AN INTRODUCTION TO CRANIOSACRAL WORK: HISTORY, FOUNDATIONS, AND DISTINGUISHING THE 3 MAIN APPROACHES

Course overview

William Garner Sutherland developed and refined Cranial Osteopathy over the course of several decades in the first half of the 20th century, and the work continued to evolve after his death in 1954. Craniosacral programs became available to Massage Therapists when Dr. John Upledger began teaching Craniosacral Therapy¿ to non-Osteopaths in the 1980¿s. Many different Craniosacral programs for Massage Therapists now exist, and 3 main approaches have descended from Dr. Sutherland¿s teachings: Biomechanical, Functional, and Biodynamic. Many programs blend one or more of the approaches, and many potential practitioners are unaware of the differences unless they attend more than one school. This course seeks to introduce the 3 main approaches to the work so that Massage Therapists can attend the craniosacral training that is most in alignment with their learning interests. This course will present the foundational components of the 3 main approaches to Craniosacral work, explore the basic anatomy and functioning of the craniosacral system, and discuss how states of consciousness can influence cranial wave. Experiential exercises will help refine presence, and ample hands-on exchanges will hone the needed sensitivity for working with the subtle rhythms. Students will leave the course with the presence and ability to sense some of the cranial enfoldments, an understanding of the history and uniqueness of each approach, and a direct body-felt sense of which approach they may want to pursue for more training.