Biodynamic
Craniosacral Therapy
with Christina Rella RCST ®

BCST is a whole-body/mind therapy that combines an understanding of the body’s anatomy and physiology with mindfulness skills, a soft, informed touch, and appreciation for the body’s ability to heal itself.

Dr. Still (founder of Osteopathy) initially practiced conventional medicine but became disillusioned after losing three children to meningitis. He began to question whether their deaths resulted from the disease itself or the treatments they received.

Later, Dr. Still moved to practice medicine on the Shawnee Nation Indian Reserve, where he started exploring and developing what he termed Osteopathy. This approach emphasizes the natural alignment of bones to ensure the optimal functioning of the nervous system. His work was influenced by the bone-setting practices of the Shawnee Indians.

Dr. Sutherland, a senior student of Dr. Still at The American School of Osteopathy, discovered that cranial bones in adults are not fully fused and exhibit a rhythm he termed primary respiration, which differs from lung respiration. This primary respiration originates from a deeper source. He found that these rhythmic movements extend to every cell in the body. Through his experiments, he realized that when the primary respiratory mechanism is not functioning correctly in certain areas, disease is more likely to occur.

He developed a cranial approach to osteopathy that emphasized the primary respiratory mechanism of the cranium and central nervous system. Later, he introduced the biodynamic cranial approach, which relied on the primary respiratory mechanism, or life force movement, to initiate and facilitate the body’s healing processes. This method achieved significant and lasting results for his clients.

During a BCST session, the therapist listens deeply, with sensitivity and an embodied presence, to observe how fluid, tissues, and bones move throughout the body. Practitioners are trained to perceive the subtle layers of the body’s physiology and to track changes over time. This awareness helps promote movement in stagnant tissues while also supporting the nervous system in down-regulating, leading to the gentle resolution of stress, tension, and traumatic experiences.

This therapy emphasizes health and the body’s innate ability to heal itself, fostering the body and mind’s capacity for resilience and stillness.

Biodynamic craniosacral therapy (BCST) can benefit everyone. It supports the flow of cerebrospinal fluid throughout the central nervous system and the rest of the body, promoting the natural healing processes in tissues and bones. This therapy enhances overall health and vitality while allowing your body’s innate intelligence to prioritize and address healing needs in the most effective order. While BCST is not a substitute for necessary medical care, it serves as an excellent complement to other medical treatments you may be receiving.

Mechanical therapies usually target specific dysfunctions and localized problems. In contrast, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy takes a holistic approach, allowing the body to determine its healing priorities and the order in which they are addressed. This can lead to significant and lasting improvements in overall health.

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy takes a whole body approach. The therapist follows the healing priorities set forward by the body’s deep intelligence. This approach addresses not only the symptoms but also the underlying causes contributing to imbalance within the entire being.

During a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy session, you will remain fully clothed.

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy recognizes the whole person and the interconnectedness of the emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical experiences that may have contributed to your current state of discomfort or imbalance.

The session starts with a brief conversation in a chair to discuss your treatment goals. After that, you will lie comfortably on a massage table while fully clothed. The therapist will begin with gentle contact, often starting at the feet, to assess your body’s overall tone. Throughout the session, the therapist may change positions two or more times, paying close attention to subtle rhythms and any changes as they follow the body’s healing priorities.

You might relax so deeply that you fall asleep or enter a quiet meditative state. Sometimes people experience memories or insights while on the table. Shifts in body temperature and sensations such as softening, widening, lengthening, or floating are common. Sometimes people experience feelings of compression, muscle or limb twitching, and a sense of the body reorganizing and/or releasing.

Sometimes, people do not feel much initially. However, this often changes after a few sessions, as the body and mind begin to establish coherence and align with the natural healing rhythms that are always present in the background of our awareness.