CRANIOSACRAL work originated from osteopathy, and many osteopaths train and practice as Cranial Osteopaths.
A somewhat different approach began to be taught to practitioners who were not osteopaths, and these practitioners are called Craniosacral Therapists.
Craniosacral Therapy is a subtle and sensitive way of working with the whole body through light, focused contact, and does not involve any physical manipulation. The essence of the work is that the blueprint for health and balance is already within each individual. The role of the practitioner is to bring the client’s awareness of this into place, so that their own tissues can make the subtle adjustments needed for balance.
The treatment takes place clothed, only shoes, tight belts, necklaces or large earrings need to be removed. There is no set ‘routine’, the therapist may make one contact only, which is maintained throughout treatment (typically at the head or the sacrum), or they may take up several contacts, for example at specific vertebral levels, or a limb. The practitioner is working with the whole body, through the nervous system and the fascia (connective tissue which wraps every blood vessel, nerve and organ)
Craniosacral work is extremely safe and gentle; indeed some craniosacral practitioners specialise in working with very young babies and children
Cranio-sacral work has wide application, as a treatment with a ‘whole person’ approach, concentrating on encouraging the health and balance which all living organisms strive towards.
The session lasts an hour.