Cranial-Sacral Therapy

To those of you that aren't familiar with cranialsacral therapy, this is a type of therapy that is controversial even among osteopaths. It was developed by Sutherland who thought that the sutures in one's cranium can be moved ( this a very controversial idea because the current thought among physicians and anatomists is that the cranial sutures are immobile). Sutherland hypothesized that by manipulating the cranial bones the physician can influence cerebrospinal fluid motion (another very controversial idea) and thus, influence health. This video uses alot of Upledger's vault holds( which is not surprising since Upledger teaches many non-osteopaths CST), instead of the classical Sutherland vault hold. The video,surprisingly, glosses over the CV4 technique which is a very powerful treatment modality and the equally important sacral techniques. I also don't understand why Sullivan cautions against using CST in hypertensives since hypertension is a sympathetic response and CST stimulates the parasympathetic system. This to me would seem that CST should actually help in hypertension and not worsen it. Otherwise, it's not a bad video and it provides a good starting point in CST.

Although I have a long-standing interest in many forms of energy work, having both studied it extensively and experienced it numerous times, I am not a professional therapist. So when I decided I wanted to learn more about cranial-sacral therapy, I knew I wanted something that was detailed and informative, but also clearly presented. I was not disappointed!! Mary Sullivan gives explanations of the theory and techniques of CST that are detailed but clearly understandable, even for a beginner. I particularly found the use of 3-dimensional transparent views in this video to be immensely helpful. For example: when the practitioner is shown working on a client who is lying face-up, images of both the client's spine and the practitioner's hands (which are underneath the client) are superimposed in transparent fashion. Similarly, one is able to view images of the bones of the skull. I found this to be much more helpful than any books and/or drawings I had seen. I would highly recommend this video to anyone who wants to learn more about the theory and practice of CST.

Ordered this to help me move towards more subtle work in my practice. My sense is that it is a good primer for anyone trained in massage or body-work. Certainly helps to have some prior study of anatomy/physiology, and, goes almost without saying, that there's no substitute for experiential learning with a well trained instructor, especially for modalities that involve such subtle nuances and require deeper palpation skills. That said, Mary is a great instructor, the video renderings of anatomical structures and hand positions are very helpful, and there are even some more advanced tidbits thrown in here and there. Recommended as a primer and reference for beginners.

This is an informational video. Could be more professionally done, I think this has been around for a while, but there are not many to choose from on this topic. Powerful therapy!

For someone who understands the theory behind Cranial-Sacral, there is too much talk and not enough action in the video.

Too much talking, not enough hands on demonstration.

LEARN THE CONTENTS FROM INTERNET. NOTHING NEW.

This is helping me with a cranial sacral class.

Very informative and shows you exactly what you have to do, I recommend it to anyone interested in this therapy.