About Biodynamic Cranio-Sacral Therapy (BCST)

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST) is a very gentle touch therapy working with the whole person, supporting your health and helping you to experience being more alive within your body.

BCST takes as a starting point that your own body knows what it needs to be healthy.  

Sometimes as a result of our various life experiences - maybe illness, accidents, trauma, environmental or emotional factors - our physical, mental or emotional health may become compromised. So, for example, we may find our posture is out of balance causing joint or muscle pain, we may suffer discomfort with breathing or digestion, be living with the emotional pain of anxiety or depression, or may just feel constantly tired or on edge.  In addition, the stresses of day to day life often lead to us 'living in our heads', disconnected from what it's like to really live in our body.  In my practice, I start from the premise that your body carries with it your story, and through BCST I offer safe, negotiated non-invasive touch to listen to that story and support your move towards optimum, whole-person wellness.

Craniosacral therapy has it's roots in Osteopathy, and some forms of craniosacral practice focus on a more mechanical (though still very subtle) approach to 'fixing' imbalances within the body to support health.  The biodynamic approach does not impose my definition of what you need, but uses touch and presence to create a safe therapeutic space within which your body and mind may begin to release some of the tensions and patterns they hold.  

During a session, I work with you to gently encourage your awareness of what's happening within your body - the sensations, some obvious, others more subtle, and your responses to the touch - ensuring always that the pace is right for you.

Most people find BCST a deeply relaxing form of therapy, which can support healing on many levels, often helping to resolve long held difficulties, and offering relief from a wide range of conditions or traumas.  Encouraging you with basic mindfulness techniques and simple movements to practice at home allows you to become more empowered in taking care of yourself and your health, and supporting you to live well, even in the face of long-term conditions.  In addition, it's my experience that this approach can bring significant long-term benefits for you in managing stress and improving your quality of life.

What happens during a session?

At your initial session, I will take a case history and have some discussion about your goals for treatment.  At future sessions, there will always be time for an update on how you are doing at the start and end included in your one hour session.

You remain fully clothed during sessions. Usually, you’ll lie on a standard treatment table on your back or your side, although I can also work with you seated if that’s more comfortable for you.  Hands-on contact is extremely gentle - there are no massage or manipulation techniques involved in BCST - and touch is always negotiated to ensure that you feel safe and in control of what is happening within the session.  Contact is most often with your feet, head, spine and pelvis, depending upon you and the support your body requires.

Feeding back your experience of what is happening during a treatment is encouraged, and I will help talk you through ways to engage with the sensations and feelings which may arise.  

After a session, you may feel more aware of symptoms for a short period, but more people find this passes as your body processes the effects of the treatment. The number of treatments required and the frequency will depend upon what you need, and I’m happy to give guidance on this. 

About Jill

My decision to train in bodywork came through my own experience of using various complementary therapies to support me with a variety of health issues.  Initially training in Shiatsu (sometimes referred to as meridian or acupressure massage), I have been a member of the professional register of the Shiatsu Society UK since 2009.

Experiencing first-hand the potentially transformative impact of biodynamic craniosacral therapy has now led me to complete a two year training with Body Intelligence and I’m very excited to be bringing this form to bodywork to Ambacare.  

If you’re uncertain whether BCST may be of support to you, I’m happy to have an informal chat in the clinic or on the phone.

Pricing

1 hour session - £50