Craniosacral
Therapy
Brings calm, restores balance and supports your body’s own natural healing
What is Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, non-invasive touch therapy intended to promote relaxation and support the body’s own natural healing capacity. It understands that the human body is in a constant process of restoration and renewal; but this inherent potential for wellness can be compromised or depleted by the accumulation of illness, trauma and stress. Craniosacral Therapy creates a held space in which the body can settle and reconnect with its natural self-regulating processes. Using the lightest of touch, the therapist 'listens' to the body, detecting subtle disturbances within its natural rhythms and movements. In bringing focus and attention to these areas, the body’s own natural healing ability is activated to begin the process of enhancing wellbeing.
During a treatment, you lie, fully-clothed, on a comfortable massage table in a quiet, softly-lit room and contact is carefully made on areas such your cranium, torso, spine, sacrum and feet. The process is peaceful and meditative, allowing your body to settle and deepen into its own natural rhythms. The pace and approach are always guided by your safety, comfort and individual readiness. Every treatment is carefully adapted to suit need, making them appropriate for both adults and children.
Many people experience a lasting sense of:
- deep rest and relaxation
- release from tension and restriction
- grounding and coming back to themselves
- clarity and calm
- renewed vitality
Craniosacral Therapy for Children
Treatments are carefully tailored to meet your child's safety and needs. I offer 45- or 60-minute appointments, depending on your child’s age, capacity and needs. This time allows space for your child to arrive, settle and feel comfortable, and for pauses and breaks to take place during treatment. The session will follow your child’s natural cues and rhythms, allowing them to lie down, rest, move, explore or play before and during the treatment. Hands-on craniosacral work only ever takes place when your child is ready.
No two sessions will look exactly the same. Some days your child may engage quickly; other days, they may need more time or reassurance. Sessions are always adapted to what supports your child best on the day. You remain present and can stay close to your child throughout. You are also encouraged to be directly involved in offering attention and reassurance. Please bring with you any favourite toys, games or books that allow your child to settle and focus.
Parents and caregivers are an important part of a child’s nervous-system support and development. In most cases, both you and your child's nervous systems are directly attuned to one another. A shift in the emotional or physiological state of one will affect the other. So, when parents feel calmer and more regulated, so can their children. For this reason, I often treat both parents and children at the same time. Appointments can be booked for:
- just your child
- just you with your child present
- both you and your child
All of these appointments can or will involve treating both of you. Please see my offers here.
Fascial Unwinding
Not commonly practised by many craniosacral therapists, fascial unwinding is a technique used to release stored tension. Fascia is a single, continuous sheet of connective tissue that envelops every structure in the body: muscles, organs, bones, nerves and vessels. It influences energy flow and plays a key role in the body's own self-regulation. It is here that the body stores tension from stress, anxiety, difficult emotions, injuries and trauma. The negative effects of these tensions can be transmitted via the fascia throughout the entire body.
By working areas such as the neck, arms, legs, heart or stomach), slow movement can help enable the unwinding of tension, encouraging balance throughout the entire fascia and promoting whole-body wellbeing. I offer fascial unwinding as a standard part of my practice, whenever it is useful to the treatment process.
What to Expect During a Treatment
- Subtle, light-touch contact: hands are placed gently at key contact points on your body
- Deep relaxation: your system is invited to relax and settle at its own pace
- Whole-body focus: attention is given to your nervous system, fascia and overall energetic balance
- Release of restrictions: physical and emotional holding or imbalance may unwind naturally
- Restoration and balance: the body’s natural healing capacity enhances equilibrium and wellbeing
- Integration: a moment is offered for rest and reflection immediately after the treatment
Craniosacral Therapy as a Complementary Practice
Craniosacral Therapy is offered as a complementary approach that can work well alone or in tandem with other forms of treatment. These may be other complementary therapies or statutory healthcare (such as from a GP or psychotherapist). Bear in mind that Craniosacal Therapy is not a substitute for statutory healthcare. If you or someone you care for is currently receiving support from a statutory health professional, please consult them first before receiving Craniosacral Therapy.
If you are also looking to explore the relationship between your wider life and your wellness, Holistic Coaching can complement Craniosacral Therapy treatment. I offer combined packages of the two.
Making a Good Start
Because it can take more than one session to really settle into the work, new clients are offered their second session at no additional cost. Please see my Offers for more details.
Thinking about
Cranio or Coaching?
Just reach out. An email or chat can clarify what support will most help, without any pressure to commit.
"Treatment sessions with Shaun have helped me to support my body on so many levels, from deep healing relaxation to supporting injuries sustained in my body. I look forward to a treatment with Shaun and can feel the difference in my whole body and mind for days after. Shaun’s treatments are transformative."
Emma Mills, Midwife
"Shaun's sessions were safe, grounding and deeply relaxing. I happily recommend him as a trauma-sensitive professional who attuned to my individual needs in each session."
Lara McManus, Occupational Therapist
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