Craniosacral Fascial Therapy

As a new mom there is a learning curve, and my experience lended itself to a bonus aspect of new parenthood as we were faced with a baby who had tethered oral tissues (TOTs). TOTs awareness is growing and there is far more support and research now than years ago I have learned.  But, there is still so much that contributes to the path you take and if a surgical release is the right choice for you, building a collaborative interdisciplinary team for pre and post release support is critical.  

My family unfortunately had a negative experience initially after a premature release was completed by a professional with limited training in TOTs. We were given no follow up instructions, and although some symptoms improved, we still faced issues for the next few months.  We had limited support from the release provider or other providers.  

After conducting more research and educating myself, we sought a second opinion from a trained TOTs dentist, started seeing an infant feeding OT, and I myself attended a course on the Gillespie Approach - Craniosacral Fascial Therapy (CFT) in addition to continuing with a lactation consultant we started seeing AFTER the initial release. As a team we worked to release body tension and optimize oral function prior to a revision.  After the revision, we were given post operative instructions including videos for stretches and massage, follow up appointments at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months post op, we continued working with OT and lactation and I continued providing CFT. Needless to say, it was a lot of work, but we got great results the second time around and passed our post op appointments with flying colors!

The TOTs journey with my baby led me to craniosacral fascial therapy for a reason, not only has it helped my baby, but it has helped my family and friends and I am excited to offer this service to the public. During the first session most of my family and friends reported differences in how their body was feeling. CFT is such a gentle technique and it can be adapted to meet you and your needs. The responses I have seen in my family, friends and some initial clients plus the testimonials on the Gillespie website from the creator of the technique speak for themselves. This is such a holistic and gentle technique with minimal risk of adverse reaction, as opposed to traditional medical routes such as medications or injections.

What is craniosacral fascial therapy? 

When people first hear about craniosacral therapy, they may think of craniosacral therapy or myofascial release.  So let's discuss each of these modalities. 

1. Craniosacral Therapy: uses light touch to release tension around the body's connective tissue (fascia), the goal is tension relief for improved regulation and healing.  The provider will place their hands with gentle pressure typically centered around the head, neck, spine, sacrum and cranium. 

2. Myofascial Release: focuses on pain from myofascial tissue; the provider will apply pressure to stiff areas or trigger points, which are thought to limit movement.

3. Craniosacral Fascial Therapy: craniosacral therapy + myofascial release will leading to unwinding; light touch with support and focus on how the craniosacral system and fascial system are working as one to release tension and optimize healing. The provider will typically place a hand at the back of the head or sacrum for grounding into the craniosacral system and place the other hand at a different point on the body to release tension within the fascial system.  This technique was created with a combination of principals from craniosacral therapy, myofascial release and dental techniques.

I have been trained to work with all ages, infants through adults, providing CFT services. Sometimes individuals will refer to CFT and similar modalities as bodywork. I truly believe everyone could benefit from CFT services to help with reducing tension and optimizing their body's natural ability to heal from within. Fascia is becoming more known, this connective tissue is literally found everywhere within our bodies, and it's important to take care of our fascia.  The New York Times even wrote about it's role and the importance of proper fascia care last year. 

The tissue that may be key to better health

If you have more questions about this unique and healing modality or want to give it a try, let's connect!