CranioSacral Therapy
Light-touch, hands-on therapy that works with the body's own self-regulating systems. A complement to training — or, for some, a stand-alone tool for chronic tension, recovery, and nervous-system balance.
What it is
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on modality developed by osteopathic physician Dr. John Upledger. The work is done with very light touch — usually no more than the weight of a nickel — on the head, spine, sacrum, and surrounding tissues. The goal is to release restrictions in the connective tissue and fluid systems that surround and protect the central nervous system.
It's quiet work. It doesn't look like much from the outside. But it can do a lot, especially for things that haven't responded to harder, more aggressive interventions.
What it can help with
CST is used to support a range of conditions. It is not a replacement for medical care, and I'll be the first to say so when something needs to be referred out. That said, people commonly seek CST for:
- Chronic tension — neck, shoulders, jaw, low back
- Headaches and migraines
- TMJ dysfunction
- Post-concussion recovery
- Post-surgical and post-injury recovery, when the tissue is ready for gentle work
- Nervous-system dysregulation — stress, sleep disruption, difficulty downshifting
- Stubborn movement restrictions that haven't resolved with training or stretching alone
What a session looks like
Sessions are 30–60 minutes. You stay fully clothed and lie on a comfortable table. I'll give light contact at the head, sacrum, and various points along the spine and limbs — tracking and supporting what your tissues are doing. There's no cracking and no aggressive manipulation. It's clinical work in a calm room.
Most people feel deeply relaxed during and after. Some feel a noticeable shift in symptoms after one session; for most things, a series of sessions is more realistic.
How it fits with the rest of my work
For coaching clients, CST is now something I can offer directly when training reveals tension or restriction that movement alone won't fully resolve. The roundtable model still applies; I'm just one more practitioner at the table now.
CST is also available as a stand-alone service. You don't have to be a coaching client to come in for CST work. If you're dealing with chronic tension, headaches, or a nervous system that won't downshift, and the harder modalities haven't gotten you where you want to be, this is worth a conversation.
About my training
I'm certified at CST 1 through the Upledger Institute International — the originating organization for the modality, founded by Dr. John Upledger. I'm continuing the curriculum (CST 2 and beyond) and integrating what I learn as I go.
This isn't a side credential. It's a deliberate addition to how I work — an extension of fifteen years of attention to how bodies actually function and recover.
"Dan's extensive knowledge of anatomy and how the human body works is extraordinary." — Dorothy G.