CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY
Based on the theory that the central nervous system has a natural rhythm, craniosacral therapy is designed to manipulate the skull and sacrum (lower back) to remove blockages, enabling cerebrospinal fluid to better flow around the body. It was developed in the 70s as an offshoot of osteopathy, and many craniosacral therapists are also osteopaths by training. Practitioners use it to help with migraines, muscular pain and IBS, relieve stress and boost energy.
My therapist today is Stephanie James. She’s wearing a white lab coat and there’s a plastic model of a skull on her desk. The impression this gives is far more medical than any of the other treatments I’ve had so far. James begins by gently placing her hands on top of my head; she’s feeling my body’s natural movement and looking for any restrictions. Aware of some twisting down my right side, she asks if I’ve had any dental treatment recently – I had a root canal in my right side a month ago. She tells me that my right side isn’t moving as it should be. It’s only when she says this that I realise that when I sprained my ankle back in 2013, it was my right one, and when I get tension in my neck, it’s always on the right, too.
Next, I sit on a bed, on top of James’ hands. It feels like she’s barely moving at all, but I can feel things shifting – almost unlocking – in my pelvis. She explains that the body is a container and, for the contents to work correctly, we need the container to be aligned. When I lie on the bed and she places her hands lightly on my face, it’s so relaxing that I almost fall asleep. I feel gutted when our hour is up and I have to drag myself out of her office and out into the world.
Later that day, I’m aware of a loosening in my neck and upper back. Beyond that, I feel a sense of calm and peace that I haven’t experienced in months. My train is delayed, my phone dies – aggravations that wash over me like water. It feels remarkable to me that such a light, imperceptible touch could have had such a powerful effect on me. I know I’m a convert when I start bringing the therapy up in random conversations. A massage is great, but for the same price, I’ve found a treatment that delivers a shot of tranquillity unmatched by anything else I’ve experienced.
£60 for a one-hour treatment; osteoperformance.co.uk