Infinite Touch Integrative Therapies, LLC: What Is CranioSacral Therapy

Showing posts with label What Is CranioSacral Therapy. Show all posts

Friday, November 17, 2017

Getting In Touch With CranioSacral Therapy

Join us for an interactive presentation to learn about the healing power of CranioSacral Therapy & SomatoEmotional Release.

"How does CranioSacral Therapy work, exactly?"
"What's the theory behind this unique practice?"
"What does a typical session include?"

If you've had these (or other!) questions about CranioSacral Therapy, please bring them with you to our upcoming presentation:

Getting In Touch With CranioSacral Therapy
Presenter: Darin Puppel, BCTMB, CST

WHEN: Saturday, December 2, 2017 OR Sunday, December 3, 2017
WHAT TIME: 2:00 - 4:30 PM
COST: Free!

The same content will be covered on each day, so you can choose the date that will work best with your schedule. The event will be held right here at our Lake of the Ozarks manual therapy office:

Infinite Touch Integrative Therapies, LLC

110 Crossings E. Drive, Suite 5

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Our office is located on the rear lower level of the Cooper Building.

What Will Be Covered?

We are planning an engaging, interactive presentation that should be fun as well as educational. Here is a sneak peek at the topics we plan to include:

General explanation of what CranioSacral Therapy is and how it works.
Overview of the relevant anatomy that CST frequently treats.
A look at the key innovators who helped develop CranioSacral Therapy.
A simple but thorough discussion of the theory behind CST and how we practice.
An introduction to SomatoEmotional Release, how it was developed, and its therapeutic power.

Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and get direct feedback from our CranioSacral Therapist at the Lake of the Ozarks, Darin Puppel. Darin will also perform a short demo session on a volunteer so that everyone will have an opportunity to see CranioSacral Therapy in action.

Why CranioSacral Therapy?

Humans are complex creatures with complicated lives. We have several aspects to our existence: physical, psychological, emotional, professional, energetic, personal, spiritual, and more. Each of these aspects are inextricably interrelated. You are not segmented into bits and pieces - every part of you affects every other part.

CranioSacral Therapy enables us to treat the entire person as an integrated whole. By listening attentively to the body, we are able to respond to its true needs. CST isn't about treating symptoms; it's about addressing the root cause and facilitating the body's natural progression towards health.

RSVP To Reserve Your Spot!

If you are planning to attend, we kindly request that you RSVP to Bailey Puppel by texting/calling 573-480-7080 or messaging our Facebook page. Space is limited, and we want to be sure that we can accommodate all of our guests. Feel free to invite family, friends, or whomever else you know that may be interested in the event.

Questions? Comments?

Hopes, dreams, fears? Contact Darin or Bailey Puppel to learn more about the upcoming presentation. We look forward to seeing you there!

Hands That Listen

- Post by Bailey Puppel

Infinite Touch Integrative Therapies, LLC

www.InfiniteTouchLLC.com

Phone:
(573) 280-4470
(573) 480-7080

Hours:
8:00 AM - 7:00 PM Monday-Friday
by appointment only

Address:
110 Crossings E Drive, Suite 5
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

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Monday, October 30, 2017

A Closer Look At The CranioSacral Rhythm

It's one of the most critical parts of the body, but it is often completely overlooked by modern care providers.

The craniosacral system is comprised of the ventricles in the brain, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that they produce, and the structures that house and protect the brain and spinal cord. As its name suggests, this system begins at the cranium and stretches down to the sacrum (the triangular bone at the end of the spine). Though it is only in this localized area, its function drastically impacts the body's vitality.

In this month's blog, we are taking a closer look at the craniosacral system and how we use it to conduct treatment sessions at our manual therapy office at the Lake of the Ozarks. First, however, we need to take a closer look at the central nervous system and the fluid that surrounds it.

The Central Nervous System

The brain and the spinal cord make up the central nervous system. These structures are without a doubt the most crucial structures in the body. The brain controls everything that happens in the body - respiration, digestion, movement, senses, reproduction, thoughts, emotions, and all other bodily processes. The spinal cord is responsible for relaying messages from the brain to the different parts of the body so that the appropriate actions may be taken.

As you are probably well aware, damage sustained by the brain and/or spinal cord can result in severe and far-reaching consequences. For this reason, the central nervous system is protected by the cranial bones, vertebral column, and various tissues and fluid to insulate, cushion, and guard against impact. However, what you may not realize is that even if the brain and spinal cord remain intact with no obvious signs of damage to their structure, their function can be impeded by various external factors.

Cerebrospinal Fluid

Cerebrospinal fluid is one of the most important substances that helps protect the central nervous system. It flows around the brain and the spinal cord in a continuous loop, serving three primary functions:

Insulating against blows or impacts by serving as a shock absorber
Distributing nutrients to the brain and spinal cord
Removing waste products from the central nervous system

The amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the craniosacral system must remain fairly constant, with a volume of approximately 2/3 of a cup. In order to maintain this balance, the system is always oscillating between filling and emptying.

When the fluid is its filling phase, the craniosacral system is said to be "in flexion." When the system is emptying, it is said to be "in extension." The loop is continuous, and the flexion/extension rhythm, though subtle, can be palpated throughout the entire body. This is the rhythm our Lake of the Ozarks CranioSacral Therapist tunes into when determining the best course of treatment.

Using The CranioSacral Rhythm For Treatment

In an ideal situation, the cerebrospinal fluid would be allowed to ebb and flow unimpeded. All structures of the body would have the mobility required to shift gently as the fluid travels its course, allowing each structure to gain the maximum benefit of a fully functioning craniosacral system.

Unfortunately, this ideal rarely - if ever - manifests in real life.

The craniosacral system is delicate. It can be easily impeded by countless different things, from distinct trauma (such as physical trauma or car accidents) to seemingly unimportant incidents (such as tripping over a step but catching yourself before you fall). It may also be impeded by emotional and/or psychological challenges, such as failing to speak your truth during an emotional conversation.

By tuning into the craniosacral rhythm at various key locations throughout the body (called "listening stations"), we can identify where the flow is impeded or, in some cases, entirely obstructed. Generally, we begin our therapy sessions in the location where the rhythm appears to be the most restricted.

Once this location has been identified, we meld with the tissue using a very gentle pressure (often only five grams or less) and allow it to lead us where it wants to go. By following its chosen path, we support the body on its journey toward improved function and help facilitate its natural progression towards health.

Contact Us To Learn More!

While some people may experience more profound results than others, practically everyone can benefit from CranioSacral Therapy in some way. The light touch used and the inherently non-invasive approach in CST make it a safe, effective option to add to your healthcare arsenal.

If you would like to learn more about CranioSacral Therapy and how it may be able to help your specific situation, please call us directly at (573) 280-4470. We truly look forward to being a part of your journey to a healthier, more fully integrated you!

Hands That Listen

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Understanding CranioSacral Therapy

You've learned it has countless applications, but what exactly IS it?

If you saw our last blog post about the different types of manual therapies we offer and the types of conditions we can help treat, you know that the applications of CranioSacral Therapy are extensive. However, the actual methodology (and, to some extent, the philosophy) of CranioSacral Therapy is largely unknown. In this blog post, we aim to help you get a better understanding of CranioSacral Therapy - what it is, how it works, and how it can help you.

What Is CranioSacral Therapy?

At its essence, CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on way of tuning into and releasing abnormal tensions in the body that are impeding its function. It is named after the craniosacral system (the structures that house and protect the central nervous system), as many of its techniques were originally designed to treat these structures. However, the applications of CST have since been expanded to treat every part of the body.

Osteopathic Physician Dr. John E. Upledger developed CranioSacral Therapy after years of extensive research and testing at Michigan State University, where he served as the Professor of Biomechanics. He later founded The Upledger Institute, which now hosts classes and intensive programs throughout the United States (and in several other countries) to make CranioSacral Therapy accessible to both patients and therapists around the globe.

How Does CranioSacral Therapy Work?

Photo Source:
facebook.com/upledger.institute

The craniosacral system has a pulse that can be felt throughout the entire body. Our CranioSacral Therapist at the Lake of the Ozarks uses a light touch to evaluate this rhythm. By identifying disturbances in the rhythm, Darin can determine which location within the body could most benefit from treatment that particular day.

Once we have identified where to begin treatment, we approach that part of the body using the same light touch. By coming in slowly and lightly in this manner, we avoid using unnecessary energy to battle the body's defense mechanisms that are activated by firmer pressure. This maximizes the benefit that the body may get from our touch. Using such a light touch also enables us to be sensitive to the subtle changes within the tissue. These subtle changes and movements are what guide each session.

How Can CranioSacral Therapy Help You?

If you read our previous blog post about the different therapies we offer, you may remember that we firmly believe in the body's innate power and wisdom to heal itself. We love CranioSacral Therapy because its methods truly embrace this philosophy.

By palpating the craniosacral rhythm to evaluate where treatment is needed, we can often identify the true sources of our clients' conditions - even when the source is nowhere near the location where symptoms are manifesting. Many of our clients who previously had difficulty identifying the cause of their symptoms have benefited from CranioSacral Therapy.

SomatoEmotional Release

No conversation about CranioSacral Therapy would be complete without also mentioning SomatoEmotional Release. The body processes every event we experience. If an event is overwhelming or traumatic, the body may store the accompanied energy/emotion to be safely processed at a later point in time. Inevitably, the body must compensate around this stored energy. Over time, the body may begin to develop physical symptoms that trace back to these held energies. Sometimes the symptoms are not obvious, but can still be just as debilitating.

SomatoEmotional Release (SER) is a process that the body may go through to release held tension, energy, and/or emotion. SER can be spontaneous - often, there is no conscious decision by either the client or the therapist to pursue an SER. However, we are trained and equipped to support our clients through this emotional aspect of their release, should the need arise. In future blog posts, we will take a closer look at how SomatoEmotional Release works.

Contact Us To Learn More!

While some people may experience more profound results than others, practically everyone can benefit from CranioSacral Therapy in some way. The light touch used and the inherently non-invasive approach in CST make it a safe, effective option to add to your healthcare arsenal.

If you would like to learn more about CranioSacral Therapy and how it may be able to help your specific situation, please call us directly at (573) 280-4470. We truly look forward to being a part of your journey to a healthier, more fully integrated you!

Hands That Listen