Kristi Maguire
RMT, RCST®, CB

Registered Massage Therapist
Registered Craniosacral Therapist
Certified BodyIntuitive

Kristi Maguire RMT, RCST®, CB

Registered Massage Therapist
Registered Craniosacral Therapist
Certified BodyIntuitive

BIODYNAMIC

Craniosacral

Treating the Whole Person

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is a subtle and profound whole person approach to treatment and healing. It is a gentle hands-on therapy that interacts with all the body systems and structures on many levels and assists the inherent intelligence that is present in the body to improve its expression of health. This particular type of therapy addresses a wide range of issues from head injuries, left-right imbalances, and dental problems to anxiety, depression, and trauma. Each session is personalised to fit your specific needs.

Biodynamics And Your Health

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy

The work originated in the field of Osteopathy with an Osteopath named William Sutherland. He was the first to discover the structures surrounding the brain and spinal cord are supposed to have a certain amount of movement in order the the nervous system and body to be functioning properly.

It is based on two main ideas. The first is that there is a real intelligence in your system. It is with the understanding that the same intelligence that created you can also heal you. The other big idea is that there is an expansion and contraction, or a breathing type of motion that takes place in the body. This movement begins in embryonic development and continues throughout our life and is our body’s expression of health and ability to self correct. This movement is driven by the intelligence we call the Breath of Life.

This breathing type of motion is called Primary Respiration and we can feel it in the body similar to the movement of tides in the ocean. We use light gentle touch and allow these tides to shift and deepen and as they do your body creates it’s own shifts from within.

Our bodies are shaped by our experiences in life. Bumps and falls, injuries, mental or emotional stress, and birth traumas are all examples of experiences that can leave their imprint in our biology. If these experiences are not cleared, they leave their mark resulting in a contraction of the tissues and a block of the flow of our natural resources and health.
Biodynamic Craniosacral sessions allow the body to open up this breathing motion to allow a greater expression of health and better resilience.

Effective Craniosacral Massage Services

The therapy originated in the field of osteopathy and is based on the work of William Garner Sutherland. Sutherland had early descriptions of movements in all tissues of the body known as Primary Respiration. This motion and movement is similar to a breathing motion in which all the tissues expand and contract in a rhythmical manner. He described five phenomena that were involved in that motion:

The fluctuation of the cerebrospinal fluid - the potency of the Tide
The function of the reciprocal tension membrane
The motility of the Neural Tube
The articular mobility of the cranial bones
The involuntary movement of the sacrum between the ilia

After developing manual techniques to support the natural inherent movement in these tissues and years of successfully treating thousands of patients, further research into his work took place, and the field of Craniosacral Therapy was born in the 1970’s. Towards the end of his life, Sutherland’s focus shifted away from a mechanical approach to a wider encompassing approach with increasing reverence for the Breath of Life. He eventually discovered a great effectiveness in allowing the intelligence in the body to create the shifts rather than applying specific techniques.

The Heart Of Biodynamic Work

The work gives reverence to the inherent ability of the body to heal itself. It encompasses every system and structure in the body and can bring about a reorganization that is physiological, psychological, and energetic. Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is very relaxing and is very useful in supporting many health conditions as well as supporting health and vitality in healthy individuals.

Professional Affiliations

⦁ College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia
⦁ Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of British Columbia – RMT
⦁ Graduate, Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy – OVCMT
⦁ Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Association of North America (BCTA/NA)
⦁ Graduate, Body Intelligence – BI

For More Information

Frequently Asked Question About Dynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST)

What is Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST)?

Biodynamics is an attempt to always appreciate the whole of things and to support the fundamental health mechanism. Health is seen as an active principle in the body. It is natural breathing type of movement of expansion and contraction that expresses in the tissues, fluids, and potency. The body needs to have this movement called Primary Respiration within and between the structures in order for health to be flowing.

At the core of the body is the central nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord. These neurological tissues are bathed and surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid which expresses a natural ebb and flow to its motion, similar to tide movements in the ocean. As the body expands and contracts, the CSF has its tide-like motion that flows around the central nervous system. As all tissues and fluids are continuous in the body, like an interwoven matrix, this tide-like motion in the craniosacral system can be felt through all the tissues and fluids in the body. So any blocks or restrictions to that natural ebb and flow can also be felt throughout the whole body.

How does it work?

Using a very skilled light touch, practitioners are able to deeply listen to the body and allow the intelligence of the system to set the priorities of the sequence in which it wants to unravel. The system responds by bringing about its own internal adjustments and reorganisations within the body tissues, fluids, and potency.

The body knows how to heal itself. With a light, skilled touch, the body can and will open up fluid movement through the area, reorganise tissue imbalances, release the held tension and trauma, and improve the elasticity and health of the area. Once that has occurred, the area is freer to move back into its original primary respiration motion with an increase in potency, vitality, and life force energy. This results in an ability to express stronger health. In addition to that one area releasing its held or inertial pattern, it allows the entire organism to shift and unravel as the area of inertia releases its grip on the whole.

The body is an interwoven matrix of tissues, fluids, and cells. Allowing one area to dissolve its held tension, allows the entire organism to reorganise itself into a more balanced way. It is a whole person approach to treatment. The work encompasses every system and structure in the body. The work can bring about a reorganisation that is physiological, psychological, and energetic.

The power in this work is in the fact that it supports and engages people in their own healing. People often feel empowered with the understanding that their body is responsible for their own healing and if it creates an imbalance, it can also correct it.

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is very relaxing and is very useful in supporting many health conditions as well as supporting health and vitality in healthy individuals.

What should I expect from a Biodynamic Craniosacral session?

Sessions are performed on a fully clothed body. It is recommended to wear comfortable loose or non-restrictive clothing with no belt. Biodynamic Craniosacral sessions begin with the practitioner placing their hands on the body at the ankles or feet to feel what is happening in the system. From there, the practitioner follows and supports the unravelling of the tissues and self-repair of the system with light touch in different areas of the body as indicated.

How long will a session take?

Sessions are booked in one hour increments. The hands-on portion will often be about 45 minutes with discussion and explanation and home care afterwards. Sometimes the body will stop responding in a shorter time as it has done what it can for that day. We honour what the system needs and take our hands off at that time and go over what is needed to be discussed. Longer sessions can be booked once the body has gained more stamina and can handle longer sessions.

CAN I COMBINE MASSAGE AND BIODYNAMIC CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY IN ONE SESSION?

You can, however it is not ideal. To obtain deeper unwinding and create more permanent shifts in the body, time is needed in order for the body to be able to access the deeper changes.

What can Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy help me with?

The list is very long and extensive of conditions that respond very favourably to Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. From structural imbalances, stress reduction, to releasing held trauma that is preventing our healing, to overall relaxation and well-being. It is very helpful for all types of pain as it assists the nervous system in regulating itself and calming down a hyperactive pain signal. Experiencing less aches and pains, less body tension, more suppleness and flexibility to all the tissues allows for greater range of motion, mobility, and flexibility. Bringing about a greater awareness of our bodies and becoming more embodied is one of the great benefits of this work.

Is Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Covered By My Insurance Plan?

Yes, if you see a registered massage therapist who is certified in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, your insurance plan will cover it under their coverage of Massage Therapy Services.

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is gaining in recognition and some insurance plans are covering the treatments of those who are certified Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist, but not a Registered Massage Therapist.

What are the costs?

The regular massage therapy rates apply.

For more information on Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy or to set up an appointment, please contact Maguire Massage Therapy.

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