Message from the Director - Mary McCluskey - 11/7/08

Recently I did a talk and demonstration of Craniosacral Therapy (CST) for our night class which is about to graduate.  I have levels I & II training through the Upledger Institute http://www.upledger.com/   This wonderful modality allows the massage therapist to assist the client's body in normalizing the fluid flow around the brain and spinal cord.  This fluid flow normally happens regularly on a minute-by-minute basis moving ever so subtly every part of the body as it flows. 

In the training one learns to detect this movement and then to work with the body to re-establish a smooth and regular flow if it has been disrupted.  Many things can disrupt this normal pattern from traumas like car accidents to emotional situations like grief.  People suffering from headaches, sleep problems, dizziness, unexplained aches and pains and other problems often experience great improvement from craniosacral work.  A session of CST lasts about 60 minutes.  Clients remain clothed and they lie on their backs throughout the session.  Fees are typically similar to a massage session.  At WSMT I am the only practitioner of this modality.  Please call me (262-366-1840) if you are interested in a session or if you have questions. 

For massage therapists this modality is a great way to vary the stresses on your body.  It is very light work, but you are fighting gravity to keep the work light enough, so it is a very different kind of stress than the compressive forces our hands and arms are usually exposed to.  The whole world of the cerebral spinal fluid is fascinating and there is a very quiet listening aspect to this work which is centering and calming to the therapist.  Check out the website for the Upledger Institute above.  They run classes all over the world on a regular basis and it is easy to pick one up!

And here are some photos of our new class working.  They have been at it since the end of September and already we are very impressed with their excellent progress in body mechanics and massage technique!