Craniosacral Therapy is one of the most powerful known therapies. It allows the body to tap into its innate intelligence and heal itself. It is a fairly new technique as of 1970, developed by Dr. John Upledger D.O. out of Dr. William G. Sutherland's osteopathic principles of cranial osteopathy.

The craniosacral system consists of the head, spine and sacrum which pulsates with a unique rhythm created by expansion and contraction of the cerebral spinal fluid volume. This cerebral spinal fluid or CSF, is a clear colorless liquid thinner than blood plasma but contains no red or white blood cells. CSF acts as a shock absorber for the brain and spinal cord. It is formed in the brain, flows down the back of the spinal column to the sacrum, then upward in front of the spinal column to the head, where it drains back into the bloodstream through the veins. There is a complete turnover of CSF about six times per day. The rhythm of the craniosacral system can be palpated throughout the body not just limited to the head, spine and sacrum.

Craniosacral therapy is a technique that releases CSF blocks that have been imposed on the body and the craniosacral system by subtle or traumatic impact or injury to the head and its moveable and fluctuating cranial bones, (once thought immovable), and also by trauma to the spinal column, sacrum, or other body parts.

Imbalances can result from accidents, falls, illness, and even muscular tension, sprains or strains. These can create stagnation in the movement of the CSF and many times will result in imbalances in the skeletal system including head, face, spine, sacrum, knee, ankle, shoulder etc..

The technique used in craniosacral therapy is quite simple but requires patience of the therapist. During a treatment, usually lasting from 45 minutes to an hour with the patient fully clothed, the therapist will place hands or fingers on areas of the body to palpate the CSF pulsating rhythm.

From palpation, the therapist can feel restrictions of CSF movement and will position hands to allow the body to use the subtle pressure applied by the therapist as leverage for the body to correct itself.

The movement felt by a patient during craniosacral therapy is not movement induced by the therapist, but is actually the patients own rhythm redirecting itself in its self correction process.

The area will be held from 2 minutes to 20 minutes depending on the severity of the CSF imbalance and when the rocking rhythmic movement ceases a pulse will be felt at the points the therapist is holding. In this moment the rhythm of that area has rebalanced itself and is now complete so the therapist may move on to balance other areas of the body.

This self correction also known as Craniosacral Unwinding can be compared to a twisted up telephone cord. Like a therapist holding points on the body, the telephone cord can be held in a position so the telephone cord will unravel or correct itself and it will return to its original state.

As a patient of craniosacral treatment, the palpation and correction of imbalances feels as if you are on a raft floating with the tide. It is a very gentle light touch technique and many patients feel as if this soft technique is not effective until the following morning when they report feeling some minor soreness. This is because the gentle rocking movement of the body from the craniosacral rhythm, manipulates and realigns the deep connective tissues of the body that are unreachable with direct massage. No other therapy can have this deep effect on the body.

The tranquil sensation of craniosacral should not discount it as one of the most powerful bodywork therapies. It is often called the Rolls Royce of bodywork because of its painless yet powerful results.

Craniosacral therapy can benefit these conditions:

	Brain and spinal cord injury		TMJ (temporal-mandibular joint) syndrome
	Dyslexia and learning disabled		Chronic back pain
	Sinus problems		Dizziness and lack of mental focus and concentration
	Nervous disorders		Eye strain and vision problems
	Tinnitus (ringing of the ears)		Cranial trauma from blows to the head
	Cranial trauma		Infant cranial trauma from birthing process or forceps
	Labor facilitation		Insomnia
	Some cases of depression		Anxiety and stress release
	Chronic and migraine headaches

It is important to find a highly trained therapist as this is very soft, sensitive and subtle work. Too much pressure on a holding point may cause more of an imbalance or pain.