Part 4: What To Expect During & After A Craniosacral Therapy Session

If you haven't already, please read the previous blogs to learn more about Craniosacral Therapy! Begin with Part 1: "What is Craniosacral Therapy and How has it changed my life."

Craniosacral Therapy is often a standalone, fully clothed session, devoted to facilitating a journey of returning to balance and wholeness.

To begin, it is often suggested that you wear comfortable, loose clothing to allow your fascia (tissue) mobility, or in other words, preferably nothing thick or restrictive like sweatshirts or jeans.

This is a versatile modality in that some techniques can be incorporated into your Integrative Medical Massage, Conscious Connective Coaching, Reflexology, or other sessions.

However, to experience the full range of benefits and begin your journey, a standalone session is highly recommended!

What you may expect DURING your session:

• A "typical" Craniosacral session lasts approximately 1 hour.

• New clients will be asked to complete medical history and policy paperwork.

• Sessions involve laying down on a padded, massage/physical therapy table.

• Pressure is typically 5-15 grams to assess and assist adverse fascial (tissue) restrictions that may be contributing to your pain, tension, stress, anxiety, etc.

• Although we tend to focus on physical discomfort, our bodies are more integrative and physical restrictions are often connected to our thoughts, feelings, repetitive patterns, etc.

• While we are not licensed mental health therapists, we are trauma-informed and often work along with your other professional resources.

• Most clients report feeling very relaxed and sometimes fall asleep.

• Not every session is completely quiet. Therapeutic imagery and dialoguing may be incorporated during your session to ensure your comfort and in releasing restrictions.

• Sometimes tissue memories, or stored pain, anxiety, stress, trauma, etc, may present themselves during a session and we are trained through SomatoEmotional Release techniques to assist in those releases as well.

• Please note, SomatoEmotional Release sessions are not something that can be scheduled as the innate wisdom of your body will only present what it wants to release, when it wants to release it!

What you may expect AFTER your session:

Most people feel very relaxed afterwards, however, your session does not end when you get off the table! Over the next 24-72 hours after a session, your body, mind, and spirit will be continue to process, integrate, and adjust. 

Please monitor yourself over the following days and weeks as you may experience:

• No noticeable differences (i.e. continued original symptoms)

• Subtle changes or improvements (i.e. went one week without a headache, not get angry at work, etc)

• May feel worse as your body adjusts (i.e. a shift back into balance can confuse the muscles and tissue that had grown accustomed to the dysfunction...or areas of “numbness” are awakened)

• May feel or experience a release of emotions or memories (i.e. our body can sometimes release buried emotions you felt during an original injury or incident and/or release memories associated with it)

• Other people may notice differences (i.e. someone says you look or act different, etc)

• You may feel free from pain, tension, stress, and anxiety right away!

  
  

Every “body” is different and every session can be different!  Some are "relaxing," while others may feel intense or "life transforming."

You may experience one or a combination of above.

It is always advised you inform your therapist if you have any concerns, questions, or anything you wish to share!

Stay tuned for the next blog about the healing process!