Monday, November 18, 2013

My experience with Cranial Sacral Therapy

Last week, I had the privilege to meet with Guy Odishaw at Bhakti Wellness Center in Edina, and have a session of biodynamic cranial sacral therapy (CST) (read more about that here: http://bhakticlinic.com/pages/therbodywork.html). Guy works with a lot of trauma and traumatic brain injured people, and as someone who works with many women who have experienced birth trauma or a postpartum mood/anxiety disorder, I saw this as a great modality to explore.

I know that many are skeptical about "alternative therapies" such as CST, and at one point, I likely was too. However, in my years as a therapist, I have seen and heard too many stories that demonstrate that the mind is a powerful thing, and that there is a HUGE, powerful connection between the body, mind and soul. It is not a coincidence that every single patient I have with a fibromyalgia diagnosis has a trauma history. There is a lot of research that supports the connection between trauma and chronic pain/health issues as well (yes, it's scientific!).

I went in to my CST appointment with an open mind, and had also put thought into what I may have experienced in my life that my body could be holding on to. Going through postpartum depression (PPD) was one of the most difficult events in my life, and I have no doubt that effects from that still linger, so this is the presenting problem that I used.
Guy asked me what I would like to let go of, and I said, "Guilt". He asked me for a word that would replace that, and I said, "Acceptance". I laid on the table quietly, and let my mind scan my body. Guy did ask some questions as we went about what I was experiencing, but much of it was quiet, and observing what was going on within me, noting and sometimes commenting on what I was noticing in my body. He had his hands on my ankles, and I felt like I was floating... like I had no legs. I was brought back to my c-section, when that was exactly what I felt like. I even remember trying to explain what having a spinal was like to my husband, saying, "I feel like I'm floating in a pool". As I continued to observe (and I have no idea how long I was observing, to be honest), I eventually noticed energy going through my body, from my legs, through my torso, and up to the left side of my field of vision (my eyes were closed). There was this large, black spot that just sat there briefly, and then it "popped" out of the top of my head. And believe it or not, I felt different. I can't quite describe it- lighter perhaps? It was interesting and bizarre all at the same time, but not at all scary. We processed a bit how traumatic my c-section had been (although my first birth was NOT the one I had PPD with, so this was also interesting to me- that what happened in my body was not what I came in saying I would like to focus on, but more what my body needed to let go of, perhaps??). Having a spinal, having my arms strapped down, vomiting several times over the side of the table onto the floor took its toll on my body.

It's interesting to me that consciously, my c-section was not what I would consider traumatic, in my mind, anyways. However, my body did. And in hindsight, knowing what I do about defining and treating trauma, this makes perfect sense. Again, it was not what I expected would happen, although I wasn't sure WHAT to expect, but it was exactly what my body needed to process first.

I haven't decided yet if I will go for another session. If  I do, I thoroughly believe that there is more locked up in there that I could benefit from letting go. CST was a very peaceful, non-invasive way of doing that, and I would definitely recommend it for people who have experienced a trauma that they would like to process in a way that involves less talking than therapy.


Another link: https://www.craniosacraltherapy.org/Whatis.htm