Craniosacral Therapy
A gentle, hands-on practice that invites you to slow down, listen to your body and reconnect with yourself.
Where it began
The roots of Craniosacral Therapy can be traced back to Andrew Taylor Still, the founder of Osteopathy.
In the late 19th century, A.T. Still developed Osteopathy from a belief that the body should be understood as a whole, with its structures and systems working in relationship with one another. His approach placed a strong emphasis on anatomy, the body's inherent capacity for health, and the importance of working with the body rather than simply treating symptoms in isolation.
One of A.T. Still's students was William Garner Sutherland, who graduated from the American School of Osteopathy in 1900. During his studies, Sutherland became fascinated by the design of the bones of the cranium. Looking at a disarticulated skull, he noticed the unusual shape and bevel of the articulating surfaces and began to wonder whether they might have a purpose beyond simply holding the bones together.
That question stayed with him.
What began as curiosity became decades of study and exploration into the relationship between the cranium, spine and sacrum, and the membranes and fluids within the body. Sutherland's work became known as Osteopathy in the Cranial Field, forming the foundation of modern Cranial Osteopathy.
From Cranial Osteopathy to Craniosacral Therapy
Decades later, John E. Upledger, an Osteopathic Physician, became deeply interested in Sutherland's work. During the 1970s, he led a multidisciplinary research team at Michigan State University investigating aspects of the craniosacral system and went on to develop a distinct approach that he called CranioSacral Therapy.
Upledger's work helped carry the principles of cranial work beyond the Osteopathic profession and establish Craniosacral Therapy as a defined form of hands-on bodywork taught to practitioners around the world.
Today, craniosacral work has continued to evolve along different paths, including biomechanical and biodynamic approaches. While these approaches differ in their theories and ways of working, they share roots in the Osteopathic tradition and the pioneering work of A.T. Still and W.G. Sutherland.
A tradition of curiosity
For me, this history matters.
It speaks to something at the heart of the work: curiosity before certainty. A willingness to look closely, to question what we think we know, and to keep listening.
It is a tradition rooted in anatomy and hands-on exploration, while also leaving room for the subtle, the perceptive and the not-yet-understood.
The foundations of the work
The body is interconnected
We don't experience the body as a collection of separate parts. Everything exists in relationship — bones, tissues, muscles, organs, fluids and the nervous system are constantly influencing and responding to one another.
This means that what you experience in one part of your body may have relationships elsewhere. A pattern of tension through the jaw, for example, doesn't necessarily exist in isolation from the rest of the body.
Craniosacral Therapy takes this wider view, staying curious about the relationships within the whole body rather than focusing only on where something is being felt.
The body is always adapting
Our bodies are continually responding to the world around us — to movement and stillness, activity and rest, our environment, our experiences and the demands of everyday life.
Sometimes these adaptations are obvious. Sometimes they are subtle. And sometimes we become so accustomed to a particular way of being that we no longer notice it.
Craniosacral Therapy offers an opportunity to slow down and notice what is present, creating space for the body to settle and for you to become more aware of your own experience.
Listening comes before doing
A session doesn't begin with deciding what needs to be fixed.
It begins with listening.
Through conversation, observation and gentle touch, I listen for qualities of tension and ease, movement and stillness, and the relationships between different areas of the body.
Rather than following a predetermined sequence or imposing a particular outcome, I allow what is present to guide the session.
The intention isn't to make the body do something. It's to create enough space for it to show us what is already there.
What might bring you to Craniosacral Therapy?
Head, jaw & balance
Jaw tension or discomfort
TMJ-related tension
Clenching or grinding
Headaches, migraines or head pressure
Facial tension
Tinnitus
Vertigo or dizziness
Body pain, tension & movement
Neck, shoulder or spinal tension or discomfort
Hip or pelvic tension or discomfort
General aches or discomfort
Persistent areas of tightness
Movement-related discomfort
Patterns of tension following injury or physical strain
Digestion & pelvic wellbeing
Digestive discomfort
Abdominal tension
Pelvic floor tension
Tension through the pelvis
Feeling disconnected from your lower body
General wellbeing
A feeling that something is “off”
Feeling like you've been carrying too much
Wanting to slow down and reconnect with yourself
Simply wanting a quiet space to rest and listen to your body
Stress, tension & nervous system
Feeling constantly “switched on”
Difficulty slowing down or truly resting
Physical tension that seems to linger
Anxiety or overwhelm
Low mood or depression
Feeling disconnected from your body
The effects of prolonged stress or busy periods of life
A desire to support your capacity for rest and regulation
Babies, children & young people
Gentle, age-appropriate sessions for babies
Support during periods of physical or developmental change
Sessions for children and young people, adapted to their age and individual needs
Sleep & rest
Difficulty settling at night
Restless sleep
Difficulty switching off
Feeling like you never quite get enough deep rest
Pregnancy, birth & postpartum
Birth preparation
The physical changes of pregnancy
Preparing the body and mind for birth
Postpartum support and recovery
The transition into parenthood
Ready to make space for yourself?
Book your first session and begin your journey into The Body Landscape.