What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “craniosacral?” If it is something related to science fiction, you are not alone. Let’s be honest, craniosacral therapy treatments sound like something that takes place in the Star Wars Universe. Of course, it is not (we don’t think). Craniosacral therapy is something that is a very real and highly effective tool to help those struggling with issues of mental health.
Now that we have gotten over the bizarre-sounding name of craniosacral therapy, it’s time to get down to the facts. Though relatively new, craniosacral therapy treatments have become highly regarded in the psychological, neuroscientific, and recovery spheres.
Here at Clearview Girls Academy, we are excited to be able to offer craniosacral therapy treatments as a way to reduce physical and emotional stress for our students. When used in tandem with their other therapies, we have found that craniosacral therapy not only works for our students while they are in our care, but it also helps carry them successfully out into the “real” world.
What Exactly Is Craniosacral Therapy?
To avoid all of the scientific and clinical jargon right off the bat, we feel that Merriam-Webster really offers the best definition of craniosacral therapy. This therapy is defined as “a system of gentle touch designed to enhance the functioning of the membranes, tissues, fluids, and bones surrounding or associated with the brain and spinal cord.”
Craniosacral therapy sessions employ a series of “light touches” that biologically stimulate and move the fluids that exist around the central nervous system.
When this stimulation occurs, it can give an individual a newfound sense of calm and well-being. Initially and still predominantly used for physical ailments such as migraines and fibromyalgia, doctors have found that the emotional benefits of craniosacral therapy can be potent as well. The therapy can be extremely helpful for people struggling with mental illness. After all, feelings of calm and well-being are two very crucial aspects of mental health.
What Does Craniosacral Therapy Treat?
While we here at Clearview Girls Academy do not feel that craniosacral therapy treatments administered on their own are effective enough as a sole recovery option. We have found that these treatments have profound effects when paired with some of the other therapies we offer.
When integrated into an individualized treatment plan, craniosacral therapy can help treat anxiety and depression. It can help those struggling with the emotions that underlie struggles with drinking and substance use disorder. It can also help treat physical side effects that often accompany emotional and mental health issues.
It can be critical to remember that mental illness does not just affect our emotions and our mental capacity. It can, and often does, take a serious toll on our physical body. Issues of mental health can cause sleeplessness, excessive sleep, sore muscles, and even intense headaches and migraines. This is why it is also important to heal the body along with the spirit and mind.
What Are the Benefits of Craniosacral Therapy?
Some of the benefits of craniosacral therapy treatments include:
- Help in creating a more regulated and healthy sleep cycle
- Reducing feelings of anxiety, worry, and nervousness
- Helping with feelings of depression and feelings of loneliness and low self-esteem
- Reducing the physical symptoms associated with mental illness, such as muscle tension, and headaches
- Reinvigorating “gut health” and reducing constipation and stomach pains
- Increasing an individual’s well-being, and increasing the desire for more physical activity and interaction
Integrating Craniosacral Therapy Into an Individualized Treatment Plan
As previously mentioned, here at Clearview Girls Academy, we do not see our students as symptoms or statistics. We see them as individuals. This is why we make it our mission to customize a recovery plan for each and every one of our students. For those students that we feel can benefit from craniosacral therapy treatments, we absolutely integrate that into their recovery plan.
At Clearview Girls Academy we believe in a three-part approach to our students’ recovery. Those parts are academic achievement, behavioral reconciliation, and spiritual growth. Using craniosacral therapy can benefit our students in all three categories.
Helping With Academic Achievement
Many of our students come to us having seen a serious drop in their academic excellence. Many times the reason for this is that their mental health struggles have been distracting them from their schoolwork. Craniosacral therapy helps with these distractions because it improves their mental health and mental clarity.
Helping With Behavioral Reconciliation
Of course for behavioral health, craniosacral therapy can help with some of those underlying emotional issues of anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders.
Helping With Spiritual Growth
As far as spiritual growth is concerned, our goal is to remove our students’ blockage against receiving a source of spiritual guidance. Craniosacral therapy treatments can help that removal happen.
No, craniosacral therapy is not from Star Wars. However, if you’d indulge us, we can use it to help take our students from the dark side back into the light.
When it comes to recovery, we feel it is important to take an individualized approach that uses multiple tools and techniques. These tools range from holistic practices like yoga and breathwork to the spiritual like meditation and religious services. They can involve individual and group therapy, which may include more traditional therapy like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and/or something less well-accepted like equine therapy. One of the therapies that can be extremely helpful for certain students is craniosacral therapy treatment. Craniosacral therapy has been shown to help our students find a sense of calm and inner peace, which is something we strive for here at our recovery center. For further information, please call Clearview Girls Academy at (888) 796-5484.
