Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST) is light but potent touch therapy that connects to bodily rhythms to deeply listen. When the body is relaxed, listened to, and surrounded by conscious presence, new resources and connections can be carefully tapped into and the body can find ways of restoring health, and balance. Sometimes we work in an anatomically precise way and sometimes it is more necessary to relate to your general energy field and the flow of the central nervous system.

The foundations of Craniosacral Therapy began with the work of an osteopath, Dr William Sutherland (1873-1954). He discovered that the body produces subtle tide-like rhythms, which he called Primary Respiration (PR). A Craniosacral Therapist connects to these rhythms in a supportive way.

In Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy training we study the nature of health and learn how to feel the expressions of health as subtle biodynamic motions in the body. We orientate to the body’s natural wisdom to allow your own, ever-present intelligent processes to arise, and bring about authentic change.

“That connection to our bodily selves is available to us in every moment. We have always been embodied, but sometimes we need a gentle invitation to remember that.”

- Hilary L. McBride, PhD (The Wisdom of Your Body)

Craniosacral Therapists respond to the natural rhythms of bodily systems, such as cerebral spinal fluid, to awaken connections between organs and other areas in the body, establishing an improved balance and flow.

Your body is full of energy which flows like waves on the sea. We listen with our hands to these many different waves of energy in your body, similarly to how a talking therapist listens to your words. A Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist connects to, and stays with, the areas where the flow may have been blocked or misdirected. This can help your body identify areas in need of attention. Although Craniosacral Therapy is commonly believed to focus only on the head, it instead encompasses the whole body. Your body can respond to this touch by beginning to listen to itself, and that is when it can make positive shifts and discover resources.

To give an example: A client might come with a painful right shoulder. This shoulder pain might have started after a fall at work. The client may also have been going through a stressful divorce at the time which was causing muscular tensions all around the neck and back. They may have also given up badminton many years ago because of pain in the same shoulder. Essentially there are many contributing factors to the pain that is being expressed so strongly in their right shoulder at that moment. Naturally the client wants the pain to stop. By relating to the subtle rhythms of the body, a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist can track the many contributing threads of the pain expressing itself in the shoulder.

When we touch upon all the possible reasons, the wisdom of the body has a way of picking up on our awareness and following through on an energetic and physiological level by correcting imbalances and finding the resources that are needed for repair. Muscles can soften, blood can flow more easily, and new vitality may be tapped into.

Isn’t it wonderful that your body has such an infinite pool of wisdom? I feel lucky to be able to work with that wisdom.

When people describe their experience of Craniosacral Therapy, they say that they find it “deeply relaxing”and “relieving”. They can feel a “deep sense of connection and stillness.” A feeling that you have been truly and completely heard is a frequent experience during and after a BCST session.

In your first appointment taking a detailed case history is essential. I will listen openly and carefully to the reasons for your visit and any part of your history that you feel might be important. The act of complete listening is an integral part of my practice.

In general a session is about an hour long. You will remain fully clothed, and will be asked, in most cases to lie on your back or side. In some cases though, due to an injury, or if a woman is heavily pregnant, it is totally fine to treat you while you are seated. I will make very light contact with various parts of your body, always respectfully and supportively, making sure that you are comfortable with all the hand positions first. Because everything is connected in surprising ways it may be necessary to focus on areas other than where your symptoms occur. For example, if you arrive with knee pain, I may have to give a lot of attention to your hip as well.

It is good to discuss sensations that come up in your body as they arise during the session. These discussions can lead to important insights. Sometimes however, a session can be a very quiet as we come together in embodiment, and if that is what is needed at the time, then peace and stillness can be helpful too. It is always the intention of a BCST practitioner to give space. By creating a spacious environment for you to relax in, your body, can make the changes it needs.

Following a session there is sometimes a period of adjustment, as part of the process of healing, where you may be more aware of your symptoms. One or two sessions can sometimes be enough to release the initial area of pain, but for long-standing problems it will most likely take further sessions. I recommend booking five sessions. Often people find that they benefit greatly in terms of their general health from regular treatments over a longer period of time because it helps them retain a consistent and gentle awareness of what their body is communicating and feeling.

Craniosacral Therapy can be a doorway to finding a deeper understanding of yourself. This gentle therapy is a meaningful way of processing life’s experiences. Because it is so gentle and non-invasive it is useful for a wide range of clients with a variety of health issues.

We can treat people of all ages from new born to very elderly with chronic pain, migraines, inflammation, fatigue, long covid, recovery after dental work, post operative recovery, problems with joints and, injuries. It can help with anxiety, back and neck pain, or if you have difficulty sleeping. It is particularly effective way of working with trauma, as the therapist can connect to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Teenagers, for example, may want to have Craniosacral Therapy to support them as they go through what can be a very difficult time hormonally, emotionally, and existentially.

To benefit from BCST you do not have to have an illness or a problem that you can put a finger on. Some find it a nourishing space to be in, to help their nervous system find true rest for the purpose of a healthier life. These are just some examples of reasons why someone would want to see a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist. If you reach out to me, we can discuss what might be the appropriate path for you.

BCST is not a replacement for going to a GP or a doctor, but sometimes it can help as well, or assist in areas where one has not been able to find answers or solutions in other ways.