CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY & LISTENING TOUCH
Craniosacral Therapy
Prolonged stress, physical traumas, excessive strain, surgery, as well as dysfunctional postural and movement habits can promote the creation of tensions causing pain, restrictions in movement, swelling and sense of fatigue.
Bodywork sessions integrating Craniosacral Therapy can help release those tensions and promote relaxation, increasing a sense of well-being and supporting the natural processes of recovery.
Craniosacral Therapy was developed by Dr. John Upledger around 1980. It's based on Cranial Osteopathy, which was developed in 1899 by Dr. William G. Sutherland.
Craniosacral Therapy is devised to work on the body by acting on certain receptors present in our myofascia (from mys, myos = muscular tissue, and fascia = connective tissue), the body tissue which literally connects and "holds together" the various parts of the body.
A Craniosacral session is performed by exercising a very gentle and light manual pressure on the soft tissue of the body (fascia). Particular attention is given to the skull and the sacrum areas, to body “rhythms” (breathing, fluids, etc.) and to the internal micro-movements of the body perceivable through this kind of touch.
Effects and benefits
During Craniosacral Therapy sessions, by exercising a delicate touch (a kind of "listening touch"), the body is induced to release local and general tensions; in this way, beside a perceived relief, a profound state of well-being and relaxation can be achieved, since CST helps the spontaneous process which tends to rebalance our psycho-physiological functions. This approach can also promote the release of those emotions which, if inhibited or not expressed, could favour or maintain excessive muscular tension and the subsequent limitations (Somato-Emotional Release).
Craniosacral Therapy is beneficial to people of all ages, from babies to elders, as well as to healthy individuals who want to promote health and well-being. If you have questions or if you want to book a session, please contact me.
​
The Listening Touch®
Listening hands, touching words.
A gentle touch, addressing the soft tissue (fascia), to facilitate psychophysiological responses and restore body-mind balance. Easy to integrate in any kind of touch and massage technique.
​
What is the Listening Touch?
​
The Listening Touch® is a specific kind of physical contact that constitutes the basis of numerous touch therapies, including: Craniosacral Therapy, Osteopathy, Structural Integration, etc.
It is a gentle, non-intrusive touch aimed at re-establishing balance in the psycho-physiological domain by the stimulation of certain neural receptors (proprioceptors) present in the soft tissue (fascia).
​
When applied, the Listening Touch induces well-being and relaxation and supports recovery and healing processes, while promoting pain reduction. This kind of touch is reassuring, supportive, and empathetic.
By learning the Listening Touch you'll learn how to get closer to others while respecting their “personal space" and boundaries.
​
Last but not least, The Listening Touch is a form of communication that increases the development and understanding of the ability to listen, as well as a kind of physical contact. It can be easily learned and applied to everyone, from newborns to seniors, whatever their physical condition is.
​
The Training
​
The Listening Touch Training (2-day workshop) is easy to learn and can be integrated successfully in any kind of bodywork, touch and massage technique, and in all those professions in which touch is involved.
It is useful for whomever practices or intends to build up a professional practice based on the use of physical contact, such as medical staff; touch/massage/occupational/rehabilitation therapists; educators; child welfare officers; midwives and doulas; caregivers, etc. It can be a precious tool also for instructors, trainers, coaches or teachers of sports, yoga and artistic disciplines and performing arts (music, dance, theatre, circus, singing etc.).
In fact, the use of a ”quality touch” is essential to create points of reference and stimuli that may increase the ability to perceive and, therefore, to achieve optimal motor coordination.
​
​
Goals
​
By attending a workshop, you will learn:
-
The basis of the Listening Touch
-
How the Listening Touch "works" on our nervous system to rebalance our psychophysiological functions
-
Different types of touch (pressure, angle, speed, etc.) and their effect on different nervous receptors
-
To apply different kind of touch according to your client's needs and goals
-
To use verbal communication congruently with your touch
-
To integrate the Listening Touch in your practice
-
To increase your presence and ability to transmit support and sense of safety to your client during a session
-
To "stay in touch" by managing and respecting your and your client's boundaries in the most functional way​
-
"Tuning in" with your client through breathing and touch
-
Exploration of verbal and non-verbal communication to establish functional habits while giving a session
-
Exploration of different kinds of touch and when to apply them according to needs and goals
-
Basic protocol to apply the Listening Touch in different professional contexts and daily life situations, including emergencies.​
​
If you have questions, if you want to learn The Listening Touch or organize a workshop, please contact me.