Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/494122
F r e e S O A P n o t e s w i t h M a s s a g e B o o k f o r A B M P m e m b e r s : a b m p . u s / M a s s a g e b o o k 87 Determine the History Is this feeling new, or has it been there for a while? What was it before? Why did it change? What is the level of complexity or consistency of the issue within the body as a whole? A person can have many conflicting feelings about an issue, all at the same time. This may be confusing to the client, and they may need reassurance that it is normal and healthy to feel different things simultaneously. Determine the Relationship with the Body What is the mood of the entire body, and how does it relate to the part(s) you are focused on? Is the mood of that part consistent with the rest of the body? If the rest of the body is furious, why is the foot sad? Sometimes anger at self or at circumstances the client can't control comes across as resignation and sadness. Bodies are dynamic and feelings change. Keep following the sensations as they progress. Sometimes the sensation feels like waves in the ocean. A wave comes in, and then it takes a moment before the next wave. Be patient. Once you feel you have gotten to the issue and paid your respects, ask yourself: Did it change? How did it change? Did it release? Increase? Or take a different path altogether? OPEN TO POTENTIAL Does this article speak to you? If so, perhaps you are one of us: craniosacral therapists who see the world through emotionally tinted glasses. Or perhaps you aren't sure, and want to experiment with the techniques described here. Either way, CST is remarkably gentle and profoundly effective; opening to the emotional plane enables one more conduit along the client's healing path. Whatever your focus, when you open to everything the body has to say, you will be amazed at the depth and diversity of human creativity, expression, and feeling, and the potential for healing. Jana Panter is a naturopathic physician and certified craniosacral therapist. She has been practicing craniosacral therapy for more than 16 years. She may be reached at jpanter@oceanabodyworks.com. For more information, visit her website at www.oceanabodyworks.com. And watch for her new book, But What If You Could?, coming soon. Visualize the Issue Use visualization to aid in your explorations. Visualization is the process of developing an image in your mind's eye. It can be a safe way to explore feelings, communicate, and get down to the core of the problem. Feelings can be conflicting, confusing, or hidden. Clients may be reluctant to recognize how angry they are with someone they love. The client may present an image or, like a police sketch artist, the practitioner may ask questions and follow the client's lead to create the image. Finding the right visualization and following its development may help facilitate the process. Clients may use visualization to sort out their feelings or convey something important to you; for instance, a client may visualize an exploding bomb to show you and himself just how significant his anger is. Experiment Listen. Ask questions. Don't judge for morality; these are feelings, not actions. Be completely open to whatever information comes. Trust that your clients are telling you what they need to for their healing path. If you transgress or head down the wrong path, apologize, breathe, and try again. Honor and respect the person and the message. Celebrate Practitioners (and clients) can get too focused on digging deeper and solving the next problem. Sometimes when there is a release or a breakthrough, the body wants to celebrate. Dance, revel, and sing in victory. Don't underestimate the value of celebrating. Live it up! THE EMOTIONAL SIDE OF CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY