What is Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy?

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is a light touch modality of bodywork with an emphasis in working with the central nervous system. With the client fully clothed on the massage table, or in any comfortable relaxed position, I "listen to" and support the health and natural rhythms which are always expressing themselves in the body. With a comprehensive knowledge of the anatomy of the skull spine and the central nervous system I track the subtle movements in this area, where they are getting stuck as well as how that affects the body as a whole. BCST is very deeply quieting as practitioner and client work layer by layer to work out imbalance and interference. It's truly wholistic in the recognition that the body heals itself from the inside out and my work as the practitioner is helping the client best harness and direct their own health and vitality toward balanced health. Some of the ways my clients have benefited from BCST For adults and children:

  • Physical comfort -- relieves aches and pains, subtly supporting structural alignment Supports sense of peace and well-being -- since majority of disease, especially chronic disease, is stress related BCST works at the root cause to support thriving.

  • Healing from surgeries, accidents and injuries -- BCST relieves pain and aids the healing of tissues.

  • Healing from effects of trauma -- Accidents, violence or any sudden or even long-term overwhelming event can leave the brain and nervous system in a prolonged state of fight flight or shut-down/collapse long after the trauma is over. BCST can help process/integrate the trauma and orient the nervous system to safety in the present moment instead of staying stuck in the trauma memory.

During Conception & Pregnancy

  • Support healthy conception

  • Physical comfort: relieves aches and pains of pregnancy, subtly supporting structural alignment

  • Supports sense of peace and well-being: since majority of disease, especially chronic disease, is stress related BCST works at the root cause to support thriving of mother and growing baby

  • Establish/re-establish connection to baby in womb: the nervous system of an infant in and out of the womb is very slow, BCST gives a quiet container for mother to connect with Baby's slower pace, healthy attachment begins from the very beginning

For Infants and New Parents

  • Postpartum well-baby visit

  • Structural support: help restore shape of skull and general structural alignment from the strong compressive forces of the birth process

  • Breastfeeding support: difficulties sometimes related to structural issues (see above) or birth trauma (see below)

  • Attachment/bonding support: healthy connection between mother and baby is important for satisfaction and enjoyment during infancy and physical and emotional health in later life, the nervous system of an infant is very slow, BCST gives a quiet container for parents to connect with Baby's slower pace

  • Healing effects of traumatic or overwhelming birth experience

Combined with my training in healing early developmental trauma we would address all the aspects listed above with the added emphasis on supporting parents and infant integrate traumatic experience and help settle nervous systems of all. Sessions with infants are always done together with parents.

“Life expresses itself as motion. At a deep level of our physiological functioning all healthy, living tissues subtly “breathe” with the motion of life - a phenomenon that produces rhythmic impulses which can be palpated by sensitive hands. The presence of these subtle rhythms in the body was discovered by osteopath Dr William Sutherland over 100 years ago, after he had a remarkable insight while examining the specialized articulations of cranial bones. Contrary to popular belief Dr Sutherland realized that cranial sutures were, in fact, designed to express small degrees of motion. He undertook many years of research during which he demonstrated the existence of this motion and eventually concluded it is essentially produced by the body’s inherent life force, which he referred to as the “Breath of Life.” Furthermore, Dr Sutherland discovered that the motion of cranial bones he first discovered is closely connected to subtle movements that involve a network of interrelated tissues and fluids at the core of the body; including cerebrospinal fluid (the ‘sap in the tree’), the central nervous system, the membranes that surround the central nervous system and the sacrum.”
— Michael Kern