FAQ
FAQ: CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY
What is CranioSacral Therapy?
How can it help me?
How many sessions will I need for my ________ problem?
I didn’t feel much, why not?
How come I feel pain in my _____ when I didn’t feel it at the beginning of the session?
What do I wear for my treatment?
What do I do during a massage?
What should I get my honey-bunny for her/his Birthday/promotion/Valentineís day?
How will I feel after the massage therapy treatment?
CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY FAQ
What is CranioSacral Therapy?
CranioSacral Therapy focuses on healing the very core of the body, which is the system around the brain and spinal cord. With a light touch (and I mean ‘weight of a nickel’ light), it can release long held restrictions in that core. Once any deep restriction and patterns are released, the body is able to set itself to “self-correction” mode, and heal from the inside out. Because we use such a light touch, it’s suitable for everyone from newborns to delivering mothers to the elderly.
How can it help me?
Like Swedish massage and Shiatsu, it’s great for deep relaxation and detoxification. CST puts a lot of emphasis on the healing the Central Nervous System – the system that bears the brunt of day-to day stress – and once pain and stress leave the body, you’re better able to fight off disease and function at optimum level.
There are some conditions that CST is really great at relieving. You should definitely give it a try if you have migraines, TMJ syndrome, Fibromyalgia, or chronic back and neck pain. It can treat spinal chord injuries and chronic fatigue syndrome, help to relieve post-traumatic stress syndrome, and even release residue from accidents and other traumas. And CST also has a great track record of improving sensory disorders (eye-motor coordination problems, autism, loss of taste or smell), and it’s great for your kids too, helping with learning disabilities, colic and other infantile disorders.
How many sessions will I need for my problem?
Everyone’s body responds to treatment in its own time. Session requirements vary widely from person to person, even though the symptoms may be superficially similar. Many people see positive changes after one single session; for others, it may take 1-3 sessions a week for several weeks to get lasting results. I usually suggest a discounted package of 3 trial sessions to see how your body improves.
I didn’t feel much, why not?
Everyone experience this work in their own way, and sometimes in a very different from one session to the next. You may fall asleep during one session, chatter during another, and not feel much in others. Clients often feel their body shifting throughout the 72 hours after a session as the body self-corrects. For some clients, the experience of change can last for several weeks after a session. And even if you don’t feel much change right away, the work we do together is takes place at a deep level, so remember to drinks lots of water, and try to get some extra sleep – vivid dreams are not at all unusual.
How come I feel pain in my _____ when I didn’t feel it at the beginning of the session?
Clients usually report that they feel great right away, but sometimes you might experience a few new aches and pains coming to the surface. When deeply held patterns are released, your body may reorganize and shift, which can lead to some temporary discomfort. Or sometimes, when your body is set free from particular restrictions or adaptive patterns, the one still being held may come to seem more intense. Personally, I usually feel great after a session, but there are times when I’ve felt amazing the day after treatment, then uncomfortable and achy the second day, the fine again on the third.
What is the main differences between Western (Swedish/Deep Tissue) and Eastern (Shiatsu/Thai/Tui Na) Massage modalities that you offer?
What I would say is that the focus of Western massage is more structural. The object is to make the body as comfortable as possible. The practitioner’s focus is on anatomy, treating specific parts of the body, and seeing the way one part of the body affects another. So this emphasis on structure is great for relieving any immediate symptoms.
With the Eastern approach, while anatomy is an integral part of training, the focus is on the underlying energy patterns in the body, with much more emphasis on the body as a whole. A good balance between all of a person’s aspects – physical, emotional and spiritual – is considered healthy. These three spheres are interconnected, and if one is off balance, it affects the rest of the body.
What do I wear for my massage?
Please bring or wear comfortable clothing as the modalities I offer are clothing based. Most clients wear a T-shirt and yoga pants or anything stretchy.
What do I do during a massage?
Number one: Don’t forget to breathe! Try to bring your awareness out of your head and into your body. On particular tense spots, it’s helpful to imagine your lungs expanding all the way out to that spot – breathe into it, and try to breathe out the tension on the exhale. Be sure to let me know if I can adjust the pressure or stretch, if the table is too hot, or if you need a blanket at any point in the massage. I want the experience to be as enjoyable as possible for you!
Can I give a gift session?
Of course! I offer gift certificates for all services.
How will I feel after the appointment?
On average, you’ll feel very relaxed (and sometime spacey). At the end of the treatment, I try to ground you by bringing the energy and focus to your feet; but if you’re driving a car or bike, please walk a block or so and get your sea-legs back before getting in your vehicle. And if you drink alcohol, I encourage you to abstain for that evening.
You will probably feel great, sleep well and maybe even have vivid dreams. However, sometime you may experience a few aches and pains as the body self-corrects. Sometimes some old emotions will work there way to the surface, during or after a treatment. Don’t stuff it back down! It’s best to acknowledge the emotion, and then send it on its merry way. If it hasn’t outgrown its usefulness, it’ll find its way back to where it’s needed on its own.