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Frequently asked questions regarding CST

By Rebecca Parker, B.A., D.R.M.

  1. What is CST
  2. Is CST safe?
  3. How can it help me?
  4. How many sessions will I need for my particular problem?
  5. I didn't feel much, why not?
  6. I didn't feel any pain before having a CST session, how come I feel pain now?
What is CST?
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a full body assessment and treatment plan that addresses the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. These membranes are attached to the under surface of the skull (cranium) and tailbone (sacrum) hence the name CranioSacral. The membranes are filled with a fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) that flows in a rhythmical fashion within the craniosacral system. CranioSacral Therapists are trained to be able to detect the effects of that fluid flow anywhere on the body. The pressure of my touch will be very light (less than ¼ ounce or 5gms of pressure) in different places on your body. The effects of CST are profound, as it activates your self-corrective healing mechanisms; and the level of relaxation attained is extremely deep. As one can imagine, a treatment that is providing the environment of the central nervous system with increased health and wellbeing, is going to have far reaching effects on all levels. Back to List of FAQs
Is CST safe?
CST is completely safe and non-invasive. It can be used on anyone from new borns to the elderly. The positive effects of CST rely on the hydraulic forces within the craniosacral system to contribute to the corrective process. Contraindications to CST, therefore, are suspected intracranial haemorrhage or aneurism, as well as any condition for which it is ill-advised to alter intracranial pressure. Such conditions are routinely checked during intake procedures. Back to List of FAQs
How can it help me?
CST works on many levels simultaneously from the physical to the subtle. Firstly, it balances the autonomic nervous system by relaxing sympathetic tone, which keeps the body alert, and by improving parasympathetic tone, which allows the body to relax and heal. CST enhances fluid flow to all tissue types. What that means is that the electro chemical flow of information in the body is enhanced. As strain patterns in the connective tissue and muscle groups relax, physical pain is released, the general functioning of the viscera is improved, powers of concentration will be enhanced and any emotional ups and downs will start to even out. Many people find they sleep better, have more energy, and get sick less often. In fact, one’s whole attitude to life can become more optimistic. CST does not ignore the influence of the mind, as well as emotional and spiritual issues, so the option is available if you decide to work at deeper levels, releasing not just physical insults, but looking to heal any emotional trauma anchored in the body. Back to List of FAQs
How many sessions will I need for my particular problem?
CST acknowledges that each body has its own time frame for healing, and so does not specify in advance how long a treatment protocol will continue. If we discover that your complaint is a protective mechanism for an underlying issue, it would not be fair to your journey to limit the scope and depth of the healing process by assigning a time constraint to that journey. On the other hand, it could be that your complaint clears up after one visit, and you’ll go out there and tell everybody you meet what a wonderful therapy CST is. My observations with clients in the past, and my own first hand experience receiving CST indicate that it has an accumulative effect. So you may find that even after your complaint has been addressed, you’ll choose to have regular treatment sessions to help keep your body in tune, or as a preventative health care measure. That’ll be up to you. However, I like to encourage my clients to keep a maintenance programme going, specific to their needs. Back to List of FAQs
I didn’t feel much, why not?
Some people don’t feel anything, as they are unused to a technique that is so subtle it would appear the therapist isn’t moving at all. From my training, I am well aware of the changes occurring, as I follow the cues your body gives out. Over the next few days and weeks, you may find that you’re aware of the effects of the treatment, even though you didn’t feel anything happening during the session. CST has a different approach to the traditionally held belief that the therapist is the expert about your body. We say you are inherently the expert about your body, while I am the expert about this technique which works by giving your body the space, time and support it needs for its own self-corrective mechanisms to work. So that is a different perspective, and may take getting used to, especially, if you are used to the therapist doing something in an active way. Back to List of FAQs
I didn’t feel any pain before having a CST session, why do I feel pain now?
Your pain is your body talking to you. It can reveal the sites of impact or insult, tension or stress within the body. However, the body often learns to mask pain, be it of physical or emotional content, so that we can get on with our lives. Of course, that costs energy. CST releases those holding patterns which protect us from feeling pain. This can be the first layer of healing for a lot of people. Sometimes pain is layered upon even deeper layers, especially if there has been a history of physical trauma to the body. As more recently acquired strain patterns are released, latent underlying issues can start to surface. If you are familiar with the pain that you are currently experiencing, then something similar may be happening in your case. In my experience, the more conscious we get around the stuff we’re releasing, the more freedom we get to experience in our life after it is gone. Also, the more we release the holding patterns that prevent us from feeling pain in the first place, the more energy we have. So that’s the good news about pain. Back to List of FAQs