Cranio Sacral Therapy is a very gentle yet profound form of hands-on treatment and is very effective in treating a wide range of conditions, both physical and emotional.The principles of Cranio Sacral Therapy were first recognised 100 years ago by the research of an American osteopath, Dr William Sutherland. His research showed that the cerebro-spinal fluid and every cell and bone in the body expresses its own rhythmic motion. This is known as the cranio sacral motion and this is expressed throughout the whole body.This inherent motion can become restricted or stuck by everyday physical knocks, bumps and accidents. Shock and emotional stress can also cause the body's tissues to contract and tighten up. By very subtle palpation, trained therapists can detect this motion and determine its strength and health; as a result the therapist can identify and release restrictions in the body and help restore the body's vitality.

Cranio Sacral Therapy is a very gentle yet profound form of hands-on treatment and is very effective in treating a wide range of conditions, both physical and emotional.The principles of Cranio Sacral Therapy were first recognised 100 years ago by the research of an American osteopath, Dr William Sutherland. His research showed that the cerebro-spinal fluid and every cell and bone in the body expresses its own rhythmic motion. This is known as the cranio sacral motion and this is expressed throughout the whole body.This inherent motion can become restricted or stuck by everyday physical knocks, bumps and accidents. Shock and emotional stress can also cause the body's tissues to contract and tighten up. By very subtle palpation, trained therapists can detect this motion and determine its strength and health; as a result the therapist can identify and release restrictions in the body and help restore the body's vitality.

Some conditions that people have received Cranio Sacral Therapy to help with include:

Allergies
Anxiety
Arthritis
Asthma
Back pain
Balance difficulties
Birth Trauma
Chronic Fatigue syndrome
Colic and reflux
Dental pain
Depression
Digestive problems
Dyslexia
Fibromyalgia
Frozen shoulder
Hormonal imbalances
Immune system disorders
Insomnia
Lethargy
Menstrual pain and PMS
Migraine/Headaches
Mothers and Babies
Plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome)
Postnatal
Pregnancy
Problems during and after pregnancy
Repetitive Strain Injury
Sinusitis
Stress related illnesses
Temporal Mandibular Joint (jaw) disorders
Tinnitus and middle ear problems (i.e balance)
Torticollis

How can Cranio Sacral Therapy help me?

Cranio Sacral Therapy helps restore balance both physically and emotionally. It can reduce pain, asymmetry and discomfort and enhance general well-being and vitality.Cranio Sacral Therapy is recognized for 'the depth of its influence, the comprehensive range of its therapeutic effects, and its ability to resolve issues that are not helped by other means' (Thomas Attlee, founder of the College of Cranio Sacral Therapy).

What can I expect in a Session?

Treatment can be a very deeply relaxing experience and clients often feel grounded and well balanced after their session.In the first session a full case history will be taken. Treatment will be performed with the client lying down and fully clothed. Treatment is usually very peaceful and it is encouraged that clients close their eyes and relax as much as they can during treatment.Sensations felt during treatment will be of the clinician's hands; a very light contact. Other sensations felt during treatment may include, warmth, tingling, pulsations, heaviness or lightness and a sense of deep relaxation.Clients usually feel very grounded and relaxed after treatment and the majority report they sleep very deeply the evening of their treatment.Each session is 60 minutes and appointments are normally recommended every 1 to 3 weeks to allow the body to process and integrate the changes that occur between treatments.

Birth can be a wonderful and beautiful experience however, even the most straight forward birth can be traumatic for a newborn (and mother).
The birth process involves compression and rotational forces being exerted on the unborn skull and pelvis in order to propel the unborn child through the birth canal.These forces can become imprinted within the newborns body and certain rotational or compression forces can sometimes be seen and felt e.g. asymmetrical skull (plagiocephaly) and neck tightness (torticollis). What is more, these compression and rotational forces are accompanied by some degree of shock.The effects of physical forces and shock on the system can manifest as conditions such as colic, reflux, and digestive problems - a crying, agitated and restless baby. A newborn may have problems feeding or may have difficulty sleeping.

Cranio Sacral Therapy

Cranio Sacral Therapy is a very gentle treatment. It is very effective in releasing shock and tension within the baby's system and any retained compression or rotational forces that result from the birth process. It is a very gentle treatment yet its effects can be quite profound.
Cranio Sacral Therapy is also very good for new mothers and can help release tensions, restrictions and shock within the mothers system following the pregnancy and birthing process (see Cranio Sacral Therapy)
This therapy is an ideal treatment to help get the body back into physical and emotional balance following the birthing process both for mothers and babies.

Catherine recommends all newborns should be assessed within the first 4 weeks for a post birth check.It is usual that only 1- 3 sessions are needed with newborns because their bodies are very adaptable and can adjust easier than an older child.If your baby is showing signs of colic, reflux, digestive problems, difficulty sleeping and feeding or just generally 'not quite right' it would be advisable to get this checked out.

How can Cranio Sacral Therapy help my baby?

Some conditions that babies have received Cranio Sacral Therapy to help with include:

Colic and reflux
Developmental problems/delayed milestones
Digestive problems
Feeding/suckling problems
Plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome)
Restless baby syndrome
Sleep disturbances
Squint/lazy eye
Talipes
Teething problems
Torticollis (neck tightness)
Wind

What can we expect in a session?

During the first assessment a detailed history of pregnancy and birth is taken. Information on the baby's sleeping and feeding habits are also taken and anything else that may be relevant since birth.Neck range of motion would be assessed for any tightness or restriction in range. Head shape would also be examined for asymmetry or areas of flatness or compression that may be a result from the birth process or sleep preference position since birth. Exercises and advice will be given as required.Cranio Sacral Therapy involves very light contacts on various parts of the body. During this time the therapist is palpating any areas of tightness or restriction and allowing this to release.Babies generally really like these sessions and can become quite quiet during the treatment however this is not always the case. Babies can be treated on the couch or on mother's lap depending on how baby is on the day.Subsequent sessions are usually 30 to 45 minutes.

Catherine recommends all newborns should be assessed within the first 4 weeks for a post birth check.It is usual that only 1- 3 sessions are needed with newborns because their bodies are very adaptable and can adjust easier than an older child.If your baby is showing signs of colic, reflux, digestive problems, difficulty sleeping and feeding or just generally 'not quite right' it would be advisable to get this checked out.

Positional Plagiocephaly refers to the condition characterised by abnormal flattening on the back or on one side of the head. It results from prolonged external pressure to the infant's skull e.g from head turn preference during sleeping.
Since the 1992 Back to Sleep Campaign (where parents were advised to sleep their infants on their back instead of their tummy), the incidence of plagiocephaly has increased from 1 in 300 to 1 in 50 infants.Other causes of plagiocephaly include torticollis (neck tightness), prematurity, difficult birth (forceps, suction) and in-utero flattening often as a result of multiple births. Plagiocephaly is also common in children with colic, reflux and chronic congestion.

Assessment and Treatment

Catherine will take a detailed history of the infant's birth and development.
The infants neck will also be assessed to determine whether there is any restriction or tightness in the neck muscles (torticollis).Head shape is assessed and specific cranial measurements taken to determine severity of plagiocephaly and treatment options will then be discussed.

Treatment options depend on the age of the child at time of assessment and severity of plagiocephaly.It is important to recognise that age wise there is a limited window of opportunity to treat plagiocephaly and therefore early assessment is important; the younger the child the better.

If a child has been diagnosed with torticollis (neck tightness), a home exercise programme including stretching and developmental exercises will be given to parents.

With the younger child, re-positioning techniques and advice on tummy time and carrying techniques will be discussed.In cases where re-positioning is recommended, a 4 week review is advised to determine whether re-positioning has been effective.If a child presents with moderate to severe plagiocephaly, helmet treatment (orthoses) may be recommended.Catherine runs a Plagiocephaly Clinic at Pinetree Health & Fitness Jesmond, specialising in the assessment, prevention and treatment of Positional Plagiocephaly.

If a child has been diagnosed with torticollis (neck tightness), a home exercise programme including stretching and developmental exercises will be given to parents.

Cranio Sacral Therapy

Cranio Sacral Therapy can also help plagiocephaly by addressing head and neck tightness and restrictions within the skull. This therapy can be beneficial to a child being re-positioned and can also compliment helmet treatment.

Adults

Catherine works in several clinics in Newcastle and treats a wide range of conditions in adults including back and neck pain, whiplash, repetitive strain injuries, sports injuries, poor posture and core stability (see conditions treated below).Catherine believes that advice and education on musculo-skeletal conditions is an integral part of understanding the treatment process and that prescription of tailored exercise programmes are vital for the client to achieve the best possible outcome from physiotherapy.

Children and Babies

Catherine has also worked at University Hospital Lewisham as a paediatric physiotherapist. She has experience in working with children with neuro-muscular and musculo-skeletal conditions with a special interest in treating babies with Plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome), associated torticollis, positional talipes and delay in milestone acquisition.Catherine has undergone extensive training in the USA on the prevention and treatment of Positional Plagiocephaly using helmet orthoses and has led numerous training courses on this for other Health Care Professionals in the UK.Catherine works in several clinics in Newcastle treating a wide range of paediatric conditions including joint and muscle problems, talipes, developmental delay, torticollis and plagiocephaly.

Treatments and techniques Catherine uses are:

Acupuncture
Advice and education
Advice on change of lifestyle if needed
Core stability
Cranio sacral therapy
Ergonomics
Exercise therapy
Laser
Mobilisation and manipulation of soft tissue and joints
Myofascial release
Prevention of injury recurrence
Soft tissue massage
Taping and strapping
Trigger point dry needling
Ultrasound electrotherapy

Pinetree Health and Fitness
201 Jesmond Road
Jesmond
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE2 1LAt: 07980 283 523
e: [email protected]

Physiotherapy Treatments Only
The Osborne Clinic
22 Osborne Avenue
Jesmond
Newcastle NE2 1JQt: 0191 281 3379
e: [email protected]

'The wound is the place where the Light enters you'
(Rumi)

''O Lord Buddha,we all know, to touch, with love, is healing'
(Richard Kirsten Daiensai)

'By the time it came to the edge of the forest the stream had grown-up, so that is was almost a river, and being grown up, it did not run and jump along as it used to do when it was younger but more slowly. For it knew now where it was going and it said to itself, 'there is no hurry. We shall get there some day'
(Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh)

'The temple bell is being, The hollow center is non-being, Neither can function without the other'
(Anonymous)

Catherine is a registered Cranio Sacral Therapist and Physiotherapist and was a tutor at the London College of Cranio Sacral Therapy.
She is also qualified in acupuncture for pain relief.Catherine is a member of the Cranio Sacral Therapy Association, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Acupuncture Association for Chartered Physiotherapists.
Catherine is also an experienced Paediatric Physiotherapist and is a member of the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists.Over the last 20+ years Catherine has specialised in assessing and treating Positional Plagiocephaly otherwise known as 'flat head syndrome'.
She has also run regular courses for healthcare professionals including Doctors and Midwives on the assessment, prevention and orthotic treatment of plagiocephaly.Catherine has always had an interest in health and helping people.
After graduating in physiotherapy from Sheffield Hallam University in 1995, Catherine worked in various specialities both in the NHS and private practices in Sheffield and London.Catherine gained vast experience in treating both adults and children with a wide variety of conditions but, despite the satisfaction that Catherine got from helping her clients, she felt there was something missing from her work.

After a two year career break in which she travelled extensively throughout India, South East Asia and West Africa, Catherine began to see health and well-being more holistically and the importance of physical, mental and spiritual vitality.As a result of this awareness Catherine decided to train as a Cranio Sacral Therapist under the tuition of Thomas Attlee at the London College of Cranio Sacral Therapy.To Catherine, this was the missing piece of the jigsaw and this enabled her to use her physiotherapy background of anatomy and physiology to treat clients on one level but also permitted a more holistic approach to healing allowing both emotional and physical imbalances to be met through intuitive touch.