What Does a CST Treatment Look Like?

When you arrive for the 1st session, we will spend approximately 30 minutes going through your medical history and discussing what brought you to me and any treatment goals. I feel this time is very important for you to “tell me your story”, to be heard and I find it helps us both to focus on your exact needs. On subsequent visits this time will be about 15 minutes where we will discuss how you have been since I last saw you.

A treatment will usually last between 45-50 minutes on the couch where you will lay, fully clothed in a comfortable position (heat and or blankets are available).

I will then assess your CranioSacral Rhythm by gently placing my hands at various places along the body, starting at the feet and moving up to the head, gathering information of where there may be a restriction. Areas where the rhythm is reduced/weak can indicate ‘stuck’ places in your body, I will gently hold these areas and wait for the body to soften and release.

I understand that when you are in pain even the thought of a light touch can be scary, I will always check in with you throughout the session to make sure it is comfortable and if this changes you can let me know immediately and I will adjust my pressure.

What you experience during a treatment is highly individual. Some people say they feel deeply relaxed, others describe feeling unwinding sensations as the body releases tension. As the tissues release and let go you may notice changes in your breathe, you may feel softening/relaxation in your muscles, your tummy may gurgle or heat is released, these are all normal. You may also sometimes feel a variety of emotions e.g., sadness, anger, happiness and you may laugh or cry, again these are all normal reactions.

After the session I will offer you some water and we will spend about 10-15 minutes reviewing the changes that have happened and ways in which you can continue to help yourself at home.

You may leave in a very relaxed state that you feel like sleeping for hours or you may leave full of energy.

You may feel less pain or more comfortable movement immediately after the session or the effects may develop gradually over the next few days.

Since CranioSacral Therapy helps the body resume its natural healing processes, it’s common for your improvements to continue weeks after the session.

Clients frequently ask me how many sessions will be needed to help with their particular problem, there is no set rule as it can vary from client to client. Generally speaking, the longer and more complex your issue, the more sessions you will need. Also, clients who have good overall health tend to respond more quickly than those whose health is depleted. In my experience, the majority of my clients tend to notice positive changes between 4-6 sessions.