He began to look at the mechanics of the body and was struck by the intricate dance between form and function. He was fascinated by how the physical form of the body was designed to support its various functions. He believed that one of the main sources of health was to be found in freely circulating blood, so he spent time exploring ways to enhance this through gentle manipulations. Dr. Still went on to teach his techniques and in 1892 he began the first school of osteopathic medicine in Kirksville, Missouri.
One day, William Sutherland, a student at the osteopathic college in Kirksville during the early 1900�s, walked by a display cabinet that showed a skull with the main bones separated from each other. Each bone of the skull connects with its neighbors through little joints, or sutures. Some overlap, some butt up against each other, and some intricately weave together, or interdigitate. From this display skull, Sutherland had the idea that the form of the skull was designed to support the function of movement. After he graduated from school and went on to become a doctor, this idea sent him on a journey of in depth exploration.
Sutherland first began his explorations by taking apart a skull. This allowed him the opportunity to see the intricacy of the bony container for the brain. He then began to experiment on himself and developed various helmets and straps that would cause compression and restriction on different areas of the head. This gave him first hand experience with different restriction patterns and the effects they produced. It also gave him the opportunity to release the restriction pattern, other wise the experiments would have ended! Eventually Sutherland began to apply his carefully learned principles to his patients. Fellow osteopaths became curious about his techniques, and Sutherland began holding classes to formally teach his methods from the 1930s until his death in 1954.
In part 2 of this article we will explore the impact of this therapy on various conditions as well as how aromatherapy and craniosacral therapy can work together.
Lisa Gillispie, BSW, LMT, CST is a licensed massage therapist and has been practicing craniosacral therapy since 1995. She received her Craniosacral Therapy Certification through the Upledger Institute and has also completed advanced training with them as well. An instructor for Sacred Spaces Seminars, Lisa teaches the Foundation Class, a four-day comprehensive exploration of the craniosacral system.
Lisa maintains a busy private practice in Columbus, Ohio using craniosacral therapy in her work with infants, children and adults. She also works with people from around the country who come for intensive treatment sessions. This work brings Lisa much joy and satisfaction both personally and professionally. She feels privileged and honored to be a part a person�s healing journey. Her website is www.SpiritOfHealingOnline.com and she can be reached at [email protected].