Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist

craniosacral therapy in Chelmsford, Essex

Welcome to The Still Place

Rest, Restore, Revitalise

Welcome, and thank you for visiting The Still Place. My name is Leigh Carter and I am a Craniosacral Therapist in Chelmsford, Essex.

What is Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy?

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is an exceptionally gentle, non-invasive, and yet very powerful form of treatment that interacts with the body’s deepest inherent healing forces, both emotionally and physiologically.

The body has powerful self-healing potential which can be encouraged to counteract the effect of injury, disease, trauma, or stress. Craniosacral therapy offers a safe space, where these kinds of challenges can be processed, and the body’s natural balance and overall health can be restored. It strengthens the body’s resources and its ability to regulate and prioritize its needs, and the client will often feel brighter, calmer and naturally start to orient to a healthier lifestyle.

We all have an inherent intelligence present from conception, which stays with us throughout our lives, and every cell in our bodies is naturally inclined to seek out balance and health. There is always health to orient to.

"The natural healing force in each one of us is the greatest in getting well."

Hippocrates

Who is it for?

This treatment uses a very gentle light touch, is so non-invasive, it is suitable for all ages, from newly born babies, to pregnant and post-natal women, children and teens, to those well into their later years, and everyone in between.

"Touch comes before sight, before the speech. It is the first language and the last, and it always tells the truth."

Margaret Atwood - poet

“Get out of your head & into your body & let’s see what the system knows how to do.”

Dr. John Upledger

"Beneath the surface of the protective parts of trauma survivors there exists an undamaged essence, a Self that is confident, curious, and calm, a Self that has been sheltered from destruction by various protectors in the body to ensure survival. Once those protectors TRUST that it is SAFE to separate, the Self will spontaneously emerge, and the parts can be enlisted in the healing process."

Bessel Van Der Kolk

The Body Keeps the Score

What conditions respond well to craniosacral therapy?

Stress, anxiety in all ages
Pain management
Nervous system regulation
Tinnitus
Toothache, aches from dental surgery
Support during orthodontic treatment.
Digestive problems, IBS, Crohn's
Fatigue
Frozen shoulder
Epilepsy
Pre and post surgery support (hip/knee replacements)
General aches and pains
Backache
Headaches / migraines
Auto-immune disorders
Accidents - healing from whiplash, etc.
Birth trauma, c-section recovery, epidural
Post-partum, pelvic floor issues
Colic / reflux in babies
Post tongue-tie settling
Bonding & attachment

Pregnancy, Mothers, Babies, Children & Teenagers

Pregnancy and birth are one of life’s most profound events and craniosacral therapy can offer a little help with easing into family life. For expectant and new mums, craniosacral work can offer support with the changes in the body.

This is a time of rapid change and is ideal for sorting out old aches and pains, as well as preparing the body for birth, as the bones are more flexible, and health is usually at the optimum. Craniosacral therapy can help with:

preparing for the birth,
post-natal anxiety,
pelvic floor recovery,
Musculoskeletal changes after birth.

Babies' systems are so potent and ready to shift easily back to balance – some just need a little cranio support.

Common reasons for bringing a baby in are:

Difficult births with prolonged or very fast labour
Significant bruising around their head after birth
Sleep and feeding issues
Colic/reflux
Constipation
Baby has a head position preference/torticollis or breastfeeding is painful on one side
You have been told your baby has a tongue-tie
Irritability, difficulty settling or cries a lot
Bonding with parents and siblings

Baby does not have to lie on the treatment couch but can be comfortably treated on Mum’s lap or while nursing. I also encourage partners to come too.

Increasingly children of all ages are suffering from stress, anxiety, and attention difficulties. This seems to be partly from school pressures, but also due to busy lifestyles, as well as things such as environmental toxicity, screen use and electromagnetic fields.

Teenagers can have a really difficult time as their bodies and brains show rapid development towards adulthood, this period of change may add to anxiety, particularly at a time of global uncertainty. Many teens are also undergoing intensive orthodontic treatment. Craniosacral therapy can help the body to integrate these changes gently.

Regular treatment can help to strengthen a child’s nervous system, improve sleep and nurture confidence, as well as help with some difficulties relating to concentration and learning.

Craniosacral Therapy works very well alongside conventional treatment and is not intended to replace a medical diagnosis or treatment.

History and Roots in Osteopathy

Craniosacral therapy originates from the work of osteopath William Sutherland, who after many years and thousands of patients, arrived at the foundations of the model that is craniosacral therapy today. Late in his career, he came to the belief that the deepest work was subtly energetic, rather than mechanical and arose from the inherent health held within the body, particularly the fluctuation of cerebrospinal fluid as it bathes the brain and spinal cord, and potentizes the tissues of the body.

He called this expression of health Primary Respiration. The heart of all treatment was best oriented around relating to the health, rather than focusing on disease. Through his hands, he found that physiology reflected the energetic fields that organize form and function and that everything the body needed for health could be found internally when he worked with the organizing forces.

Many of these insights are now recognized and researched through scientific enquiry or neuroscience, fascia, and quantum physics.

What to expect in a session?

As craniosacral therapists, we are trained to listen deeply to the health of the body through a hands-on gentle touch.

A clear understanding of the anatomy and an approach of careful, non-judgmental, and neutral listening provide the opportunity for the body to clarify its needs.

Initially, there will be a detailed and sensitive discussion of your history and your reasons for coming for craniosacral therapy.

During the treatment, you remain clothed and will usually lie face-up or on your side on a treatment table.

I will gently use my hands to respectfully make contact with your body, and listen to its various systems (musculoskeletal, nervous, cardiovascular, digestive, fascia) as well as the more subtle energetic qualities of Primary Respiration.

The body functions as an integrated whole, so I may focus on areas other than where your symptoms are, as pain and inertia can often be referred from other parts of the body.

During sessions, clients often feel, a sense of ease, deep relaxation, stillness, warmth, tingling, increased energy, a sense of feeling more alive, balanced, and heard.

“Deep listening is the kind of listening that can relieve the suffering of another person.”

Thick Nhat Hanh

How many sessions & how much?

There is no set number of sessions. Some people find relief from their symptoms after one or two treatments. If there are significant health issues, I may recommend weekly or two weekly treatments to achieve optimum benefit. This will be reviewed regularly between myself and the client.

My session fee is £60 for an hour, or 3 sessions for £160. Treatments for children & under 16's are usually half an hour and are £30. Post-partum treatments involve baby AND mum (and dad when possible) and these are negotiated at the time, and as needs arise. I treat both together because the connection between mum and baby is very strong, and issues are often resolved more speedily when both are involved. Often many post-partum issues in mum are sorted out too (epidural backache, etc).

I hold an up to date advanced DBS check.

Location

The Still Place Private Practice

3 Cornwallis Drive,

South Woodham Ferrers,

Chelmsford,

Essex

CM3 5YE

There is off street parking for your visit.

Contact me via email or text to enquire.

My Journey

I am a trained Reiki practitioner and have been a primary school teacher for 28 years and have enjoyed teaching many children with a wide range of needs and abilities. During this time, I noticed a marked increase in anxiety and attention difficulties, as well as common coordination and learning difficulties. I felt compelled to learn how to help with these at an earlier and much deeper level than what could be addressed in a classroom setting. And so, I trained as a Craniosacral Therapist, and I am passionate about the work. The results are astounding and are achieved gently and respectfully, working with the client’s system, without placing any forced intention or pressures on the physiology. The body knows how to orient to perfect health, and sometimes only a little support is needed.

I first encountered Craniosacral therapy after the very difficult birth of my first child. We both had a traumatic time, involving too much pethidine, (which severely disrupted labour), a distressed baby, dangerous heart rates and an emergency c-section. The result was a very stressed-out first-time mum with post-natal anxiety, and a fractious baby with colic and feeding difficulties to name a few.

When my daughter was 6, I was told about craniosacral therapy and took her immediately for treatment. The effect for her was almost immediate. She fell asleep during her first session, and it was apparent that the therapist offered her relief from left-over birth trauma to her head and skull bones, from being stuck in the pelvis. As the sessions progressed, she showed calmness, was not as fretful or irritable, was able to have her hair washed (which was usually a very traumatic experience!) Her concentration improved at school, as well as her general well being.

Looking back, I wish I’d known about this gentle supportive therapy while I was pregnant. It would have helped prepare my body for childbirth, helped with any associated anxiety, and most certainly helped new parents with all those evenings of trying to calm a screaming infant with a chronic tummy ache from colic. My daughter would have also been able to breastfeed without the difficulty of latching on, which was painful for her at the time.

I am passionate about helping all my clients but hold a particular interest & experience in working with babies, children and teenagers.

Cranio Testimonials

Get in touch

Contact me if you have any questions about how therapy works, or to arrange an initial assessment appointment. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to therapy, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.

You can also call or text l me on 07984011580 if you would prefer to leave a message or speak to me first. I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have before arranging an initial appointment.

For the quickest response, please use mobile no and leave a message or drop me a text.

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