From migraines and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders syndrome to attention deficit disorder and autism, there is a long list of conditions that CranioSacral Therapy can help to address. The reason there are so many conditions that can be addressed using CranioSacral Therapy is because this method of light and totally noninvasive touch therapy focuses on improving the function of the central nervous system: the brain and spinal cord.
By relieving any restrictions in the environment around the brain and spinal cord, CranioSacral Therapy can help improve the health of the central nervous system, which one might consider the body’s command center. As CranioSacral Therapy alleviates restrictions around this command center, the central nervous system may be better able to conduct whatever healing may be necessary to address the client’s condition, whether that condition is post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain or something else entirely.
Professionals in the field of CranioSacral Therapy aim to boost the function of the central nervous system by applying a light amount of pressure to the soft tissues that surround the central nervous system. The level of pressure applied during CranioSacral Therapy is typically no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel.
As mentioned, this light touch is used to release restrictions in the soft tissues that surround the central nervous system. Ultimately, the practitioner of CranioSacral Therapy is working to correct any distortions in the craniosacral system. The craniosacral system consists of the membranes and fluid that surround the brain and spinal cord, both protecting and nourishing this precious command center.
When a nearby soft-tissue restriction presses in on the craniosacral system, it can get distorted, almost like a garden house that becomes bent or kinked or pressed upon, thereby hindering the flow of water. In turn, this distortion in the craniosacral system can affect the function of the body’s central nervous system.
So, when a practitioner of CranioSacral Therapy is working to release those soft-tissue restrictions, he or she is aiming to create a domino effect of sorts—release the soft-tissue restrictions, correct any distortions in the craniosacral system and enhance the function of the body’s central nervous system.
One of the main goals of CranioSacral Therapy is basically to improve the body’s ability to self-correct. This is why you will find such a long list of conditions that can be addressed using CranioSacral Therapy, including conditions that may be difficult or even impossible to treat using current medical methods or other forms of healing.
By taking away certain obstacles to the body’s innate ability to heal—kinks in the craniosacral system—CranioSacral Therapy is helping to clear the way for the body to direct its own intricate healing and self-correction process. With fewer barriers to the healthy performance of the central nervous system, this command center can then interact more efficiently with all the other systems of the body.
Among the list of conditions that CranioSacral Therapy can be used to address are motor-coordination impairments, stress- and tension-related disorders, brain and spinal cord injuries, and many others.
–Brandi Schlossberg