Getting Craniosacral Massage Therapy from a Licensed Massage Therapist or LMT

Craniosacral massage therapy is a specialized form of massage that one should undergo only from the hands of a licensed massage therapist or LMT who is also a certified craniosacral therapist.

Craniosacral massage therapy is also sometimes called cranial osteopathy or cranial sacral massage therapy. Craniosacral therapists release restrictions on nerve passages by manipulating the skull, cranial sutures, spine, diaphragm, and fascia. This is supposed to bring proper alignment to misaligned bones and to facilitate the smooth flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the membranes enclosing the central nervous system. Through such manipulations, relief is achieved from a wide range of conditions such as temporomandibular joint disorder or the inflammation of the joint between the jaw and the skull, chronic headache, neck pain, back pain, fibromyalgia and mental stress.

Craniosacral massage therapy was first developed between 1898 and 1900 by William Sutherland who was a doctor of osteopathy. He named it cranial osteopathy because it was based on his observation that the skull or cranium was not made of one solid bone as believed at that time, but was more like fish gills with temporal bones meeting the parietal bones in the beveled cranial sutures. He saw that the cranium and the sacrum at the bottom of the spine moved in synchronized rhythm based on the inhalation and exhalation of breathing. This connected to the basic philosophy of osteopathy where the Breath of Life is considered as the vital life force.

From cranial osteopathy, Sutherland went on to develop biodynamic osteopathy which is now called biodynamic craniosacral therapy. He had connected his studies of the Breath of Life with the Eastern concepts of Qi or Prana. The three were one and the same energy in his view, and enabled the body to naturally correct imbalances and heal itself without need for external influences. This was the biodynamic theory, recognizing embryological forces expressing the original intent of existence by allowing embryonic cells to shape the body and heal the body, as well. Sutherland became more spiritual and reverent at this point and he began to advocate a subtle touch in order to lessen external forces and give more leeway to inner healing.

Initially, traditional osteopathy resisted Sutherland’s cranial osteopathy. This began to change when the American School of Osteopathy established a graduate course called “Osteopathy in the Cranial Field” in 1940. The Cranial Academy was set up in 1947 and the Sutherland Cranial Teaching Foundation was put up in 1953. Later on, Becker and James Jealous further developed biodynamic osteopathy and Franklyn Sills further developed biodynamic craniosacral therapy.

Even the Michigan State University focused studies on the Sutherland theory of cranial bone movement from 1975 to 1983. The neurophysiologist and histologist Ernest W. Retzlaff and the osteopathic physician John E. Upledger headed the team composed of physiologists, anatomists, biophysicists and bioengineers. The two team leaders eventually had their support for the Sutherland theories of cranial bone movement and cranial rhythm published.

In fact, in 1987, Upledger established the Upledger Institute advocating his own style of craniosacral therapy. Affiliates of the Upledger Institute are covered by the Upledger's International Association of Healthcare Practitioners.

In the UK, there is the College of Craniosacral Therapy. In 1989, its graduates established the Craniosacral Therapy Association of the UK (CSTA). The Craniosacral Therapy Association of North America, in turn, was set up in 1998. On the other side of the world, the Craniosacral Therapy Association of Australia was created in 2004. Indeed craniosacral massage therapy is a healing modality with worldwide recognition.

A licensed massage therapist or LMT can give not only craniosacral massage therapy but also shiatsu, acupressure massage therapy, reflexology massage therapy, deep tissue massage therapy, sports massage therapy and pregnancy massage therapy. An experienced licensed massage therapist also usually does insurance billing for people in auto accidents since many of its clients have undergone such mishaps.