Our Core Training

As a safe and effective start to using this work, Dr Upledger and colleagues developed what we call the 10-step protocol. This is a set of techniques which treat key areas of the body, enabling you to work with and understand the delicate palpatory skills needed, at the same time as getting effective results for your clients.

The 10-step technique address bones, fascia and fluid, and include: methods of treating the transverse diaphragms: pelvic, respiratory, thoracic inlet, hyoid and occipitocranial base; the frontal & parietal lifts; sphenoid compression-decompression; temporal mobilisation, ear pull (or bilateral temporal decompression); dural tube evaluation, traction, treatment and TMJ technique… Sound fun?!

Relevant anatomy and theoretical concepts are explained so that the left brain is satisfied, while the focus on experiential exploration and practice definitely serves the right brain.

Highlights:

• Feel the craniosacral rhythm and use it as an assessment tool
• Appreciate the anatomical intricacies of aspects of the skull, cranial sutures and the vertical and horizontal cranial membrane systems
• Why working with the dural tube has such positive effect on the rest of the body
• Understand fascia as a whole body system, the visco-elastic characteristics of tissue and how we can use it to pinpoint the source of physical problems
• What a still point is and how and why to induce one (including CV4)
• How and when to use ‘direction of energy’ techniques

Come away with the 10-step treatment protocol you can integrate into your practice immediately or use on family and friends.

Prerequisite:

See our ‘Where to Begin’ page for entry requirements. Also reading Your Inner Physician and You and chapters 1- 6 of CranioSacral Therapy by Dr Upledger.

The course begins with the study of cranial base distortions as perceived, diagnosed and treated by Dr William Sutherland, the ‘father’ of cranial osteopathy. Specifically, we mean the sphenobasilar joint and how to use the movement of the sphenoid to evaluate and treat any anomolies here. You will be able to understand the different ways this area can be in dysfunction and identify, evaluate and correct it.

Have you ever considered the extent to which the facial bones and those of the hard palate might affect the craniosacral system? You will learn some of the finer anatomical details of these: nasals, zygoma, hard palate, mandible and temporomandibular joint and how to evaluate and treat these areas from inside the mouth.

New approaches to whole body evaluation will increase your palatory skills again; you will feel the difference between using the craniosacral rhythm, the energy cyst and pulls of the fascia to help you locate areas of ‘issue’.

The idea of allowing tissue to ‘unwind’ will be practiced in relation to the limbs (we call it ‘regional unwinding’). A few other treats will be thrown in and an introduction to SomatoEmotional Release® will also be presented.

Highlights

You will gain confidence in ways to evaluate the whole body. You will have more techniques under your belt to incorporate into the 10-step protocol or to treat the cranial base, mouth and whole jaw complex. It gets really fun! What you will learn from coming on this course:

• Dr Sutherland’s views of the cranial-base dysfunctions and ways to evaluate and treat via the sphenoid
• Anatomy and treatment of the hard palate, including the maxillae, palatines, vomer, nasals and zygoma
• How to evaluate and treat the teeth
• More methodology for the mandible and temporomandibular joint dysfunctions
• Whole body evaluation techniques including: arcing, fascial glide, symmetry/asymmetry in the craniosacral motion
• Develop more skill evaluating the mobility of the dural tube
• How and when to effect a regional tissue release
• Explore the concepts of energy cysts and SomatoEmotional Release®
• By the end of this course, you should be able to evaluate general vitality, motivation, emotional status and biochemical dysfunction using the craniosacral rhythm.

Prerequisite:

CST1 and 75-100 practice experiences of the 10-step protocol.

To get to this, you will learn more techniques to release the tissues of the mouth and throat and why this is so important. You will find out more about the physiological mechanism of disease, learn specific techniques for finding and releasing energy cysts, and how to incorporate the craniosacral rhythm into this level of work.

The other key part of the SER process is the ability to use imagery and dialogue. As you explore some of the ways to do this, your improved listening and comprehension skills will increase your understanding of verbal and non-verbal signals. This, in turn, will help to encourage clients to work cooperatively with you in this process and become active in improving their own health. During this course you will participate in numerous hands-on experiences to practice facilitating the process of SomatoEmotional Release®.

What will you learn from coming on this course? Overall, this course will take your treatments to a new level. For some people, it can be a very new way to work, while others will find it more familiar, but it is the integration of the imagery and dialogue with the special features of the craniosacral system that give SomatoEmotional Release® its edge and make it worth talking about!

Highlights:

• How to integrate this with the core skills of CranioSacral Therapy and the unique way to ensure a treatment is effective and on track
• How to integrate imagery and dialogue techniques with the process of SomatoEmotional Release®
• An introduction to the idea and use of therapeutic imagery and the principles and practice of dialogue
• How to assess and mobilise what is dubbed the ‘Avenue of Expression’ (i.e. the vocal apparatus), to aid expression and release of suppressed emotion, using techniques that address the thoracic inlet and hard palate learned in CST1 & 2 as well as new ones to treat the hyoglossal tissues (floor of the mouth)
• How to refine and improve your whole body evaluation palpation skills to locate and release energy cysts
• An introduction to and a historical review of the development of the concepts of energy cysts and SomatoEmotional Release®.

Prerequisite:

CST2 and at least 25 experiences of practicing all of the techniques taught there.

The class begins with a review of the techniques taught in CST2 & SER1 to encourage the expression of suppressed emotion through the release of the throat and hard palate. This is followed by an introduction to psychosynthesis and Gestalt and Jungian psychology.

By blending concepts from three schools of psychology with SER and CST, you will add a range of more specific techniques to your toolbox to enable you to work with patients and increase awareness of the ‘inner self’. As in all our courses, participation and practice with fellow students helps you increase both your own self-awareness and your confidence in your practice, strengthening the relationship between the conscious and non-conscious mind and expanding the ways you can assist your clients.

What you will learn from coming on this course:

• The history, key concepts and therapeutic process of psychosynthesis and Gestalt and Jungian psychology
• Practical application of the integration of the above with SomatoEmotional Release® and therapeutic imagery and dialogue
• Review of throat and hard palate techniques for releasing the vocal apparatus
• Methods for inviting a solicited image, maintaining it and discovering an image’s purpose
• Skills for facilitating dialogue between the patient’s levels of consciousness
• Exercises in active imagination, archetypes, self-awareness and dialogue and facilitated imagery
• A 10-step protocol for imagery and dialogue
• The benefit of continued focus on using the craniosacral rhythm to keep ‘on track’
• To trust your hands more as you experience the gentleness and safety of the SER approach and see the benefits that ensue​.

The SomatoEmotional Release® process requires extreme sensitivity on the part of the therapist, and a positive attitude and trust from the patient. The SER2 workshop gives you a greater insight into your patient’s issues and specific techniques that enable you to fine-tune your dialoguing skills.

Prerequisite:

Successful completion of the SER1 workshop and practice using the techniques during at least 25 treatments.

While mornings are given over to discussion of the work and the experiences and insights being gained, during the afternoon sessions, each student is treated by the other four in the group, with the supervisory team giving guidance when appropriate.

This course is five days long, residential and intense and helps you take a big leap in your practice. There are only 10 participants and you work in two groups of 5. This means that there is plenty of time for individual support, both of your learning and practical skills and of your own process through the treatments.

You will:

• Refine how you use the CST techniques and develop your palpatory capabilities even further
• Enjoy the chance for one-to-one instructor-participant skill evaluation & development
• Actively participate in multi-hands sessions and improve your ability to work with other practitioners in a unified way
• Deepen your understanding of the work from going through your own process
• Pull together everything learned in previous courses and take your skill and understanding of this in-depth therapy to a new level.

Prerequisite:

Successful completion of the SER2 workshop, as well as being ready to do deep introspective work, and be comfortable giving and receiving SomatoEmotional Release. Required advance reading – none – you should have done it all by now!