Craniosacral Therapy

Craniosacral Therapy is a healing modality developed by Osteopathic Physician Dr. John E. Upledger in the 1970s and 1980s. The Craniosacral system is a fluid-filled membrane system enclosing the brain and spinal cord, connecting the Cranium (head) with the Sacrum (pelvis). As such, it greatly influences and is influenced by the central nervous system, and by extension, just about every other system in the body, which is why Craniosacral Therapy has been revolutionary in whole-body treatment and is quickly gaining recognition for its efficacy in treating a wide variety of issues.

The body’s response to daily stressors and normal wear-and-tear causes tension in the tissues which in turn creates restrictions upon the Craniosacral system, restricting the flow of fluid through the brain and spinal cord. These imbalances are reflected in the body on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. Craniosacral therapy uses light touch to gently release any restrictions found and has a calming effect on the central nervous system, allowing the body to release tension and activate its own innate healing processes, something it has a remarkable ability to do when given the chance.

In addition to stress, Dr. Upledger found that trauma, whether physical (from injuries to past surgeries), emotional, or even spiritual or ancestral, can get trapped in the tissues of the body, creating deeper, underlying restrictions that can exacerbate day-to-day stress patterns, and that the release of any restrictions caused by trauma is key in achieving positive and lasting results.

Craniosacral therapy is performed with the client fully clothed on a massage table. It is minimally invasive as only light touch is used. The Craniosacral system responds much more effectively to intention than to force. All of our sessions are performed under the guidance of your body’s own inner wisdom, which knows exactly what your body needs to come into balance and heal itself.

During the session, the most prominent feeling is one of relaxation, however you may also feel sensations of heat, cooling, tingling, pulsing, or pressure changes as tensions and restrictions are released from the tissues. These sensations may come and go for some time after the session as the body continues to release once its own self-healing processes have been activated by a more balanced Craniosacral system. It is helpful to take as much down-time as possible over the next 24 hours and to stay well-hydrated to assist the body in these processes.

We are currently offering sessions at a semi-private beach location in the Venice area. Beach sessions are informal but no less effective, and perhaps more so as it is extremely helpful to our processes to take a dip in the Gulf before and/or after your session. The cerebrospinal fluid within the Craniosacral System is very similar in structure to seawater, which therefore has a very harmonizing effect on the body. A physical appearance by the dolphins is always very special but of course cannot be guaranteed. We can guarantee that they are never far away.

If preferred, we also offer in-home sessions in the Venice, Englewood, Northport, Sarasota, and Lakewood Ranch areas, and can travel further for an additional fee. Sessions are currently offered by sliding scale and run between one and two hours as we prefer not to be limited by scheduled blocks of time with transformative healing work, so please allow for at least two hours for your session to include setup (or swimming) and discussion.

While the beach is our most preferred location for obvious reasons, when doing house calls we do find our best results in private lanais or private backyards, so while this is not a necessity, it is preferred when available and when the weather is comfortable. Please use the form below or call/text 941-275-5325 to schedule a session, and we look forward to working with you!

Laura Hazel, LMT

MA99152