A Personal path to deeper healing. Introducing CranioSacral Therapy: Why now, after 30 years?

Some of you who know me, or have been coming to the clinic for a while, might be surprised by the new addition to our treatment list: CranioSacral Therapy (CST). After all, with nearly 30 years of experience in physiotherapy and 25 in acupuncture, why introduce something new now? It’s a fair question, and the answer comes from a very personal place, one I’d like to share with you.

Picture only for reference

For years, I had been using a few CranioSacral techniques here and there in my practice. I picked them up collaborating with some brilliant osteopaths over the course of my career. They were helpful tools, but I had never pursued the full, formal training. It was a piece of the puzzle I appreciated from a distance.

Then, life has a way of steering you exactly where you need to go. My daughter has a speech delay and is on the autism spectrum. As a therapist, and more importantly, as a father, it was incredibly frustrating to feel like I couldn't help her with the tools I had. Manual therapy offered some benefits, but nothing really profound. Acupuncture, my other great love, wasn't an option; she is simply too afraid of the needles.

I knew, from my professional experience and from conversations with osteopathic colleagues, that CranioSacral Therapy could potentially be beneficial for the kinds of challenges she was facing. That’s when I decided to stop borrowing techniques and get the proper training.

It was crucial for me to find the right place to learn. I wanted to go to the source. So, I found a training program in Singapore conducted by a very experienced senior teacher at the Upledger International Institute. For me, it made perfect sense to learn from the institute founded by the father of CranioSacral Therapy himself, Dr. John Upledger.

I’ll be honest, when I booked the training, my initial intention was purely for my daughter. I didn't necessarily plan to bring this new modality into the clinic. But then, I saw the results.

In just a few months of treating my daughter, I began to see measurable, tangible improvements. Her attention span has increased, her focus in learning has improved, she is sleeping better, and her coordination and balance are noticeably better. For a parent, witnessing these shifts is nothing short of profound. It has opened up a new world for her.

Seeing these results firsthand, I couldn't help but feel that my clients could greatly benefit from this technique as well. It felt almost selfish to keep it to my family. CranioSacral Therapy is known for its gentle but effective approach to a wide range of issues, from chronic pain and headaches to stress and emotional tension.

It also served as a reminder for me. After 30 years, it’s easy to feel like you’ve seen it all. But every person is a new puzzle, and sometimes, to solve a new puzzle, you need to add a new piece. There are no easy cases, just new ones waiting for the right approach. Adding CST to my repertoire has re-energized my practice and given me another powerful tool to help the people who walk through my door.

The body’s ability to heal itself is incredible, and sometimes it just needs a gentle nudge in the right direction. If you are curious whether CranioSacral Therapy could be the right nudge for you, contact me and ask. I am here to give you advice and help.