CranioSacral Therapy: What It Is, How It Works

by John E. Upledger (Contributor), Don Cohen (Contributor), Donald Ash (Contributor)

With the troubling side effects and surging costs of medications and surgery, Americans are increasingly turning to CranioSacral Therapy as an effective, drug-free, and non-invasive therapy. A gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the function of the craniosacral system — the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord — CST boosts the body’s natural healing processes and has proven efficacious for a wide range of medical problems from migraines, learning disabilities, and post-traumatic stress disorder to fibromyalgia, chronic neck and back pain, and TMJ. This book provides a broad introduction to this therapy by way of short pieces written by a number of well-known practitioners or experts. In addition to pioneer John E. Upledger, contributors include Richard Grossinger ( Planet Medicine ), Don Ash (Lessons from the Sessions), Don Cohen (An Introduction to Craniosacral Therapy), and Bill Gottlieb (Alternative Cures). Each selection covers a different aspect of what it is, what it does, how it heals, what the practitioner does during a CST session, CST’s relationship to cranial osteopathy and other healing therapies, as well as other topics of interest to the beginner.

128 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2008

About the author

John E. Upledger was co-founder of Upledger Institute International, Inc. and former medical director of Upledger Clinical Services.

Reviews

[Claudia Putnam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these essays are very sharp and helpful. I'm not sure why others are even included except perhaps that at the time the collection was published there might not have been much lay-reader oriented writing available on CST. A couple of the WORST pieces are by Upledger himself. Also the best. It's interesting how often he says to leave ego out of it and then goes on about how "I" fixed this or that, when the whole principle is to stay out of it and be only a mirror and a facilitator for the client's healing. Nevertheless, some great stuff here about the basics. And I say that as someone coming from a different tradition than Upledger's.

[Marcelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful overview of all aspects of craniosacral therapy and it's paradigms

[Jen Marin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of essays by prominent people in the Craniosacral field. I really enjoyed the essays by John E. Upledger, but some of the others didn't speak to me in the same way. I have since read more by Dr John himself, and will continue to find more of his writings. This book provides a variety of viewpoints on how CST works and what conditions it can help. It is a fair primer on the material, but it wouldn't be the first book I would recommend.