What is Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy? (In person/Online)

 

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST) is a gentle, yet effective, scientifically-proven whole-body hands-on touch therapy founded in Osteopathy.  While not a manipulative therapy, it has evolved to include influences from human development, pre and perinatal psychology, trauma resolution, and recent advances in neuroscience. 

 

BCST supports a body’s system to finds its own pathway to healing, supporting tension to unwind within the nervous system, allowing held trauma to release, inflammation of the muscles to reduce and misalignment of bones and tissues to resolve so that fluid can move optimally throughout the system.

 

BCST holds all that we are in each session, allowing it to be heard and expressed.  This therapy offers a container to feel our experiences fully and to embrace and be present with whatever arises within the safety of a skilled practitioner’s presence.

 

Through the support of BCST, clients can learn what it feels like to truly access stillness and experience safety within their body.  After a session, clients often express feeling a sense of wholeness, balance, ease of movement, clarity of mind, relief from pain, a sense of inner strength and renewed energy.

 

What does Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy treat:

 

• acute and chronic pain

• allergies

• arthritis, joint disorders

• athletic injuries

• concussion and brain injuries

• depression

• digestive disorders

• emotional stress

• headaches and migraines

• low immunity

• nervous system disorders

• physical injuries

• PTSD

• sleep issues

• TMJ and dental health problems

• trauma

 

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy can also greatly benefit pregnant & postnatal mothers, newborns, babies & children.  

 

Babies and children tend to respond very well to Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy.  It is extremely gentle and is particularly beneficial in rebalancing the newborn’s whole body system within their first year of birth.  

 

BCST can treat:

 

• assisted birth

• behavioural issues

• birth trauma

• breastfeeding and baby latching difficulties

• caesarean birth

• colic

• constipation

• difficulty settling

• distress/crying

• irregular head shape

• morning sickness

• post-natal depression

• pregnancy discomfort

• premature birth

• reflux

• separation from parents

• sleep issues

• shock/overwhelm 

 

What to expect in a session?

 

A Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy session starts with a few minutes chatting, mostly the practitioner listening to how the client is doing and what is going on in their life. The client then lies down fully clothed on the table, and when they are comfortable and ready, contact is made. This is a non-invasive touch therapy, which involves the practitioner placing their hands under or on top of the client’s body. Typical contact spots include but are not limited to feet, knees, sacrum, spine, neck, umbilicus, arms, and head. Contact for the client should be comfortable and so communication is important. As the practitioner settles in and “listens” or palpates what is going on in the body, they may stay at the same spot the whole session or may move several times to different locations on the body.  A Biodynamic Craniosacral treatment session will typically be scheduled for 30-60 minutes. You can ask for and expect an explanation of what you will be experiencing during the treatment.

How many sessions?

Response to Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy varies from individual to individual and condition to condition. Your response is uniquely your own and cannot be compared to anyone else's - even those cases that may appear to be similar to your own. The number of sessions needed varies widely from a series of 8 -12  sessions or continued care over the course of several months. 

 

For babies and children the number of Biodynamic Craniosacral treatments is also quite varied.  For more simple conditions, 1-3 sessions may be all that is needed. For more complicated or resistant conditions, a series of treatments may be useful to better facilitate the changes needed to effect good health. Occasionally, Craniosacral treatments will be an ongoing remedy for good developmental support.

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“​​​​​​​I came to you last year hoping to heal old injuries & prepare my body, mind & soul for conception. I was done with city life & frayed at the edges from working retail & dealing with medical doctors' vague insinuations that I "may have trouble conceiving". My expectations were far surpassed in our work together. I felt incredible after our craniosacral appointments; lighter, fuller, centred & more myself. Before one of our appointments, I had a four day chronic tension headache & by the end of our session 3/4's of the pain was relieved. We connected instantly & you held a safe, non-judgemental container for me to express my healing.” Anthea, Denman Island, BC