Why My Students Are Smarter Than My Teachers

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:56:23 -0800

This might not be interesting to non-bodyworkers, but here goes:

Lesions
While most of us think of lesions as icky, oozing sores,
Osteopaths use the term Lesion to describe trouble spots in the body that have restricted mobility.

The Craniosacral Rhythm
The Craniosacral Rhythm (CSR) is rhythmic expansion and contraction of the cranial bones and an accompanying external/internal rotation of other body parts such as limbs and ilia. The rhythm takes 2.5-5 seconds to expand and 2.5-5 seconds to contract or six to twelve complete cycles per minute.

There are at lease two plausible models to explain the source of this rhythm, but that’s beyond the scope of this blog post.

The CSR was first described by William Sutherland, the granddaddy of Cranial Osteopathy. He noticed that the squamosal suture between the temporal and parietal bones resembled fish gills. He described the flaring of the temporal bones in response to the CSR as “primary respiration”.

Flexion & Extension
Sutherland also observed that the sphenobasilar synchondrosis, viewed inferiorly, flexes when the cranium is expanding and the rest of the body is externally rotating, and extends when the cranium is contracting and the rest of the body is internally rotating. This flexion/extension terminology describing the phases of the CSR is still in use.

These terms may seem contradictory because in Flexion the cranium gets bigger and the body generally externally rotates. In Extension the cranium gets smaller and the rest of the body generally internally rotates. These definitions go against everything we ever learned in structural kinesiology The terms, however, only refer to the sphenobasilar synchondrosis, viewed inferiorly. When we think of it that way it makes sense.

Got that?

Craniosacral Therapists observe qualities of the CSR (among other things) to make assessments of where and how to treat people.

Flexion & Extension Lesions
Now back to Lesions. When the body spends more time or has a greater movement excursion in the Flexion phase of the CSR we say that the person has a Flexion Lesion. Likewise, when the body spends more time or has a greater movement excursion in the Extension phase of the CSR, we say that the person has an Extension Lesion.

Still with me?

Treating Flexion & Extension Lesions
The standard treatments for Flexion or Extension Lesions have goals of creating balance - getting the Flexion and Extension phases of the CSR to even out.

Now, here’s the part about how my students are brilliant:
In my CST for Pregnancy Birth & Postpartum class each of my students treats three mothers - generally two pregnant women and one postpartum woman. The students and I meet as a group and discuss all of the treatments afterward. These discussions are rich, informative and supportive.

One of my amazing students last week described her treatment for a very pregnant client who (among other things) had a Flexion Lesion. Her intuitive treatment decision was to do nothing to correct the Flexion Lesion because it made sense to her that this mama was opening up as birth was approaching.

Amazingly, another student in the same class described a treatment in which she treated a newly postpartum mama who had an Extension Lesion. This brilliant student also elected not to treat this lesion because she felt it was normal for this woman to be in the process of closing (like the closing of the bones) after opening to give birth.

I am so proud of my students. I think it takes brilliance, confidence and intact intuition to question protocols, stay present and do what’s truly needed in the moment.

While I’m on the Topic of Breastfeeding

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 22:26:38 -0700

Why isn’t it just called feeding? Anyway here’s a link to an article about Facebook (notoriously anti-breast) banning even baby hats masquerading as fake boobs.

Really? You Have to Be 18 to Watch This??

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:51:24 -0700

My Colleague, Sylvia Boyd, sent me a link to this great video from Norway about breastfeeding. It’s really nicely done. I think it’s incredibly funny, totally strange and really sad that I had to check a little box saying that I am at least 18 in order to watch it because the content may be offensive.

Craniosacral Therapy Reduces “Fuzz”

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 16:56:14 -0800

I love this video:

Interesting Video About CST and Autism

Fri, 1 Oct 2010 12:58:46 -0700

I got an e-mail the other day from a father requesting a Craniosacral Therapy appointment for his autistic child. He sent me a link to this video.

There isn’t a Craniosacral Therapy treatment protocol for autism that says first you do this and then you do that. Each one of us is an amazing individual. People with autism are no exception. Every treatment I provide is different from all the others.

Those of us who work with children rely on parents, relatives and teachers to tell us when treatment goals are met. When I get phone calls from grateful parents telling me about miraculous changes in their children there’s a part of me that wants to say, “Really?’

Yet...

Carol Gray’s Blog

Why My Students Are Smarter Than My Teachers

While I’m on the Topic of Breastfeeding

Really? You Have to Be 18 to Watch This??

Craniosacral Therapy Reduces “Fuzz”

Interesting Video About CST and Autism