Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST)
Deep Presence and Listening
Have you ever talked to someone who's a really great listener?
If so, you might know the feeling of finding yourself saying more and more, things out loud that had been sitting silently inside you. It’s then that you could start working things out for yourself, just with their presence and attention.
As Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST) practitioners, we train our hands and our bodies to be this listener to the language of your body. Just like a good therapist, I won't tell you what to do but I will listen to and reflect what your body wants to do, and is doing.
This kind of stillness, presence and attention gives your body permission to express its own health and potency, and make the changes it is ready to make.
. . we listen, to the language of your body
Let “the Tide” Decide
. . profound change for clients by observing, following and attending to inertia in the movement of craniosacral fluid
. . the less we do, the more happens, and the deeper the change we see
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is founded in Osteopathy, which is itself heavily informed by Native American "bone-setting" healing systems - its origins are tens of thousands of years old.
In early 1900s, Osteopaths like William Sutherland recognised deeper rhythms and movements in the body, connected to the movement of craniosacral fluid as it flows up around the spinal cord and through the brain. They noticed the profound change in their clients when they observed, followed and attended to inertia (‘blockages’) in these movements.
We all know that our breath and heartbeat can be felt through our own or someone else’s touch. Craniosacral fluid can also be palpated (felt through touch) as movements in the bones in the skull and spine. Working with this touch is the essence of craniosacral therapy, and cranial osteopathy.
It is now understood that these movements (known as "the Tides") can also be felt much more broadly throughout the body and even (for some) without touch. These movements are themselves a layer of a deeper life force expressing itself - the Breath of Life.
While early practitioners would detect blockages and manually intervene, biodynamic craniosacral therapy emerged with the recognition that following these Tides - and not directing - enables profound healing to unfold. The less we do, the more happens, and the deeper the change we see. This is the lineage that I am trained in and primarily practice.
Full-spectrum awareness - nervous system regulation and embodiment
Biodynamic craniosacral therapy is effective well beyond musculoskeletal issues, including mental health challenges; trauma; nervous system regulation; digestive and sleep problems; inflammation and chronic pain.
If you are living with high levels of stress and tension with many expectations on you, our work begins with regulating and supporting your nervous system. Key processes like respiration, digestion, immunity and deep rest cannot and do not operate well when we are experiencing stress or "fight / flight" responses. If your body never really comes out of these states we can accumulate cortisol and other stress hormones that build up and cause all sorts of other problems.
Our work together will support increased range and flexibility in your nervous system, so that you can more easily access the deep rest states that allow real healing - both within and beyond the sessions themselves. The first thing many people experience with this kind of work is "I don't really know what she did but I just feel so relaxed - a little more like I can cope with it all and it's going to be ok."
“I don’t really know what she did, but I just feel so relaxed”
A core pillar of the work is empowered embodiment - increasing your own awareness and understanding of what is actually happening inside you. Some people starting this work may not feel much more than 'relaxed', while others move directly into exploring sensations within their inner world.
When you start, you will encounter deeper changes as you become aware of and pay attention to the subtle and nuanced language of your own body. Clients have said ". . the most curious experience, Kirsten's gentle questions allowing me to notice and pay attention to sensations I've never felt before - have they really been there all along?"
In our work together you will learn to feel more of what is happening in your anatomy, nervous system and inner world, and how to consciously interact with it.
“allowing me to notice and pay attention to sensations I've never felt before - have they really been there all along?”
Is this for you?
Curious
there is so much to learn, understand and experience in our bodies and lives - you are open and interested
Courageous
getting in touch with what’s really there can be challenging at first, but you’re ready for the journey
Purposeful
you know that this can move and heal, and you’re committed to supporting that to happen
You know that deep healing can sometimes be uncomfortable . .
Many sessions are pure delight whilst others will go deeper, and things can sometimes emerge that are hard.
The modern western culture tends to train and reward us for being 'in our heads'. Asking us to override and downplay physical, emotional, intuitive and spiritual sensations - that are our bodies’ way of knowing. Coming out of our heads and into our bodies can be challenging - there can be a lot that has not been listened to for a long time. Sometimes we've blocked it out precisely because it hurts. You might feel pain and discomfort, tiredness and the re-emergence of things long buried.
This is part of the healing - your body is revealing and moving things that are ready to change. Just because you had blocked them out doesn't mean it hasn’t been impacting your health in unseen ways. Keeping them hidden and outside of your conscious awareness actually takes a lot of energy - held in your body as 'energy cysts'. This energy is then not available to you, to live the life you want.
Part of the power of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is its ability to gently allow sensations and trauma to emerge at the pace your body wants, so that it can be lightened and released, freeing that energy up for how you really want to live.
. . just because you blocked them out didn't mean they weren't there . . and impacting your health in unseen ways.
Working with me means that you are not going there alone. It is a gentle emergence with the safety and presence of another who is right there with you, providing powerful support and secure co-regulation through touch.
-
When you're going places inside yourself that are difficult to explain or understand, it's comforting, motivating and very exciting to go with someone who knows the way - or is willing to go there even when they don't.
—Chris, Melbourne
-
The treatments have been so calming and helpful to me, they feel like a collaborative merging of our energy fields, to facilitate my boy's "self-healing". But it's not something I could do on my own. It's hard to explain. I had very deep and significant shifting moments and inner world experiences. I always feel safe and like her energy provides access and protects me to venture deeper. I am so grateful for her care and support.
—T.j. Melboune
-
Kirsten didn’t try to “fix” the grief; she helped my body and mind stop holding it in such a rigid way. That shift made it possible for me to process everything that had happened without being overwhelmed by it. If someone is navigating loss or carrying emotions that feel stuck, I would strongly recommend working with Kirsten. Her approach is subtle, but the impact is real. She helped me find a way to move forward while still staying connected to what mattered.
—Emily, Melbourne
-
I went to see Kirsten as I was experiencing some body aches and pain after working long hours and weeks on end. My experience was very relaxing, much of what my body needed. Kirsten has a calming presence about her, and after 2 sessions, my aches have gone. I feel like my body and mind have had a reset. Will definitely see Kirsten again.
—Jeska, Mansfield
-
I just wanted to let you know how amazingly good I feel after Monday's session. Still. It's like a tonne of weight has been released. That I didn't know I was even carrying. So I guess there is likely still more to shed. Thank you soo much.”
— Fiona, Mansfield
-
After a treatment from Kirsten I feel calmed, nurtured and eased totally body and soul. Over the years I have had cranial treatment but the result with Kirsten has been the most profound.
—Maryann, Violet Town
Get in Touch
Questions? Or need a different time . .
OR