Disclaimer: trauma is a complex topic that deserves much deeper reading than a short blog post, so please consider this an over-simplified tip of the iceberg. For further study we suggest the book The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk.
When something bad happens to us there is a physical reaction to that thing. If you see you’re about to get punched, you might clench your body or tighten your hips as you duck back, and those sensations might linger for a few minutes after the threat is gone, along with the rush of adrenaline — and depending on the context, it could be quite a bit longer than this.
If the threat is severe enough or repeated again and again, those effects could linger in the body for years or even decades. This is what we call trauma. It could be physical or emotional and doesn’t even require recollection of the event. There might be a sense of hyper-vigilance, or you may over-react or under-react in emotional situations, or feel anxious and afraid for no reason.
As trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk described it, the body keeps the score when it comes to trauma.
Treatments often take the form of talk therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and prolonged exposure therapy.
But when the body keeps the score, the healing journey is incomplete without bodywork.
So where do we go next?
The Craniosacral Path to Healing
Craniosacral therapy is a full body hands-on treatment with feather-like pressure that works on the delicate tissues of our nervous system. It is here where the body’s parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems flow with cerebrospinal fluid throughout the entire body.
Nervous tissues need massage too
The sympathetic nervous system is where fight-or-flight occurs, while the parasympathetic nervous system is what relaxes the body following a dangerous or stressful time.
The idea behind craniosacral therapy is to restore the balance of cerebrospinal fluid flowing through these systems, which enables healing in the body. A skilled therapist can essentially “read” the body by getting in sync with this flow and gently manipulating imbalances. This is why such light pressure is used in these sessions.
Studies have shown numerous positive effects from craniosacral therapy for those that suffer from PTSD, reducing symptoms such as:
Insomnia
Panic attacks
Hyper-vigilance
Intrusive Thoughts
Depression and suicide
and more ….
Maybe you’ve tried everything, whether it’s talk therapy and maintaining a healthy diet and exercise or attending support groups — all important parts of the work.
But the healing journey needs that extra touch.
If you’d like to try craniosacral therapy, consider booking a session at Solace Studio, where our trauma-informed therapists are trained to find where trauma is stored in the body and bring you relief.. Be sure to select a session offered by Monica, our Craniosacral Therapist.