Pediatric CST

We find the topic of Pediatrics an essential part of craniosacral therapy (CST). Rather than having a single class, we offer CST practitioner level-specific techniques and discussions on Pediatrics within each class. We find Pediatrics is a topic that includes the patient, Mom, Dad, siblings, and all family members.

These discussions include clinical considerations, anatomy and only those techniques that we feel the students -- at each level -- are capable of learning and applying based on what is presented and discussed in each class, beginning through advanced.

In this way, they know their skill level and inherent limits. The topics of Pediatric cases, conditions and applications are reviewed in discussion in every class on the third day. By doing this we feel that we are keeping the topic appropriately relevant throughout our curriculum. Newborns and infant rhythms are very light. First level students may elect to refer babies and infants to higher level students. All levels may find their ability to help children and adolescents with general, gentle well-being CST. At all levels, our treatment is based on the cranial rhythm and each student's ability to feel the rhythm. They are taught to evaluate, treat what you find, and re-evaluate. If you can't feel the rhythm, it is the best care to refer that patient to someone who can. We find this is the most ethical teaching.

An Overview of Pediatric CST Topics in Our Classes, Beginning to Advanced Levels:

BE1: Students can facilitate flexion and extension in a most gentle way for baby and Mom with encouraging Rock and Glide and gentle direction of energy for birthing sequelae. We offer ideas like using Mom as the supine surface on the treatment table. By encouraging a stillpoint in the Mom, the baby responds and Mom relaxes in response to the baby, often relaxing both. This can affect colic, sleeping and general well-being. This is our most gentle indirect technique. BE1 Class

BE2: Students are made aware of the evolving and forming cranial vault. By the most gentle redirection of the cranial rhythm, we can encourage the resolution of mild Plagiocephaly asymmetries enabling the best possible development of the evolving cortex. BE2 Class

BE3: Students can begin to initiate gentle tongue and mouth work applied to babies enabling better nursing, facial formation, sound, sensory and breath development, cognitive awareness, and growth. BE3 Class

SE1: Emphasis is placed on awareness of non-verbal cues and somato-emotional processing (SEP) as well as structural issues like concussions and forms of chronic pain and self-worth are large parts of gentle, compassionate CST made possible by somato-emotional processing SEP. SE1 Class  SE2 Class

Confidence and Self-Assessment

Throughout our curriculum we include age-specific and class-specific technique applications of CST from basic "opening only" following CS Rhythm to helping a child and Mom with separation issues to children (and their siblings, parents, grandparents and families) as they process suffering, stress, trauma, chronic pain -- and even issues around death and dying -- which we cover in our advanced CADD class. Having these discussions in each class gives the student practitioner the confidence to decide whether to treat or refer the patient to the next level practitioner.

All along our curriculum we emphasis similar examples of awareness and gentle witness to what the Inner Wisdom is reflecting through rhythms of the waters of the constantly changing and unfolding body.