Craniosacral therapy is a gentle hands-on treatment appropriate for: Habitual patterns of fear and anxiety, disturbed sleep patterns, back problems, headaches, persistent pain, anxiety, sports injuries, the after effects of accidents or illness, problems associated with old age, bereavement, babies with colic, feeding or sleeping problems. Sessions can help relieve stress and regain health. ... ... ... ...

Vivien Ray RCST Craniosacral Therapist

I came to craniosacral therapy fifteen years ago, following my work as a massage therapist and I found in the work a sense of homecoming. I relish the subtlety and potency of the work. I run a clinic at the Nuffield Hospital in Hereford and practise at home in Garway Hill, Herefordshire. I also run a clinic with my daughter in Hampshire where we offer our joint attention to each client. I hold regular workshops, exploring the wisdom of the body and focussing on transitional stages in life.I am a practitioner of Transformative Dreamwork and I weave elements of fairy tale and dreams into my work with adults and children. My understanding of Anthroposophy also informs my practice. I have accompanied many women through the birth of their babies and taught for the National Childbirth Trust.I am a passionate horsewoman and treat horses and other animals with the agreement of their vets. I am registered with the Craniosacral Therapy Associaton of the UKIf you would like to discuss whether craniosacral therapy would be appropriate for you, or to book an appointment phone 01981 580577mailto:Vivien@vivienray.co.uk www.vivienray.co.uk

Craniosacral Therapy for Babies and Children

Babies and young children often suffer from discomfort and pain for which it is difficult to pinpoint a cause. This may be the time when Craniosacral Therapy can help.Craniosacral Therapy for Babies For young babies there is often residual strain from the experience of birth where the bones of the head have been moulded as they come through the birth canal. Forceps and ventuese assistance may exacerbate this, but fast births can also shock both baby and mother, or the shape of the mother's pelvis may put a strain on the baby's body that it can't undo alone. Some babies may find it difficult to feed because the movement of the other bones has affected the palate. Babies who find it hard to settle may be suffering from shock in their system that makes it difficult for them to believe the world is safe. Babies that have had to be separated from their mothers at birth sometimes don't realise they are reunited.Gentle attention to the baby's body language and the subtle movements within the baby's body enable the therapist to help the child and the parent or carer to develop the comfort and safety for the innate health of the system to right itself. Craniosacral therapy focuses on the expression of health within the body, rather than on specific diseases, so it is not a substitue for medical diagnoses.However there are a number of situations where babies seem to respond well to Craniosacral Therapy sessoins.Situations that may respond to Craniosacral Therapy include:Difficult or assisted birth Breast-feeding and suckling problemsSleep disturbanceColic and digestive upsets Excessive cryingDifficulties with bondingRestlessnessHead asymmetryFailure to thrive and weakened immunity. Craniosacral therapy for childrenThe rapid pace of life, with environmental pollution, academic pressures and overexposure to the media, all create stress for growing children. This may be expressed through restlessness, slow development or generally not enjoying life. Conditions that may be resolved or alleviated by craniosacral therapy include:Attention deficitSlow or difficult speechSleeplessness and night terrorsLack of confidenceExhaustionLearning difficulties including autismSinus and breathing difficultiesFrequent illnesses Craniosacral Therapy in Pregnancy The rapid changes that the body makes during pregnancy are supported by craniosacral therapy, alleviating some of the discomforts that can be experienced. The growing foetus too benefits from the increased health and the release of tensions within the mother's body.

Craniosacral Therapy for Horses and riders

Craniosacral Therapy for Horses and Riders It is so exciting to be a craniosacral therapist, to watch both people and horses rediscover the comfort of a body that is able to let go of some of the held patterns it has learned to live with.I offer Craniosacral "attention" through a light contact on the body of my patient and enter into a "conversation" with the tissues, organs and fluids offering the opportunity for re-evaluation and change. The focus of Craniosacral Therapy is the health of the whole person ( or animal). It is not the ailment you are suffering from, but your capacity to heal that is the basis of the practise.We all have a miraculous capacity for healing and it is this which the Craniosacral practitioner calls upon: We are not aiming to make changes or repairs; we invite the healing systems of the body to reawaken themselves. We are designed so that, if we hurt ourselves, we don't always deal with it at the time. If you are being chased by a lion, it is important to ignore the wounds the lion has already inflicted and keep running. On the whole our dangers are less extreme, but with our large brains we can override the messages our body is sending us: How many riders have been told that it is crucial to "Get straight back on" and had to override both the pain and the shock of a fall?These experiences send confused messages to our bodies which learn to create patterns of tension to mitigate the discomfort: We override our Body Wisdom with our Intellectual Intelligence. Horses too have a great capacity to ignore pain. In the wild this will save his life: The one that stops to say "Ow" is the one the lion will catch. With a rider on his back he has another imperative that can literally "override" the need to ease a pain, and in the process his nervous system shuts down the area so that he can continue. Of course when the cause of the pain is removed, the shut down area may be unable to "wake up" again. Peeka had a scar along her ribs where a stake had slid between the bones and the flesh. As well as the entry wound, it was clear where the injury had continued under the skin leaving adhesions that puckered as she moved. I did a short session just to see if the layers of tissue could be persuaded to move freely again. A few days later I saw Peeka in the field. It took me a few minutes to believe that I was looking at the side of the horse where the wound had been as there was so little sign of it. When I got closer I could still see the entry wound, but all the internal scarring had almost disappeared and the layers of tissue were able to move over each other.Caesar had dents on his back as if a huge and very heavy saddle had left its imprint. Although he was going really well, he seemed to need to lift his head and hollow his back to jump or change gait. Although he now has a saddle that fitted well, he seemed to have lost contact with this area that presumably had been in pain in the past, and had learned to move around it. His response to sessions was always unpredictable. Sometimes just the light contact and my focus of attention on him was enough to annoy him, sometimes he would drop his head, blink and relax, and on one occasion he made a noise I have never heard before and gave the biggest sigh in the world. The dents still show on his back, but his movement now seems to be travelling through that area rather than round it and he can approach a jump without bracing in his neck and back.With both horses and humans I am always amazed by the things that change when the body is offered a breathing space- George, who came with a sore shoulder and found his that chronic sinus problems had disappeared, or Alice, who found that her constant anxiety had receded to the point where it was hard to believe she was doing anything although things still got done. I feel grateful for the body's innate capacity to heal, I surely wouldn't be able to figure out that sort of thing on my own!