What is Cranial Sacral Therapy?
Cranial Sacral therapy is subtle therapy that allows the body to enter a relaxed state by rebalancing the body’s natural cranial sacral rhythm through gentle myofascial unwinding and movement of the cranial bones. The brain and spinal cord, down to the sacrum, are encased in cerebrospinal fluid for protection. This fluid has a pulse, usually unnoticed by the client, as it is separate and softer than that of the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems. Listening to and working with this pulse assists the practitioner in loosening restrictions along this circuit, renewing space for the cerebrospinal fluid to flow with ease.
Everyone can benefit from this therapy due to its ability to harmonize our body’s central nervous system. Cranial Sacral therapy can be especially helpful for those of us experiencing chronic headaches or migraines, neck/shoulder pain, restlessness, anxiety, difficulty focusing, and physical and emotional trauma. For example, a fall on the tailbone a decade ago could have created a restriction at the cranial bones leading to migraines, that is just waiting to be released.
In the ideal world, soon after childbirth, all babies would receive cranial sacral therapy to prevent lasting effects of being in utero and the birth experience. Just beginning to attune to gravity, babies are so responsive at this stage of life. Bodywork allows the baby to have an opportunity to unwind from their experience in utero and birth. A session of stretching movements combined with gentle cranial sacral therapy may assist with latch (tongue/lip/bucal ties), digestion, and sleep issues, colic, torticollis, and plagiocephaly. Parents and caregivers can then continue these playful movements and stretches at home. *I am currently training to work with infants and babies. I can refer you to a local practitioner with whom I shadow, or contact me to inquire about a free session, as part of my training.*
Some clients may benefit from regular sessions or a series of sessions to help restore balance, while others from just occasional maintenance.
My clientele have sought out this therapy to aid in reducing stress, addressing neck pain, jaw/TMJ dysfunction and pain, and assisting in rebalancing the emotional and physical body. People’s experiences of receiving this therapy vary from entering a state of deep relaxation to feeling space opening up along the diaphragm, back of the skull, or even out the big toe. After a session, clients report feeling: “more space inside my head and mouth,” “waves of openness,” “less sinus pressure,” and letting go of unnecessary holding.
Some neck and shoulder massage is integrated during these sessions to free up muscle tension and fascial restrictions, assisting in the cranial movement. I enjoy incorporating cranial sacral with massage session as well, once you have received an initial cranial sacral session with me. This profound therapy continues to work on our body and being after the session is over.
Emily Luhrs Massage & Cranial Sacral Therapy 