You Don't Need to Be Stressed Out

Have you ever heard of Craniosacral Therapy?

If not, this is your chance to ask the right questions to help you reduce stress and feel more balanced.  Sharon Hartnett LMT is offering a free 15 minute consultation to explain to you how Craniosacral Therapy can work with your body's own nervous system to find relief and come to center.  Call :  (614) 372-6598.

The body is the doorway to the story of your life.  When your muscles are tight and you feel compression along the spine,  gravity and your living environment can aggravate torsions and shortening.  Craniosacral Therapy (CST) works with the membranes and continual connective tissue to harmonize the autonomic nervous system.  If you are low in energy,  CST helps to restore.  If you are overstressed, CST relaxes.

Craniosacral Therapy is a light touch yet effective approach to relieving pain and improving overall health.

Sharon Hartnett LMT
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
www.columbus-craniosacral-structuralintegration.com

After Neck Surgery: Craniosacral and other therapies that helped me.

Craniosacral Therapy after Surgery

I found myself with a very painful right arm due to a problem with my C5-C6 area back in December.  I received an epidural and it helped, but the pain persisted.  After about 5 weeks, I finally went in to see a neurosurgeon and he recommended surgery the next day because I had a bone spur pressing into my spine which I could see on the X-ray.   By that time, I had lost so much feeling in my thumb and pointer finger, I decided to go for it.

I have never had a broken bone or any type of surgery before, but life had caught up with me.  I was scared, but for some reason I trusted this surgeon to do a good job.  And my intuition was good.  He did a remarkable job on cleaning out between the vertebrae and putting a new plastic disk in to help me have more movement.  I did one follow up and he recommended that I get no massage, which did not surprise me as the incision needed to heal.  But his reaction to massage afterwards was very closed minded. As a massage therapist and bodyworker, I have worked with many people to help them break up scar tissue, improve circulation and relieve pain after surgery.   Massage is often helpful where other therapies don't work.

In any case, after the surgery, I felt pretty good.  I took pain medication the first few days but slowly weaned off.  I left the anterior neck area alone where the surgeon had gone in.  I allowed plenty of time for the cut to heal.  About a week later, I stopped wearing my neck brace and that is when the issues began.  My neck felt so much weaker.  The drugs were leaving my system and I felt the interior of neck feeling like a steel rod.  I started experiencing excruciating headaches and had very limited movement. The surgeon said I'd be back to normal for the most part in about 6 months.  That was not the case.

While I believe my surgeon was awesome in what he does, his work is based on the hour he spends with you. In my opinion, however, the ball can often get dropped there.  I am here to say that when you have neck or back surgery, you need to become your own advocate.  I found that his office was too busy afterward to offer good suggestions or care, so being a massage and bodyworker, I explored other options.

I listened to my body, and founds some really great tools and support to improve my healing process.  I'd like to share some of my successes.

1.  Worked with a Craniosacral Therapist and checked into my own systems daily to improve the length in my spine.

2.  Found a wonderful Structural Integration Therapist who did some fascial work with me and introduced me to working with Physical Therapy balls and rollers.

3.  Started a daily routine of using Yamuna Balls to release restrictions.  I bought a series of CD's to learn how to use the balls most effectively.

4.  After about 6 months, I visited a Physical Therapist and started working with some exercises she gave me.

5.  Received chiropractor treatments and started using an in home traction kit to help align my spine.

I took the lead in my self-healing process because nobody knows my situation better than me.  Now, I am feeling much stronger, finding a greater range of motion, correcting postural issues that arose from the whole situation and feeling pretty great.  However,  I do realize now that I have had a surgery, that it does take time, following your instincts, and exploring different modalities to find that best treatment plan for each individual.  But I will say that the Craniosacral System improved much with the above treatments and I am very grateful that I knew which questions to ask and what people to visit.  Too often I have seen clients come in who never did anything after surgery and had been living in pain for too long.

This is my journey.  I am back to the gym now, eating better, back into the flow of everything I did before.  With this,  I encourage people with neck and back issues to investigate your options of treatments. If your issues concern the spine, go try something that is focused in that area to relief the dysfunctional area.  Surgery is a great option.   I believe I made the best decision for me at the time, but consider gentle approaches if possible first and for post-care.   

Warmly,

Sharon Hartnett  LMT
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
www.columbus-craniosacral-structuralintegration.com

Craniosacral Therapy and Energy Work

Craniosacral Therapy is based on the foundation of some of Osteopathic Medicine techniques.  At the school, that I attended, the "Upledger" Institute", the methods and skill set were taught by Dr. John Upledger and his teachers with an emphasis on structural change through the Craniosacral System based on listening and engaging with the human body.  However, there is another componentj of teaching that I also found very interesting coming from an energy consciousness background.  I was surprised to find that this medical based work also explored the energy dynamics of an "energy" cyst.  While working with clients over the years,  I had often felt this "chaotic" energy through the body, but had learned to work with it through a Barbara Brennan Approach (I attended that school and eventually taught there).  To my amazement, integrative healthcare was naming energy dysfunctional patterns and offering a way to balance and bring more order to the system.  Namely,  in the Craniosacral Therapy approach, one holds the energy cyst while centered and gently melds until it dissolve.  Often the client will breath a sigh of relief.  It is a wonderful feeling to be of assistance with this type of support.

Eventually,  I continued my education with the Upledger Institute because I enjoyed their open minded approach to allowing the body mind spirit consciousness to lead the session into self-correction with whatever showed up in the moment.  It also feels like an adventure into self-discover and learning.

If you are looking for a healing through a whole system approach, consider Craniosacral Therapy.

For more information, call: 

(614) 372-6598 

for a free 15 minute telephone consult.

Warmly,

Sharon Hartnett LMT

Columbus, Ohio

www.massageincolumbusohio.com
www.columbus-craniosacral-structuralintegration.com

Balance Through the Craniosacral System

In the latest news, more information is coming into play about how important a balanced Craniosacral System is for optimal health.

In the past, it was thought that most of the Craniosacral fluid was created in the lateral ventricles of the brain and nourished the rest of the area around the spine.  In fact,  it has now been found that the Craniosacral System (CS) is more intricately connected to the whole area of the Brain Barrier and the entire lymphatic system in helping us to function well and feel balanced in our daily lives.  Not only does Craniosacral Therapy help with central nervous issues, but also throughout the whole body.

Bodyworkers for the most part do realize that everything in the body is connected, whether through the tissues or directly through the fluids or energy.  When a client is touched in one place, it can't help but to ripple out in pleasure and reconnection to the whole.  When Craniosacral Therapists touch into the CS,  a whole range of different responses move into action.   Layers of fascia may begin to wave, energy opens and spread through the whole body, tissues are nourished and wastes are taken away.  The nervous systems itself is balanced and brought into clearer dialogue with its environment. A good listener is able to follow the intelligence of the system to encourage fuller connection and support the ignition of movement.

When energy moves through the body more freely, what needs to happen will reorient towards the center and bring more symmetry and strength through the life force.

Care to try a Craniosacral Session to find out for yourself?  Call Sharon Hartnett at: Phone: 

(614) 372-6598 

www.massageincolumbusohio.com
www.columbus-craniosacral-structuralintegration.com

How to Feel the Craniosacral Rhythm

The Craniosacral Rhythm (CSR) is very subtle when a practitioner first learns to listen this way.

During my first class of Craniosacral Therapy at the Upledger Institute I was lucky to feel the CSR just a little bit.  In actuality, it has taken me years to sharpen my listening and to develop skill.  It's not an easy weekend course to become an Advanced practitioner.

At first, I remember using too heavy of a hand. After years of practice and Assisting in Classes, I can say that the easiest way to learn is to place your hands on different parts of the body and to spend some time discerning the different movements, qualities and rhythms in the body.  There is breathing, circulation, lymphatic flow, energy meridians, visceral mobility and many other flows moving on within.  Each has its own feel that you will learn to identify with some dedication and exploration.

One recommendation: If you gently put your hands on a persons temples with the intention to discover the movement there, the rhythm is more accessible for many.  The fingertips will move toward the feet and back toward you as the bones move into flexion and extension.  Eventually, after spending some time with listening in the more easy places, one can move to anywhere on the body to gather more information.  Palpation is a skill that takes time and practice.  The more people one lies hands upon,  the quicker it is to grow as a Craniosacral Therapist.

What's amazing to me as a Craniosacral Therapist for some years now is that each person is like a totally different creation.  Each touch brings something new into conscious awareness between cells, tissues and in the client/therapist relationship.  For some people, they feel the CSR and the work easily and for others it takes time to sensitize. 

My hope is that more people take the opportunity to explore this wonderful modality of deep healing.  

If you have more questions, please feel free to call Sharon for a free 15 minute telephone consultation.

Warmly,

Sharon Hartnett LMT

www.massageincolumbusohio.com
www.columbus-craniosacral-structuralintegration.com

Craniosacral Therapy in Columbus

Craniosacral Therapy in Columbus, Ohio

Many people have not heard about Craniosacral Therapy...

I could go into the specific and the technical aspects of the work, but what I have found is that most clients like a basic explanation.  So here I go.

Craniosacral fluid runs around the brain and the spinal cord.  With the basic pressurestat model, the pressure rises in the brain and then lessens.  This brings the body into flexion and extension movements every few seconds. A Craniosacral Therapist listens to the body to  feel the symmetry, amplitude and other perceptions of how well the Craniosacral System is working.  This is a mindful exercise to listen and then trust the information that comes into the hands as it is very subtle work.

Clients are often surprised that I can feel what is going on in the feet,  but it is one of the listening stations to gather information that can be quite useful.  It is often found that what is happening in the cranium also has an impact on the rest of the body and visa versa.  For example,  if I listen to the sphenoid movement right by the temples,  I will often pick up similar imbalances elsewhere like in the hips. A seasoned Craniosacral Therapist will often follow treatment by listening to what is the primary place to begin and then treating associated issues.  Listening along the whole body gives a good overall view of how to proceed with the work in service to health and wellbeing.

Craniosacral Therapy addresses the nervous system primarily, but it also is very much engaged with the fascia, and other cellular activity in the human body.   Cells are linked together to perform certain tasks and in service to the whole of the organism.  With the human body, as one works with the Central Nervous System, it also benefits the rest of the body as dialogue opens and the body finds its own inherent balance.  What makes Craniosacral Therapy such a great healing modality is that is calms, yet also energizes and the touch is so gentle almost anyone can receive it.

Some clients who are very self aware can feel the work right away and notice the big shifts that are happening and continue after a session.  Other people may take some time to get use to such a light touch.  They may not yet understand that deep aggressive work is not always the best method to relieve pain and tensions,  based on their history and how they are organized.  In truth, anyone can eventually begin to gain insights and feel healthier once they learn to accept this delicate yet profound work.

I also love the Structural Integration work which is layering and goes deep,  but there also are wonderful benefits from trusting the Craniosacral system's wisdom to work with some of the deeper primal forces of the human body.

Craniosacral Therapy is great for newborns and I have used with clients in their 90's.  If you are looking for a therapy that brings about real positive change, it may be something you want to consider.  If you have more questions, please feel free to call Sharon Hartnett at (740) 966-5153 for a free 15 minute phone consultation.

Warmly,

Sharon Hartnett LMT
Certified Advanced Cranosacral Therapist
Upledger Institute
www.massageincolumbusohio.com
www.columbus-craniosacral-structuralintegration.com

Listen to Your Body

Listen to Your Body

When you think about the human body, it is easy to see the miracles of life.  It's amazing-all the different things that are constantly going on in any one moment.  For the most part, the body's intelligence keeps things running smoothly.  Even when things go wrong like catching a cold, breaking a bone or overstraining a muscle, the body goes to work to balance and make it easy to still function well. When we don't listen to our body's signals though, and ignore the messages that that it gives us-well, that is when we lose our power to self-correct physical issues on some level of consciousness. In our lives, when we take the time to include rest, meditation, and quiet, we are better able to hear what flows and what's doesn't.  When we pay attention to our hurts and imbalances, mindfulness and exploration can do wonders in the healing process. It has been shown that the environment and how we perceive life has a big impact on our health.  So it only makes sense that when we observe and make healthy choices in response that our inner wisdom will bring positive changes in our life.

What are your thoughts?

Sharon Hartnett LMT (740) 966-5153

Advanced Craniosacral and Structural Integration Therapist in Columbus, Ohio

www.columbus-craniosacral-structuralintegration.com