What to Expect in a CranioSacral Therapy Appointment
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle manual therapy that releases tension and relaxes the nervous system.
CranioSacral Therapy relieves pain and dysfunction, restores balance, and enhances the body’s natural healing properties to promote health and wellness.
I practice in the Upledger tradition, which is a form of biomechanical CranioSacral Therapy. This approach uses light touch and myofascial release to prevent stagnation and obstruction, and to enable cerebrospinal fluid, oxygen, blood, and energy to flow through the body so you feel relaxed and at ease.
Previous clients have described their experience as:
a massage for the nervous system;
a supported awareness practice;
better than the best savasana;
the most relaxed they have ever felt.
How should I prepare for a CranioSacral Session?
CranioSacral Therapy is a practice of holding space and listening to your body’s wisdom. This means that whatever is present for you, it is a practice that will meet you where you are. All you need to do is show up exactly as you are and be open to receiving support.
Many practitioners will ask you to complete intake forms in advance of your session to help them prepare for your appointment. In my practice, those forms include an overview of your health history, current symptoms, and goals. When you book your appointment, you will receive an email with a link to complete the intake process online in your client portal.
What should I wear to my appointment?
Wear loose, comfortable clothing that you will feel comfortable wearing while lying on your back on a massage table. You will likely remain clothed for your session, unless your provider is a massage therapist and is incorporating CST into a massage session.
What can I expect during the treatment?
Sessions are typically booked for 60 or 90 minutes. To support your ability to fully relax, you are encouraged to turn off or silence your phone and remove your smartwatch.
At the start of your session, your CranioSacral Therapist will welcome you into the space and provide an overview of the practice. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and to share your goals and intentions for the session.
My goal is to help you feel comfortable so that your nervous system can relax. Sessions are typically practiced lying down on a massage table. We can provide bolsters and blankets to support your body so that you may rest comfortably. My massage table can be heated, which creates a cozy cocoon!
I begin most sessions with a centering practice, which could include a guided meditation, breathwork, somatic exploration, and/or a vagus nerve reset activity. The intention is to help you connect with your body’s wisdom and invite the parasympathetic nervous system to activate so your body is ready to receive rest and support.
At the beginning of the session, your therapist will gently rest their hands on various parts of your body, such as your feet, legs, hips, abdomen, and head to listen to and assess your craniosacral rhythm. If there is an area that does not express a balanced craniosacral rhythm, your therapist might pause in that area and offer myofascial release and energy support to facilitate space and restore balance.
First-time appointments offered by Upledger-trained CranioSacral Therapists often follow the foundational 10-step protocol, which involves balancing the pelvic, respiratory, and thoracic diaphragms, releasing tension in the sacrum and occipital cranial base, balancing the cranial bones, and lengthening the dural tube using specific hand placements along the vertebrae and on the cranial bones.
CranioSacral practitioners with advanced training may also incorporate manual therapy for the mouth when indicated. Mouthwork is always performed while wearing surgical gloves. Like all CST techniques, it uses gentle touch to release tension in the hard palate and the muscles of the face around the cheekbones and jaw.
Mouthwork can be very effective for treating:
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ disorders)
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Migraines and other headaches
Tongue-tie
Neck and shoulder pain
Pelvic pain (because there is a connection between the pelvic floor and the throat and vocal diaphragm)
At the end of the session, you will be given quiet time to integrate, in a similar manner to ending a yoga practice with savasana. When you are ready to transition, you can take your time arising. Your therapist will be there to check in and give you time to share about your experience.
Before you leave, you can schedule a follow-up appointment!
How will I feel during and after a session?
Most people feel profoundly relaxed. It is common for pain to dissipate or disappear during a CranioSacral session, so you may feel a shift in your symptoms and an improvement in your function.
As your body unwinds and releases tension, you may experience emotions, significant thoughts, or memories. SomatoEmotional Releases help your body to process stored traumas that have manifested as physical stress. Often, these releases feel like a weight has been lifted, and they allow the body to reorganize.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System is the Rest and Digest branch of your nervous system. When you relax in a CranioSacral session and your Parasympathetic Nervous System activates, you may feel tired. This is a good thing, particularly if you have been dealing with high stress and increased Sympathetic Nervous System activation.
Feeling tired means that your nervous system is at ease. You are encouraged to listen to the instinct to rest if that is possible with your schedule. You may feel tired for the rest of the day. Most people wake up the next day feeling refreshed and vibrant.
What should I do after a CranioSacral session?
Your body will continue to process and integrate for the next few days. To facilitate healing:
Drink lots of warm or hot water to flush your system and encourage the cerebrospinal fluid to be hydrated.
Rest if you are able.
Eat simple foods and avoid highly stimulating activities.
Allow your nervous system to stay relaxed.
Listen to your body’s wisdom.
What if I have a question?
If you would like to learn more about CranioSacral Therapy, I invite you to read my blog post about the art and science of the practice.
The Upledger Institute is also a great resource for research, case studies, and information about the treatment method.
If you aren’t sure if CranioSacral Therapy is right for you, please schedule a free Discovery Call so we can explore your options. I’m happy to answer questions and share my experience as a patient and a provider. And if CST isn’t the best fit for you right now, I’ll do my best to connect you with a modality and provider who can support you.
How can I book an appointment?
I hope you are excited to experience CranioSacral Therapy! I offer CranioSacral Therapy in Shelburne, VT, and I would love to introduce you to this beautiful practice.
