What is Craniosacral Therapy, what does a treatment look like and what are the benefits? Kate Kirrane share her experience of a treatment with Craniosacral Therapist, Sam Lowi.
Craniosacral Therapy with Sam Lowi
I remember when my new-born baby was struggling with colic, a friend recommended I visit a Craniosacral Therapist. I went along for a session and watched as the practitioner held my tiny daughter in his arms and moved his hands around her head and spine. It was so subtle, it almost seemed like he wasn’t really doing anything of note and I was sceptical as to how effective the treatment would be. After that first session, the colic vanished and I didn’t need to go back. It was like a miracle cure.
Since then, I have been a firm believer in the power of this treatment. Yet, for a long time, I, like many others, thought it was just for babies. Actually it is for everybody – men, women, children, babies and even animals and is a highly effective, safe treatment that can bring truly transformative results.
So what is it?
Craniosacral Therapy is a light touch body therapy which focuses on the central nervous system, principally the brain and the spine. The nervous system is our body’s main communications system and this brain-spine relationship is the epicentre for the entire human body.
Performed over clothes, this gentle treatment enables the body space to unravel, rewire, regenerate and ultimately heal. It is highly effective for people of all ages dealing with pain due to current or past physical or emotional trauma. It is also used for new-born babies to release birth trauma and colic.
My experience
Lying on my back on a treatment couch covered in a beautiful thick blanket, Sam started the session by placing her hands underneath the bottom of my head / neck for around 5 minutes. This created a real sense of serenity and trust as I slowly surrendered my head into her hands.
From there, Sam worked slowly and methodically downwards, applying gentle pressure to areas of my head, shoulders, neck and spine before holding under my lower back again for some minutes to finish the treatment.
Sam explained how she was checking in with or ‘meeting’ different areas of my body in order to encourage them to release. I adored Sam’s extremely somatic approach. I could see how she was really connecting into what each body part was communicating through the way it was holding tension and then figuring out from there what was required to encourage it to let go.
What I loved most about the treatment
I felt like I was physically, emotionally and metaphorically, being ‘held’, which was such an amazing feeling and enabled me to truly relax and let go.
Conclusion
We spend our lives having to be strong and resilient as we carry the pressures and challenges of everyday life both past and present. So this sense of being held safely by someone I could trust was incredibly powerful. I can really see how this would aid people on a deep level in terms of physical and mental / emotional healing and recovery. By the end, I felt totally restored.
It was clear that Sam is a highly accomplished Craniosacral practitioner. As I had discovered myself all those years ago with my daughter, the results can be literally life changing.
Benefits of Craniosacral Therapy
- Supports people dealing with high levels of stress, anxiety and/or panic attacks
- Helps with back pain, headaches and IBS or any other chronic conditions
- Supports babies who have had difficult births and who may be experiencing colic, sleeping or feeding problems
- Supports pregnant women struggling with reflux or other conditions associated with pregnancy as well as for new mothers who experienced a difficult birth
- Helps people suffering with PTSD
- Helps people to process challenging emotional times such as a bereavement or relationship breakdown
Sam Lowi works in Beaconsfield & across South Bucks.
Amber Kelly works in Marlow & across Berks.
For more information about Craniosacral Therapy and / or how to contact our practitioners please click here
