Inside the skull or cranium there is a covering over the brain, the dura, that continues down inside the spine to the sacrum and tailbone, protecting and supporting the central nervous system. This central nervous system controls the functioning of every organ, muscle and nerve in the body. CranioSacral healing is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the function of the craniosacral system. It enhances the body’s natural healing processes to improve the operation of the central nervous system, dissipate the negative effects of stress, enhance health and strengthen resistance to disease. Among the medical conditions for which it has shown to be effective are:

• Migraine Headaches
• Chronic Neck and Back Pain
• Motor-Coordination Impairments
• Central Nervous System Disorders
• Orthopedic Problems Dysfunction (TMJ)
• Chronic Fatigue
• Neurovascular or Immune Disorders
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Fibromyalgia and other Connective-Tissue
• Traumatic Brain & Spinal Cord Injuries
• Emotional Difficulties
• Stress & Tension-Related Probs.
• Temporomandibular Joint
• Scoliosis
• Infantile Disorders
• Autism
• Learning Disabilities
• Post-Surgical Dysfunction Disorders

Lymphatic Drainage Therapy is a hands-on method of detecting the specific rhythm, direction, depth and quality of the lymph flow anywhere in the body in order to assess overall circulation and determine the best alternate pathways for draining body-fluid stagnations. Therapists work with flat hands, using all the fingers to simulate gentle, specific wave-like movements. These subtle manual maneuvers activate lymph and interstitial fluid circulation as well as stimulate the functioning of the immune and parasympathetic nervous systems. Possible results include:

• Reduction in edemas (swelling) and lymphedemas of various origins
• Detoxification of the body
• Regeneration of tissue, including burns, wounds and wrinkles
• Anti-aging effects
• Relief of chronic and subacute inflammations, including sinusitis, bronchitis and otitis
• Relief of chronic pain
• Reduction in the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia
• Antispastic actions to relieve conditions such as muscle hypertonus and constipation
• Deep relaxation to aid insomnia, stress, loss of vitality and loss of memory
• Alleviation of adiposis and cellulite tissue

Myofascial Release is a hands-on technique that provides sustained pressure into myofascial restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. The fascia (or connective tissue) is a specialized system of the body that has an appearance similar to a spider’s web. It is very densely woven, covering and interpenetrating every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein as well as all of our internal organs including the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord.

The most interesting aspect of the fascial system is that it is not just a system of separate coverings. It is actually one structure that exists from head to foot without interruption. In this way you can begin to see that each part of the entire body is connected to every other part by the fascia, like the yarn in a sweater.

Fascia also plays an important role in the support of our bodies, since it surrounds and attaches to all structures. These structures would not be able to provide stability without the constant pull of the fascial system. In fact, our bones can be thought of as tent poles, which cannot support the structure without the constant support of the guide wires (or fascia) to keep an adequate amount of tension to allow the tent (or body) to remain upright with proper equilibrium.

In the normal healthy state, the fascia is relaxed and wavy in configuration. It has the ability to stretch and move without restriction. When we experience physical trauma, scarring or inflammation, however, the fascia loses its pliability. It becomes tight, restricted and a source of tension for the rest of the body. Trauma – such as a fall, whiplash, surgery or just habitual poor posture over time – and repetitive stress injuries have a cumulative effect. The changes they cause in the fascial system influence comfort and the functioning of our body. The fascia can exert excessive pressure producing pain or restriction of motion. They affect our flexibility and stability, and are a determining factor in our ability to withstand stress and strain.

This therapy employs a multitude of techniques to release restrictions and promote independence through education in proper body mechanics and movement, through the enhancement of strength, flexibility, and postural and movement awareness.

Soft-Tissue Technique is commonly applied to the musculature surrounding the spine, and consists of a rhythmic stretching, deep pressure and traction. Its purpose is to move tissue fluids (edema) and to relax hypertonic muscles and myofascial (fibrous tissue) layers associated with somatic dysfunction.

Strain and Counterstrain is a form of manual manipulative therapy that uses an indirect means of passively positioning a painful or restricted joint or muscle to relieve pain and mechanical dysfunction; it is applicable to a large range of musculoskeletal dysfunctions.

Technically speaking, it is “A passive positional procedure that places the body in a position of greatest comfort, thereby relieving pain by reduction and arrest of inappropriate proprioceptor activity that maintains somatic dysfunction. In addition, it is a mild overstretching applied in a direction opposite to the false and continuing message of strain from which the body is suffering” (Kusunose, Randall, PT, OCS, Strain and Counterstrain I For the Spine, The Jones Institute, Carlsbad, CA, 1995.).

At optimal health, the relationship between the organs (viscera) and structures of the body (muscles, membranes, fasciae and bones) remains stable despite the body’s endless varieties of motion. But when one organ can’t move in harmony with its surrounding viscera due to abnormal tone, adhesions or displacement, it works against all the body’s organs and structures. This disharmony creates fixed, abnormal points of tension that the body is forced to move around. That chronic irritation, in turn, paves the way for disease and dysfunction.

Visceral Healing is a gentle hands-on therapy that works through the body’s visceral system (the heart, liver, intestines and other internal organs) to locate and alleviate these abnormal points of tension throughout the body. VH employs specifically placed manual forces that work to encourage the normal mobility, tone and motion of the viscera and their connective tissues. Trained practitioners use the rhythmic motions of the visceral system to evaluate how abnormal forces interplay, overlap and affect the normal body forces at work. These gentle manipulations can potentially improve the functioning of individual organs, the systems the organs function within, and the structural integrity of the entire body.

Zero Balancing (ZB) is a hands-on bodywork system designed to align your energy body with your physical structure. Simple yet powerful, it focuses on your whole person, even when addressing specific needs. Considered at the leading edge of body/mind therapies, ZB moves beyond Western scientific approaches to body structure by incorporating Eastern concepts of energy and healing What this does is enable a practitioner to work simultaneously with your structural and energy bodies to bring balance.

The Importance of Balance Between the Structural and Energy Bodies

Essentially, these two bodies work in concert with one another and with the external world, yet function independently of each other. The structural body is what you can see and touch — bone, soft tissue and all the body organs. The energy body is the seen and unseen movement, including muscular movements, movement of tissue fluids, cellular and molecular vibrations, movement within the body fields, and movement of the life force itself. Your energy body directly affects, and in large part is responsible for, your mood, emotions and vitality. Changes in body energy and its fields usually precede illness and have a causal relation to disease.

It can be useful to think of the structural body as the sail of a boat and the energy body as the wind. At some point the wind meets the sail. When structure and energy are not integrated, you’re like a sailor floundering at sea, not “tacked into the winds of life.” Life is less satisfying and you’re more susceptible to all manner of emotional distress and disease — from simple irritability and headaches to more profound mental or physical symptoms and illnesses.

When structure and energy are balanced, dysfunctional habits, such as outmoded emotional patterns and imprints from past traumas, tend to release. In addition, you’re able to function with relative ease, efficiency and comfort, cope with things better, and enjoy greater robust health. This is why most people undergoing Zero Balancing report experiencing a sense of fluidity, integration and well-being following a session.