Here is a wonderful story about the benefits and the dynamic of a CranioSacral Therapy process-
“Our new pastor got sick shortly after coming to our church. He was having migraines and upper respiratory problems. I barely knew him, but I finally got the courage to suggest that CranioSacral Therapy (CST) might help. I was uncertain how he would receive my suggestion. When I broached the topic, he showed some interest and accepted my offer to work on him.
I wanted him to have confidence in me and in CST, so as part of my explanation of the work I told him that it is scriptural, like laying on of hands. I was caught off guard by his response. He looked at me from across his desk and said, “Well, that sounds nice, but is there any empirical data to support its effectiveness?” I had expected a less technical question from a man of faith. Apparently, though, I was able to explain the physiological aspects of CST to his satisfaction, because he agreed to let me work on him.
In the first session I arced to his respiratory diaphragm, which was higher than I had expected in a tall man with a long torso. The first release was rather dramatic. After just a few seconds, he took a deep gasp of air, and I felt his breathing drop from his chest to his abdomen. I also felt a shift in his diaphragm. As it released, it seemed to relax and drop lower in his chest, freeing up his breathing. He commented that he could feel air deeper in his lungs than he had for some time. There was a corresponding softening and opening in the thoracic outlet. His hyoid responded nicely, allowing for opening in the throat and deepening of his voice.
Pastor Dan’s presenting complaint had been persistent migraine headaches. When I monitored the cranial rhythm, I felt a restriction of the flow to the left. Similarly, I found restrictions on the left side of the frontal bone, the sphenoid, the parietals, and the temporal bones. I didn’t know which side was affected by his headaches, so I asked if they were primarily on the left. He was surprised that I was able to identify the affected side. When I did a CV-4 still point, he went very quickly into a deep still point. I was somewhat alarmed by its depth and duration. When the rhythm came back on, he was not only more relaxed, but he noted a total relief from the constant pressure on the left side of his head. He said he hadn’t realized how much tension he had been holding until it was gone
Knowing that he had had a recent root canal, I suggested that he might benefit from some mouth work in his next session. I explained the avenue of expression. Since speaking is an important aspect of his work, and he had already experienced an opening up in his throat, he agreed to give it a try.
Pastor Dan’s next session came sooner than expected. When he was too sick to come to church on Sunday, I called to tell him that I was coming over. He was mildly resistant to the idea but agreed that if it would help him feel better, he’d give it a try.
When I arrived I found that he had been very sick, running a high fever, coughing until his chest ached, and unable to get out of bed. He had been to the doctor, who diagnosed flu with a possible secondary infection in the bronchi. The doctor prescribed antibiotics, which resulted in vomiting and abdominal cramping.
My approach was very basic.A series of still points helped lower the fever. Work to the respiratory diaphragm allowed for deeper and less strained breathing. Gentle traction of the dural tube revealed a restriction in the thoracic area that seemed to correspond to the aching in his chest. And dural tube rock and glide led to a softening and lengthening of the paravertebral and intercostal muscles, resulting in less chest pain.
I finished the session with another still point, then advised his wife that I expected he would sleep more comfortably. She later told me that he had slept soundly for five hours, after which he reported that he was feeling better and was hungry. His illness ran its course in another couple of weeks, leaving him pale, weak, and listless but able to resume his regular schedule.
After he seemed well enough, I once more presented the idea of a session with mouth work. Again he seemed somewhat skeptical but willing to give it a try.
The session went very well. He experienced a widening in the maxillae, a relief of restriction in the left palatine, and improved synchrony of the sphenoid and vomer rhythm. Releasing the zygoma relieved sinus pressure. At the end of the session he told me that he felt like he was breathing in areas previously unavailable to him.
After only three sessions, he reports that he is feeling great, has no more headaches, is breathing much easier, and has a lot more support for his voice when he preaches.
I don’t know if this experience has strengthened Pastor Dan’s faith, but I guess he has become a believer in CranioSacral Therapy.”
Lynne Tupper, MPH,OTR, CST
Houston,Texas
CranioSacral Therapy Practitioner since 1998-
Reprinted with permission by The Upledger Institute Inc.
Great work Lynn! Thx for sharing-
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