression all my life. Do you think CST can help me?
A: Yes. I have had very good results with cases of various ages facing similar problems. CST has been one of the most effective treatments in treating certain types of depression. In general, a great number of cases of depression can be treated very successfully, with a combination of CST and SomatoEmotional Release work.
Q: What is SomatoEmotional Release (SER)?
A: We now know that every cell in the body has a memory. The memory of a trauma, whether physical or emotional, at any stage of human life, can be stored in certain areas of the body depending on various factors. CST through SER process helps to release this cellular trauma, which helps to alleviate a lot of physical and other symptoms. SER is a therapeutic process that uses and expands on the principles of CranioSacral Therapy to help rid the mind and body of the residual effects of trauma. Release suppressed emotions that may be inhibiting complete structural releases.
Q: So is SER similar to psychotherapy?
A: Not really. CS therapist actually engages with the tissues of the clients’s body, which guide the therapist to work with the areas and cells of the body to get the chaotic traumatic energy out of the tissues.
Q: Is CranioSacral therapy the same technique as Cranial Osteopathy, Chiropractic Craniopathy and Saccro-occipital techniques?
A: No CranioSacral therapy is very different in its approach. In all the other therapies mentioned above, the major objective is movement of the bones, whereas in CranioSacral therapy, the cranial bones are just used as handles to manipulate the membrane system and affect the deeper areas within the brain. CranioSacral therapy uses much lighter touch for a longer period of time so that the body’s own internal forces and energies are engaged to bring about therapeutic changes and corrections of the CranioSacral system, whereas in all other mentioned techniques, most often, the correction is done by the therapist by using an external force to manipulate the bones. The advantage of using light touch during CS therapy is that it allows the therapist to work with the body’s own internal healing system rather than the resistance of the body presented when an external force is applied.
Q: How can such a light touch used in CST accomplish so much?
A: In CST we utilize the body’s natural self-corrective mechanism. By using a light touch during the therapy, we do not invoke the internal resistance of the body. The body lets the therapist to go much deeper without having to apply bigger force or heavier touch, which initiates the internal resistance of the body.