Craniosacral Therapy is a light-touch holistic therapy that works with subtle rhythmic movements in the body. As long as these rhythms are being expressed in fullness, balance and without restriction a state of health prevails. However, unresolved stresses or traumas can be held in the body as places of inertia or contraction, which affects the expression of these rhythms. This is considered to be a primary precursor to the development of symptoms and clinical conditions.
The Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust (CTET) is a leading school of Craniosacral Therapy based in London that was established in 1989 by Michael Kern and Franklyn Sills. Franklyn Sills is a key developer of the ‘biodynamic’ approach to Craniosacral Therapy, and Michael Kern is a pioneering teacher in the UK and internationally.
CTET provides in-depth part time courses that are accessible, experiential and comprehensive. Trainings at CTET are focused on the development of therapeutic skills that can be applied in clinical practice.
The embedded infographic shows some of the accreditations and memberships available to CTET graduates.
Some more information about courses offered by the Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust can also be found in the attached PDF.
Cranial History
The origins of what is known today as Craniosacral Therapy lie in the findings of an osteopath in the early part of the 20th century. When a student of osteopathy, William Garner Sutherland was examining a disarticulated set of human skull bones. He had been taught that the adult skull does not move as the joints or sutures become fused. However, Sutherland realised that the cranial bones of the human adult could become easily separated from one another. When taking a closer look, he further realised that these bones are in fact designed for movement, and he had an inspiring insight that the bone sutures can act in a way similar to the gills of a fish, expressing a subtle rhythmic motion.
Experimentation
Sutherland couldn’t get the idea of rhythmic cranial motion out of his mind, even though it went against what he had been taught. So, he decided to try to prove to himself that his teachers were right and that the skull bones do not move. He consequently designed a special helmet made from leather straps and linen bandages that could be altered and tightened into a variety of positions. He reasoned that if there is such a thing as cranial motion, it should be possible to experience the effects of preventing this motion from occurring by tightening up the straps on the helmet. So he started to test this helmet on his own head, and to his surprise found that he soon developed symptoms such as headaches and digestive upsets. Furthermore, when he released the straps these particular symptoms would disappear, but when the straps were tightened in a different direction a new set of symptoms would follow. All of these experiences led Sutherland to the conclusion that the cranial bones do in fact have some movement and importantly that these small movements have a vital physiological function. Furthermore, he realised that subtle rhythmic motion is a feature of all living tissues.
Sutherland spent the next 50 years of his life in the research and development of his understanding and therapeutic skills, and he has left a profound legacy for practitioners in this field. His legacy provides a strong foundation for Craniosacral Therapy practice as taught at CTET. The ‘biodynamic’ approach embraced at CTET is grounded in the work developed by Dr. Sutherland and places an emphasis on working with the underlying forces that govern our health and well-being. It is a wholistic and client-centred approach that incorporates an appreciation of the interconnections between body, mind and spirit.
Please see the short video attachment for more information about CTET trainings.
