FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What do I wear?
Comfortable clothing is appropriate. Blankets and sheets can be provided for your comfort. Appropriate draping will be maintained if you prefer to disrobe.
Do you take insurance?
I am not currently taking insurance other than VA insurance exclusively through the Zeel Medical Massage program.
If it isn't painful like deep tissue massage, how do I know anything is happening?
Pain is not always gain. Especially if a body has already been traumatized, an aggressive approach to relaxation, besides being somewhat ironic, can actually trigger a strong reaction in the muscles and nervous system, leaving the client even more tense than before or causing the window of benefit to be short--even only a day or two before symptoms return. Craniosacral therapy goes very deep by working with the nervous system and fascia at their own pace, building trust until the tissues open up themselves. The general relaxation often resolves many "issues in the tissues"; for the ones that remain, more focused work and possibly some deeper emotional components may need to be addressed.
Is this energy work, like Reiki?
No. Craniosacral therapy is an osteopathic modality, which practitioners trained in anatomy and with license to touch are able to practice after attending intensive seminars. It has no historical connection to Reiki, which is more mystical in nature. I have encountered many Reiki practitioners who are also craniosacral therapists, who say the two are not the same, but can inform each other.
I personally have no connection with Reiki and do not like the idea of inviting spirits into my sessions.
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I distinguish mystical practices from the concept of energy work. Advancements in quantum physics continue to reveal much about the energetic, bio-electrical nature of our world and it is undeniable that our bodies have "energy" which flows and is impacted by the energies around us and by our own conscious and non-conscious mental energy.
My experience with you is not like the one other time I had craniosacral therapy. I liked yours better, but why the difference?
I have been trained through intensive seminars and many hours of mentorship and practice using the Upledger Institute International program. There are other schools of craniosacral therapy and also online one-hour Continuing Education Units which massage therapists can take, after which they will call their massage "craniosacral massage/therapy." Because craniosacral therapy has only recently been expanded to non-doctors of osteopathy, there is no standardization of testing or practice that ensures what level of experience you are receiving. The Upledger Institute has a rigorous but optional certification process with two levels; these certifications are not yet recognized by any state boards.
In my condition I am too fragile to be touched. Will CST work for me?
Yes. Some people are extremely sensitive and I have successfully worked with clients who could not handle direct touch. At this time I do not do long-distance sessions, although as studies in quantum physics continue to advance, that may change.
Is this really just a placebo effect?
A placebo effect is not necessarily always a bad thing. I take a deeper dive into this on my blog.
Briefly, since craniosacral therapy does not claim to cure any disease, there is no reason for a placebo. It uses some of the same techniques already studied in massage/physical therapy as well as the social studies regarding interpersonal soothing touch, e.g. caretakers with babies, friends rubbing the back of a worried dear one, being with another person who is attentive, safe and caring.
The theory behind craniosacral therapy (and osteopathy, its parent) is that the body has marvelous powers of self-healing. Sometimes it needs more resources, such as medical interventions. Either way, it will absorb those resources far more effectively and disseminate them appropriately if it is in a restful, relaxed, safe state as opposed to channeling all its energy into constant survival mode.