CranioSacral Therapy For Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma: A Complete Guide
In today’s world, anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses are becoming more and more common. Have you ever wondered if there’s a way to improve your overall emotional health and become resilient to what life throws at you? While talk therapy is highly beneficial for mental well-being, it’s not always enough. Our bodies often hold onto emotions and trauma longer than our brains do. That’s why a form of healing that connects the brain, body, and spirit is needed for more profound emotional healing.
Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a form of therapy that involves the mind and body, promoting lasting mental health. In this blog post, I’m going to discuss how craniosacral therapy helps treat anxiety, depression, and other emotional health problems. I’ll explain what happens in the body when we experience mental illness or trauma and how craniosacral therapy is used for emotional well-being. Then, I’ll answer 3 common questions about utilizing craniosacral therapy for anxiety, depression, chronic stress, and more. If you want to become an emotionally healthy individual, keep reading to see how CST can be a part of your story!
What’s Happening in the Body When We Experience Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma?
To understand how CST contributes to emotional health, you need to be aware of what happens in the body when you experience anxiety, depression, emotional trauma, and other mental illnesses. The human body is intricately connected. Whatever thoughts or feelings occur within your mind and heart will manifest physically, whether through a heightened heart rate and sweaty palms or decreased blood pressure and chronic pain.
The body's nervous system is what connects the mind and heart to the body. The central nervous system is the entire body's command center, sending and receiving messages about how each internal structure functions and how the body needs to respond to said signals. According to the Polyvagal Theory, there are three primary states our nervous system can enter into:
Fight or Flight: The “Fight or Flight” stage is the body’s sympathetic nervous system response. Our ancestors, for example, needed this response to survive and run from tigers or bears. The fight response of the sympathetic nervous system often results in sudden anger, irritation, rage, and underlying frustration. On the other hand, the flight response causes anxiety, panic, fear, and cycles of worrying. Physically, the fight or flight response increases your heart rate and blood pressure, opens airways so breathing is easier, and hinders digestion and sensations of pain.
Freeze: The “Freeze” or dorsal vagal state is also known as our body’s emergency response. Referring back to the example of our ancestors, let’s say they enter into the flight response to run from a tiger but can’t outrun it fast enough. Eventually, their nervous system will trigger the freeze state and start shutting down the body, meaning they’ll likely give up and accept defeat. In this stage, we often feel hopeless, depressed, purposeless, and start to think there’s no way out. You may begin to dissociate from reality, feel overwhelmed, and conserve energy in various ways. Physically, our dorsal vagal state initiates a body shutdown, redirecting energy to essential functions such as self-preservation and conservation. As a result, our heart rate decreases, our breath becomes more shallow, and our body feels numb to the outside world.
Rest and Digest: The “Rest and Digest” state is the body’s response to the parasympathetic nervous system. Also known as the ventral vagal state, it is a condition of safety and balance. In this state, you feel grounded, present, joyful, curious, compassionate, and settled in your body. You’ll start to desire connecting to others and the world around you, and you may feel the courage to try new things. Physically, digestion, immune responses, and the ability to be present improve. Your body’s circulation to non-vital organs, such as the skin and other extremities, also increases. The ventral vagal state is optimal for long-term health and overall well-being.
As human beings, we will continue to experience all three of these states for the duration of our lives. In one day, we can feel joyful upon waking until we’re triggered by a sudden perceived threat, resulting in emotions of anxiety and worry and then a complete shutdown. The ideal situation is that when we enter into a fight/flight or freeze state, we’ll eventually return to the ventral vagal (rest and digest) stage, cultivating a balanced, regulated nervous system.
However, if we stay stuck in the fight/flight or freeze state, we can start to experience deep levels of mental illness or physical symptoms such as chronic pain or migraines. Staying stuck in one of these states (flight/flight or freeze) is called a dysregulated nervous system. There are numerous reasons individuals remain stuck in a particular state of the nervous system, whether that’s not being able to let go of a traumatic experience or undergoing multiple stressful situations in a short time. A dysregulated nervous system can result in anxiety, depression, chronic pain, insomnia, digestion issues, and more. So, how do you help your nervous system stay regulated? Craniosacral therapy could be the answer your body needs.
How CranioSacral Therapy Helps Anxiety, Depression & Other Mental Illnesses
How is craniosacral therapy used for anxiety, depression, and other emotional health problems? In short, craniosacral treatment directly addresses the cranial nerves, which control the central nervous system, helping individuals shift out of a fight/flight or freeze state and enter the rest and digest stage.
During a CST session, the craniosacral therapist applies light pressure (no greater than the weight of a nickel) to the patient’s head and neck, specifically focusing on the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF surrounds the brain and spinal cord, which contain the central nervous system, cranial nerves (in the brain), and connective tissue. The therapist uses gentle touch to release tension held within the CSF, increasing the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. In turn, the patient will start to feel calm and relaxed.
While talk therapy or counseling can promote emotional well-being, these forms of help won’t be as effective without a regulated nervous system. Our body needs first to feel safe and at a rest and digest state before we try out other mental health resources. Craniosacral therapy aids the nervous system in entering into a calm, curious, and present state, helping individuals feel safe in their bodies and open to the world around them. Over time, this nervous system rewiring can promote a healthy balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic, creating a regulated individual who’s able to heal from various mental illnesses.
For years, craniosacral therapy has been used alongside talk therapy to help treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress, grief, and more. As individuals undergo craniosacral therapy and build safety within their nervous systems, they can take steps toward healing with the help of a counselor or therapist.
3 FAQs About CranioSacral Therapy for Anxiety, Depression, and Emotional Well-Being
Here are 3 common questions about using CST to encourage emotional health.
1. How many craniosacral therapy sessions are recommended for anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses?
The average recommended number of sessions for anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses is 3-10. However, this can vary greatly depending on the individual, what they’re dealing with, and their life experiences. It may take as little as 3 sessions for some patients to start to feel the positive effects, but for others, it may take up to 16 or more CST sessions.
CST is an individualized experience, so it’s important to talk with your craniosacral therapist about how you’re feeling and how the treatments are affecting your emotional health over time. In turn, you can both determine how many sessions you’ll need to feel the results.
2. Is there evidence that CST can help improve emotional health?
There is evidence that backs up CST and its positive impact on emotional health. In one study from 2015, patients with fibromyalgia who were experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety started CST. As a result, their overall quality of life improved, and the symptoms of mental illness drastically decreased.
Check out this blog post for more evidence supporting CST for psychological and physical well-being.
3. Does craniosacral therapy release emotions?
Craniosacral therapy can promote healing emotional releases in patients. As the nervous system enters a regulated state, it’s normal for the body to feel safe enough to release pent-up emotions such as crying, sighing, groaning, or other forms of physical release. Craniosacral therapists give space for individuals to feel these emotions and let them out, knowing the act alone is healing. If this happens, know it’s a sign that your body is letting go of emotions to create space for joy and hope. After a CST session that promotes an emotional release, it can be helpful to talk with a therapist about what feelings surfaced and work through them together.
Would You Like to Experience Relief From Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mental Illnesses?
Do you struggle with swirling anxious thoughts or getting out of bed in the morning? If you’ve tried other resources that aren’t helping, it may be time to try out craniosacral therapy for anxiety, depression, trauma, and more. For over a decade, I’ve worked with individuals who experience chronic stress, insomnia, depressive episodes, PTSD, and more. I help patients feel safe, regulate their nervous systems, and remain present in their lives.
If you’re a Utah resident and would like to try CST, contact me to schedule a free consultation today. By utilizing the power of craniosacral therapy, we can find a path toward wholeness together. It’s never too late to start healing.
