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At the end of March, I drove to Asheville, North Carolina to further my Craniosacral Therapy Training. I attended a course in Somatic Emotional Release through the Upledger Institute taught by Suzanne Scurlock.
I felt a rush of freedom, nervousness, and eagerness to take this next step in my training. In order to grow as a healer and get the most out of training, I knew I would need to make myself vulnerable. Knowing I would be diving deeper into my own healing process put my nervous system on edge. Becoming vulnerable is something that I continuously revisit in my journey of being able to feel.
During my training, the tools of craniosacral therapy I’ve been working on came together just like a 5,000-piece waterfall jigsaw puzzle (a jigsaw puzzle with actually all 5,000 pieces and not one missing! Hehe.). So satisfying!
Coming Back Into Our Bones
It always is so fascinating that during my trainings, I learn new grounding techniques. This training was no exception – the instructor brought up a new way of looking at grounding: “coming back into our bones.”
Settling back into our bones was something our instructor cued us to do throughout our seminar. I felt it to be a simple yet powerful technique to reset my nervous system. When treating others in the course, I used this technique to help me improve my overall connection with my classmates’ “inner physicians.”
Coming back into our bones is a way to become present. I find when I work toward regulating my own nervous system, I am able to become more present. This is something I am passionate about as I feel that presence is one of the key factors in being able to hold space for myself and others.
The Avenue of Expression
I also learned more about a craniosacral technique called the Avenue of Expression. After receiving this work, I experienced a shift in my inner state – opening my ability to express myself and dive a little deeper into my own silence.
Why I Love Craniosacral Therapy
It continues to amaze me to see the power behind light touch. Craniosacral therapy uses 5 grams of pressure, just enough for the therapist to meet the tissue resistance of a client.
The most common phrase I hear from my clients is, ”it must hurt for it to work!” I feel this to be something that is conditioned into our mindsets at a young age. We are taught that the only way to release pain is the act of enforcing pain on the initial pain. I am here to share that there are more effective and gentle ways to release pain other than inflicting additional pain!
I started my craniosacral therapy training in 2018. CST helped me to gain a sense of feeling for a different rhythm in the body that I didn’t even know existed – the craniosacral rhythm.
Countless hours I have practiced feeling more than just my clients’ skin. It goes deeper than that. Past the skin, the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system… and others…. lies a pumping mechanism called the cerebrospinal fluid pump. There are certain movements the body completes in a cycle and when the cycles are off balance, it can be felt through movement of the body. Learn more about craniosacral therapy.
I recommend CST to anyone looking to facilitate regulating one’s nervous system and to learn more about the craniosacral rhythm. If you are in the New Castle or Pittsburgh areas, I would love to introduce you to the power of craniosacral therapy. Contact me to learn more, or schedule an appointment. I also highly recommend Kate Sanchez, who is my personal craniosacral therapist.
If you live too far to come see me, check out this website to find a craniosacral therapist in your area.
Thank you kindly for your support in my practice. I am so appreciative of all the resources in my career that facilitate deeper understanding for myself and others.
Love and Light,
Briana Pontius
P.S. Happy Craniosacral Therapy Month!
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