Member Spotlight - Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy

A Profound State of Calm

Medical research estimates that up to 90% of disease and illness are stress related. Yet, there are few therapeutic modalities that address pain and illness through nervous system work that are capable of releasing unresolved stress and trauma held deep within the body in just a single visit. Using gentle techniques and light hands-on pressure, craniosacral therapy calms the central nervous system and brings the body and mind back into a parasympathetic (rest and digest) state, recovering the body’s energy that is being sapped to address pain, illness, and Injury.

Sound too good to be true? Just ask some of Christi Kirk’s many clients...most of whom had

never heard of biodynamic craniosacral therapy until years of trial and error produced no results or relief. Clients report the effect of feeling deeply relaxed or dreamy during and for some time after a session. “Grounded, centered and calm” and “better equipped to handle daily stress” are frequent comments following just one session.

After more than eight years suffering from chronic back, neck and shoulder pain, Christi Kirk

turned to Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (or BCST) in North Berkeley. “It was as if my

nervous system was stuck in the ‘on’ position for fight or flight and like many people, I existed in a perpetual state of stress.” Addressing pain and illness through nervous system work was a “game changer” and Kirk found renewed life with a pain-free body, more energy, a clearer mind, and better sleep. Now she’s a patient turned practitioner, called a “body listener” in the trade.

Craniosacral therapy was born out of Osteopathy and founded by John Upledger, an osteopath who discovered there was an expression of cerebral spinal fluid in the body that could be palpated. It’s called craniosacral expression. After years of training–literally learning to listen to and track this expression–therapists can locate impingements in the tissues that block craniosacral fluids from releasing their vital life force energy.

Some clients report receiving something akin to a chiropractic adjustment following a session. Here’s why.

Although borne from the field osteopathy, BCST releases the tensions in the muscles and tissues first using gentle techniques which allow bones to move back into their original positions and reduce or alleviate pain and discomfort. In this approach, the bones stay in place and are not pulled back out of alignment since the contractions in the muscles have been relieved first and provide less resistance. The modality resonates with the foundations of chiropractic and as a result, many chiropractors and pediatricians are adopting craniosacral therapy into their practices.

Kirk, who specializes in Nervous System Regulation and Trauma Resolution, trained with Gary Peterson in San Rafael, a leader in the field of Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy and education. She is currently training with Peterson to be a BCST instructor.

Based in ancient wisdom, the world of craniosacral therapy is cutting edge and ever evolving.

Christi Kirk’s approach is heart-centered, taking the whole individual (mind/body/spirit) into her

gentle hands as she finds, holds, and resolves trauma, bringing the client to a state of relaxation and calm. “My clients report leaving sessions feeling grounded, balanced, centered and with clear consciousnesses or calm minds,” says Kirk. “For many, this is a completely new

experience or something they have not felt since childhood. Many of us don’t know or can’t remember what it feels like to experience a true state of calm or rest and vitality.”

Christi Kirk raised her two boys in Groveland and recently returned to open her practice here,

based at BrightFire Wellness downtown. She feels a deep connection to the community

and the Sierra Nevada mountain range and its watersheds. Her gentle techniques to release

stress and trauma held in the central nervous system and deep within the tissue and muscle

bring the body to a deeply relaxed state where healing can take place.

According to Kirk, BCST is becoming used increasingly as a preventative health measure for its ability to bolster the body’s resistance to disease. It has been successful in alleviating a wide range of physical dysfunction including digestive problems, PTSD, fibromyalgia, anxiety, chronic fatigue, and more in adults and children.

Self-awareness empowers clients to be more in charge of their health, so Christi offers tips and resources about nervous system health and regulation on her website www.craniosacral.biz. Follow Heart Centered Craniosacral on Facebook and Instagram for new and interesting educational posts and resources. Or call her at 209-202-2655 to schedule your return to a true and sustained state of calm and balance.