Craniosacral the Community Way

Are you looking for a Craniosacral healing program that is comprehensive?

I just returned home after a wonderful few days in Selma, Indiana working with an incredible group of clients and Craniosacral Therapists.  

There were 12 clients who signed up for this transformational journey, along with over 30+ therapists.

Integrative Intentions  holds these programs across the world.  Fortunately for me, I have participated in intensives in the Bahamas with dolphins, on the farms in Indiana, and Truth or Consequences out west.  Wherever the locations, the programs support profound change and are in service to health and wellbeing.

 

This last program in particular was quite touching.  Working with people who care so much about service and deepening into life and expression was so heartwarming.  We worked on the tables in groups, visited the horses for some self-discovery therapy, and jumped into the pool for some water therapy.  Each day I could see people getting brighter and brighter, finding insights and releasing pain.

What job could be better?

If you are looking for that chance to really change your life,  check into these wonderful Craniosacral Therapy based programs.

I have been very honored to work there!  And I recommend them highly.

Sharon Hartnett CST
(740) 966-5153

www.integrativeintentions.comwww.integrativeintentions.com

Headache Relief in Columbus Ohio

Are you looking for headache relief to no avail?

Millions of people suffer from headaches each year. Massage therapy can be extremely useful in reducing the intensity and frequency of headaches with possibly eliminating them altogether.  

Understanding why you feel so much stress acts up in this area:

First it is important to recognize the simple fact that the neck carries the head which weighs 10-11 pounds in an adult.   That's a lot of work!  Next, take into consideration the balancing act between the suboccipitals and the jaw muscles.  With the constant push-pull action, things can get pulled out of alignment with repetitive or extreme movement.  Stress, habitually holding patterns, and things like hormonal imbalances can bring a headache on.

Treatments:

1. One of the most crucial areas that feels painful during headaches is under the back of the skull.  When certain trigger points in this area is massaged,  all that tension dissolves and changes your whole outlook on life.  It's often that kind of pain that feels great because you can feel it melting away.  Clients love having this area released.
2. Craniosacral Therapy works with the myofascial restrictions within the cranium and along the spine primarily.  However, by working with the rhythm throughout the whole body by listening and balancing,  pain often disappears easily.  Craniosacral Therapy can be taught to clients too so they can use these practices at home as soon as a headache appears.  For example, pulling the ears gently lateral and posterior may help release the temporal bones, easing the headache.
3. Posture is a big deal when it comes to headaches.  If your feet are not under you in alignment, or the hips are rotated,  whatever the torsion or dysfunction is in the body-  eventually that impacts everything.  Often people want to come in for a quick fix, but there are usually long term structural issues that need to be addressed as a whole protocol to bring longer lasting natural movement back.  Structural Integration based on the fascia produces dramatic change and transforms painful posture into a stronger more vibrant way of movement.

If you are prone to headaches, it's important to speak to your physician.  However,  it's also beneficial to look at the whole picture.  It often takes a holistic approach to heal as we are more than the segments that make us up!

If you are located in the Columbus, Ohio area,  Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI is available for a 15 minute free consultation.

Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI   614 372-6598

www.massageincolumbusohio.com

Have You Contracted with Pain?

Have you ever noticed that pain starts to disappear when you are "Being" in the moment rather than basing your life on the past or future fears?

One of my teachers from the past, Donna Evans-Strauss, used to talk about a "negative love bond" a concept that really struck a cord with me.  How I understood that to mean was that we connect through our essence to something that we experience as distortion. Yet the shadow glows just enough  that truth is lost and we begin to identify with the veiled lie.  Because we are lost in the notion of separation and isolation in this world, we long so deeply to be connected, and we can take on the illusion of that relationship, even if it takes us away from the very real and direct connection of God that already exists.  I see this in so many places.  An example might be teenagers who fall in love, and the boyfriend starts to verbally abuse.  The girls allows this to go on in the name of "love".  Well, love, or rather our belief in what love is, takes on many shades.  If we actually want to know what love is unconditionally, we have to learn to become more objective and curious in our experiences and remove our invisible adhesions to that which does not serve our highest good.  We have to learn to let go of even the things we hold most loyally in the name of the One God.

One of the prayers that I like that is helpful is based on something I read in another blog,  that revokes any agreements that have kept us unconscious.  This prayer says, " I revoke all agreements to experience hardship, limitation, bad relationships, health problems, financial problems, family dysfunctions and anything else in my life that is energy draining."

In addition,  when we find ourselves in stress and pain, it is healthy to question what we are believing.  Everything we believe has been taught.  And it is time for us to think for ourselves and find freedom by actually connecting to Source itself rather than what other people think and say.   For this type of inquiry,  I recommend,  Byron Katie 's site.  She offers free worksheets to help you to disengage from your story and align with Truth.

Also,  if you want to learn how to "Be" more full present in YOUR LIFE,  connect to that which feels nurturing and abundant in your life.  Look towards nature to teach you about love and kindness.  It is always found there.  Create a Sacred environment that is accepting, clear and heartfelt where you live and work.  Put yourself in to friendships that are peaceful and open.  Let go, and Let God.

My thoughts for the day.  What are yours?

Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST, SI

740 966-5153

www.massageincolumbusohio.com

Dizzy

I get so many clients who are dizzy who find no resolution.

Craniosacral Therapy can be very helpful, but I did find something new on the internet that I want to share with you.

Check out:  http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/04/23/colorado-doctor-finds-way-to-treat-common-vertigo/

It is a simple maneuver which encompasses bending forward as if around a basketball, and then quickly come back when dizzy.

For those of you who have vertigo....Let me know if you try this and you find it helpful.  I am always curious on what works best.

Sharon Hartnett
Craniosacral Therapist
(614) 372-6598

Listen and Follow with Craniosacral Therapy

Craniosacral Therapy

One of the reasons why I began to study Craniosacral Therapy (CST)) years ago was that when I went for my first sessions,  I felt so held, and cared for while experiencing profound change down to my cells. 

I was used to Structural Integration and Barbara Brennan work, and this felt like it was a great "in between".  It wasn't an assertive type of work, but rather a modality of listening while connecting to the rhythms and the silence where a meeting of mind body & soul connection took place.  

Now that I am an Advanced Certified Craniosacral Therapist,  one of my passions is educating people about the many benefits of this type of therapy.

Many of the clients that come into my office are looking for help with Migraines, Lower Back Pain, Post-surgery neck pain, fibromyalgia, stress, emotional release, and spine alignment.  There are many other types of areas where CST can help, but this seems to be my draw.  How the Craniosacral Therapy works is by addressing adhesions, restrictions and compression in the cranium and along the spine.  By listening to the fascial diaphragms and movements of the fluid and bones, the wisdom of the body offers great information about what it needs to heal.  As the information is received, the therapist supports whatever wants to happen generally without force or any type of control.  Rather, the intention is to "BE" with whatever comes, whatever stops, and whatever goes."  This is the simplest explanation, but there is much more.  A professional Craniosacral Therapist understands the anatomy and the physiology of the Craniosacral system.  We know how to test it for flexion and extension, amplitude, quality, rate and different characteristics which affect the overall health of the nervous systems, and everything that is connected throughout.  In most cases, the therapist uses about a nickels worth of weight when starting the session and pretty much throughout the whole process.

Often when clients get off the table, they tell me that they feel lighter, happier, more relaxed and sometimes even floating.  It's amazing that when pain patterns are released how the whole person dynamic is positively changed.

Craniosacral Therapy is very gentle, yet profound work.  Give yourself a few sessions to see how it will change your life.  Remember that whatever is not working for you took some time to get that way, and that healing needs to unleash it's own power to come back to center.

If you have any questions about Craniosacral Therapy,  please call Sharon at:  (614) 372-6598

www.massageincolumbusohio.com

What is Visceral Manipulation?

Visceral Manipulation is focused on restoring the health of organ movement while enhancing functionality.

Based on the Work of Dr. Jean-Piere Barral, a therapist who practices Visceral Manipulation manually listens to the body to feel for primary tension patterns.  At first the hands are placed on the head in order to follow any strains, rotations or restrictions downward.  As the general listening continues, one is directed more into a local listening to be able to find areas for the more detailed work.

Once the area of dysfunction is discovered, techniques are used to bring harmony back to the original organs and also with their relationship to the rest of the visceral system and nearby structures.  This is done by working with mobility (releasing and adhesions and supporting free movement), and by touching into the inherent motility and encouraging natural motion.

A session is done with very light touch working mostly through the connective tissue that encases the organs such as the kidneys, livers, intestines etc... By releasing restrictions, the organs can return back to the job that were created for by not having to work so hard.  Visceral Manipulation usually takes a shorter time than with other types of massage and bodywork, so it can easily be incorporated into other types of therapy.   

Because the Barral Institute is linked with the Upledger Institute,  often one will find practitioners who will add the visceral work into a Craniosacral Therapy Session. They both include listening and following rhythms, are based on listening and applying gentle manipulations, and can be done with clothes on.  Both are built on the foundation of osteopathic medicine.

If you have more questions on this fabulous type of therapy, check

http://www.barralinstitute.com/about/vm.php

Sharon Hartnett LMT, CST

www.massageincolumbusohio.com

Upper Arlington and Johnstown, Ohio

(614) 372-6598

Structural Integration Columbus Ohio

Generally this is a Craniosacral Blog.  But I also work doing Structural Integration Therapy which is a more active type of massage therapy that focuses on the fascia. Lately,  I have been hearing the question,  "What is the difference between Rolfing and Structural Integration"?  So I decided to clarify it for those of you who have questions...

The Rolf Institute was created in 1971 to promote and educate people about the work of Dr. Ida Rolf.  The focus of her manual hands on fascia work is based on bringing balance and optimal functionality back to the body by working with the weblike connective tissues that contains all the living structures in your body.  The main benefit of this therapy from my perspective is that the Rolfing brings the body back into more natural alignment, thereby making it easier to move in relationship to gravity. This work helps people to feel more flexible longterm, more energized, and generally happier with how they feel both internally and in relationship with their environment after a 10 series.  The Rolf Institute is located in Boulder, Colorado.

As with most successful things,  students of Ida Rolf began to develop new ideas and concepts and began to branch off into different schools of thought.  One of the most well known fascial leaders at the moment is Tom Myers.  He has been in the forefront of research, evolving his own concepts and understanding while educating the public about this fabulous work.  His link can be found at: Anatomy Trains if you would like to find out more.  However,  I would be remiss if I did not mention that there are other schools and teachers that hold high standards and quality education as well.  All of these newer schools fall under "Structural Integration" because they can't use the "Rolfing" name because that name is registered to the "Rolf Institute".  Some of these schools adhere to the original 10 series by Ida Rolf, but others have changed.  From my perspective, it's not about where the therapist went to school though-  you want to interview your potential therapist about experience and check referrals or testimonials to get feedback on the expertise he/she has in this field.  Good questions to ask maybe:

• How long have you been working?
• Do you work with layering?
• Do you have any recommendations online or whom I can contact?
• How is this work different than typical massage?
• How long are your sessions?

Structural Integration is a great way to get your body feeling at its best.  Most clients love the work and feel a real shift after completing the series.  To be honest,  it's not always the easiest massage to receive because it addresses functional and pain areas.  But if clients are willing to feel deeply within, they usually walk away wondering where the  pain went and in wonder that they can feel so much better.

If you are interested in more about fascia, check this research: 

http://www.rolf.org/content/pdf/press/Science%20Mag%2007.pdf

or call Sharon Hartnett LMT at (614) 372-6598

www.massageincolumbusohio.com