Rachel Mattair, Licensed Midwife
Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral therapy is a healing art that uses gentle touch to recognize and bring forth the health that is already always at work within the body. As it is currently practiced, craniosacral therapy was developed in the 20th century by osteopathic doctors (Andrew Taylor Still, William Sutherland, D.O.), but it is a form of energetic healing similar to those that have been practiced in cultures around the world for millennia to bring about physical, emotional, and psychological health.
Underlying the therapy is the belief that we live in self-healing organisms that innately know how to heal themselves. Take for example a simple cut on the body; one does not have to tell the body how to heal such a wound: rather, the body knows the processes needed to clot the blood, avoid infection, and gradually heal the cut. Similarly, the body knows how to heal deeper wounds (both physical and emotional) and imbalances within itself. It is the role of the practitioner to help this inner health to come out and express itself, with the recognition that the body is always as healthy as it can be in relation to what it is holding.
In biodynamic craniosacral therapy, the therapist is always looking for health rather than focusing on pathology. When this innate health is identified in the system, the client's body naturally begins to make changes within itself to bring about even healthier states of being. Although there are physical maneuvers that the therapist can use to unwind fascial tension and balance the nervous system, the therapist does not try to force or manipulate any changes, but rather allows him or herself to be used by naturally occurring energetic currents to suggest changes in the client's system.
These energetic currents are called "tides," and manifest as subtle wave-like movements of cerebrospinal fluid through the central nervous system flowing upwards towards the cranium (the "inhalation" phase) and downwards towards the sacrum (the "exhalation" phase). Biodynamic craniosacral therapists are trained to tune into these tides as a way to recognize the ever-present patterns of health in the body. When this health is recognized, the body can take over and heal itself.
Most people who receive craniosacral therapy report feelings of relaxation following a session. Sometimes the results are more tangible than others. In the context of midwifery, craniosacral therapy can be used to treat breastfeeding/latch issues, pelvic floor tension, emotional dystocia, headaches, and countless other complaints. The therapy is for anyone (men, women, and children).
I am receiving biodynamic craniosacral therapy training under Roger Gilchrist (MA, RPE, RCST) through the Wellness Institute with expected licensing in late 2027. You can read more about the institute and program here: https://www.wellnessinstitute.net/web/craniosacral_therapy . I welcome your questions and would love to give you a practice session!
