What is Craniosacral Therapy?

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is an exceptionally gentle yet very potent form of complementary treatment which supports your body’s innate ability to balance, restore and heal itself, as well as helping to replenish your underlying energy. 

Using educated and mindful touch, and sensitively listening without fixed agendas, CST offers a safe and judgement free space where the effects of challenges such as injury, disease, trauma, and stress can be processed and the body’s natural affinity towards health be reignited. 

CST has its roots in osteopathy. People often ask about the name and think it only refers to the head. In fact, CST works with the whole person, and changes may occur in body mind and spirit during and after sessions. 

These are some of the words and phrases that people have used to describe their experience of Craniosacral Therapy: 

“Comforting, inner peace, a sense of relief, deep stillness and relaxation, connection, feeling accepted, feeling more fully alive, put back in one piece, feeling whole again”. 

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How does Craniosacral Therapy work?

Perhaps it might be helpful to think of a CST treatment as a kind of bodily orientated mindfulness session in which I listen to your body with my hands in a similar way that a talking therapist would listen to your words. 

Our bodies are full of wisdom which we often ignore or overlook when we are not in tune with our physical sensations. Disconnection with our inner experiences can lead to chronic stress and unprocessed emotions which over time can strain the nervous, immune, and musculoskeletal systems. 

Touch is potent. It is the first language we ‘speak’ and how we discover ourselves and the world around us. Touch is also deeply intwined with our sense of well-being and safety. By helping to calibrate the autonomic nervous system, mindful touch can lower our stress levels, help foster emotional resilience and turn down the volume on pain, trauma and anxiety. 

CST practitioners are trained over several years to palpate, encourage and amplify certain subtle rhythms in the body. In my clinical experience the presence of these rhythms corresponds to a happier, healthier person. 

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Who is it for?

Because it is so gentle CST is suitable for all: new-borns, toddlers, teenagers, pregnant and post-natal woman, adults and the elderly. 

It is particularly useful for people who require extremely gentle, non-manipulative or careful treatment and those who’ve not benefited from traditional approaches. 

Craniosacral Therapy is not intended as primary healthcare but to work alongside the relationship you have with your doctor or other health professionals. 

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What happens in a session?

At the first session there will be a detailed and sensitive discussion of your history and your reasons for coming for CST. During the treatment you will remain clothed and will usually lie face-up or on your side on a treatment table. I will gently use my hands to make contact with your body and listen to its various systems and stories. 

Because the body functions as a whole, I may focus on areas other than where your symptoms are occurring. It is common to feel deep relaxation, warmth, tingling, a sense of ease, increased energy and a sense of feeling more alive, balanced and heard in the truest sense of the world. 

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Unsure if Craniosacral Therapy is right for you? 

Let’s chat! As a therapist with over 10 years of specialised training in anatomy, physiology, trauma work, breathwork, mindfulness and coaching, I bring a holistic, clinically grounded approach to my practice. My extensive experience allows me to deeply understand the body’s complex systems and the profound impact that being embodied has on overall health. By integrating these therapeutic techniques, I offer personalised care that supports not just physical healing but emotional and mental well-being. 

If you would like to book an appointment with Andrew Koval-Radley please get in touch directly through the Bramham Therapy website.

Andrew’s rates are competitive and flexible, and he is able to offer discounts for blocks of treatment and referrals. 

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