Cranio-Sacral therapy is a profound touch-based therapy founded in osteopathy.  Cranio-Sacral Therapy was pioneered in the 1970s by John Upledger, an osteopathic physician, as an offshoot of cranial osteopathy, which had been devised in the 1930s by osteopath William Garner Sutherland.

Cranio-Sacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on approach that works with the body’s natural ability to balance and heal itself. Using a very light touch — about the weight of a 5p coin — the therapist tunes in to subtle movements within the body, particularly in the cranio-sacral system, which includes the bones of the head and spine, the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

When there is stress, tension, or compression in the system — from birth experiences, illness, accidents, or emotional strain — it can affect how well the nervous system functions. CST helps to release these restrictions, allowing the body to relax more deeply and the nervous system to reset.

Because the work is so gentle, it’s suitable for babies, children, and adults. Many parents notice that their children:

• Sleep more deeply and settle more easily

• Become calmer and less anxious

• Have improved digestion or fewer tummy aches

• Show better focus, mood, and emotional regulation

For babies and children, CST can also support recovery from birth trauma, help with colic, reflux, or feeding issues, and improve the integration of primitive reflexes and overall sensory regulation.

Ultimately, CST helps the body move out of “fight-or-flight” mode and back into a sense of safety, rest, and balance — creating a calmer foundation for growth and wellbeing.

Like ‘foot prints in the sand’ our bodies hold ‘stress prints in our nervous system’, an embodied physical representation of life experiences both past and present.  In many instances we can believe that we have come to terms with a past trauma but our nervous system is telling a different story - it hasn’t let go of the physical imprint and as a result we can often feel constantly tired, overwhelmed and anxious but not understand why.

Western medicine still tends to treat the mind and body separately but they are inextricably interlinked. There will invariably always be an emotional response linked to physical pain and vice versa.

Individuals often report feeling a profound sense of reconnection to their physical bodies and emotions after a Cranio-Sacral treatment. Even just one treatment of Cranio-Sacral therapy will begin to restore your body’s natural Cranio-Sacral rhythm and begin to restore optimum well-being. 

Cranio-Sacral therapy can: 

·      Improve sleep and reduce insomnia.

·       Supports integration of the five senses.

·       Boost the immune system and appetite.

·       Connect and ground the body, which in turn enhances attention, focus and learning.

·      Calm the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous division to reduce feelings of overwhelm; anxiety; fight/flight; shut down; irritability; hyperactivity; disassociation.

·      Reduce inflammation in the brain and body.

·       Support the flow of cerebrospinal fluid to the brain to improve brain health and detoxification.

·       Improve connections to the world around the child and relationships.

·      Reduces pressure in the cranial membranes.

·      Supports to release any restriction or compression imprinted from the birth process or from any other event where the child felt scared or overwhelmed.

·       Stimulate the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system (rest and digest) to induce feelings of calm and relaxation.

·      Stimulate the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system to optimise gut health (considered the 2nd brain).

·       Enable Cranial Nerve 10, the Vagus (parasympathetic) nerve to function optimally.  The Vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body and 80-90% of the nerve fibres communicate the state of the heart, lungs and digestive tract back up to the brain.  It helps to regulate the heart rate, blood pressure, sweating, digestion and speaking.