As practitioners of Craniosacral Therapy, we often find it a struggle to describe what it is that we do as we work with our clients. It is even harder to try and explain how so much change can occur through just placing your hands on the body and waiting to see what happens. This is indeed mysterious and transformative work, and often feels truly alchemical.

In early 2014 Daska and I sat down to write about how we view our work and to describe how strongly the feminine principle impacts and influences our practice. An early motivation was the fact that very few women have been published in our field despite so many practitioners being female. Daska has a lifelong love of mythology, and I had attended a workshop which used the Hero’s Journey as an inspiration for writing stories and novels. We believe that all ancient stories and myths echo not only the amazing and tortuous odyssey of life as a whole but also the smaller journeys that we travel in a lifetime. Our aim was to find a way to draw together the strands of our convictions in a meaningful way and illustrate the pathway towards better overall health that is sometimes experienced through a series of treatment sessions. Our own experience has taught us that we should also describe the challenges that present themselves for those involved. In a therapeutic relationship a client and her practitioner go through a complex process as they work together and we wanted to make it clear that it is not always plain sailing, even though the benefits are ultimately impressive. We were clear that what we were saying didn’t only apply to our own therapies, Craniosacral Therapy and Alexander Technique, but to everybody who practices some form of bodywork, and indeed to all the healing professions, both conventional and alternative. Being with someone in a therapeutic relationship requires, above all, feminine instincts for listening and waiting, coupled with an understanding that naming and treating a disease is less important than attempting to understand and value the person who is suffering it. These skills are feminine and intuitive in nature and recognise that both physical and emotional problems respond better where there is an empathic interaction between client and therapist. There is more chance of a successful and long-lasting outcome where that connection exists.

Liz Kalinowska

June 2016

Craniosacral therapist, Liz Kalinowska explores how Craniosacral Therapy works.

(taken from Living in Barnes magazine)

Craniosacral Therapy, or CST for short, is not as perplexing as it sounds. It is, quite simply, a very gentle form of bodywork which suits people of all ages. Craniosacral Therapists believe that we all have an innate ability to balance and restore ourselves, but that this skill sometimes needs  some outside help, especially at those times when we are particularly vulnerable  to overloading ourselves. One example of this is the Christmas period, when physical and emotional tensions often run high.

CST is already well known for the treatment of babies and children, especially those who have symptoms resulting from a difficult birth such as colic, sleeping and feeding difficulties. What is perhaps less known is its suitability for those who are experiencing high levels of stress of any description. Although stress is unavoidable these days, and we are designed to cope with a certain amount, overwhelm is always a possibility, and symptoms can arise which may eventually lead to serious illness. The symptoms of stress might appear random and mysterious, and are often poorly understood. Worrying about health can only add to the burden of stress upon us and our body.

The balanced, natural approach of CST helps the body rest and recover from stress overload by addressing it at it’s core, and relief may be experienced on mental, physical and emotional levels. The light listening touch of CST awakens your body to a deeper awareness and recognition of where tension is held and how to safely release it. Although whilst you are receiving CST, you might find that the hand contact is almost imperceptible, your body may surprise you in the depth of its response.

A CST session typically lasts an hour, and you will remain fully clothed and lie comfortably on a couch. Babies can be fed on their mother’s lap during their treatment if necessary. Most therapists will have books and toys to entertain smaller children. The elderly are particularly suited to CST because of its gentle approach and  soft warming touch. Over a series of treatments many of your deep and long-held tensions, both physical and emotional could benefit from this  non-invasive approach. As a general rule, people who have experienced it report that CST brings about a better sense of well-being, balance and mental clarity, and the results are often much more profound than they had expected.

Liz Kalinowska FCSTA, RCST

(taken from Living in Barnes magazine)