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 60 minutes. You stay fully clothed and lie face-up on a comfortable table. The work is 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 where the real change happens.

Investment

CST works as a series — meaningful change comes from consistent sessions, not a single visit. That's why pricing is built around series, with a starter option for new clients.

HSA/FSA eligibility depends on your plan — ask your administrator; I'm happy to provide documentation.

Single sessions are available on request.

A limited number of reduced-rate community slots are held each week for first responders, students, and anyone for whom cost is a barrier — just ask.

Session packages are valid for 6 months and may be shared within a household. 24 hours' notice to reschedule.

How it fits with the rest of my work

For coaching clients, CST is something I offer directly when training reveals tension or restriction that movement alone won't fully resolve — instead of always referring out. The roundtable model still applies; hands-on therapy is simply one of the seats I hold at the table.

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 and practice

I trained through the Upledger Institute International — the originating organization for the modality, founded by Dr. John Upledger — and I'm in regular hands-on practice, working with coaching clients and stand-alone CST clients alike.

This isn't a side credential. It's an extension of fifteen years of attention to how bodies actually function and recover — the same anatomy, the same assessment-first thinking, applied with lighter hands.

"Dan's extensive knowledge of anatomy and how the human body works is extraordinary." — Dorothy G.