Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy

BCST is a light touch therapy that works to facilitate health from the inside out.

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle-touch health care facilitation based on the discovery, 100 years ago, of a previously undetected subtle cyclic micro-movement in the body. Decades of research by osteopathic physicians have demonstrated that when this movement is fully expressed in its natural state, the human body has the Intelligence and Wisdom to heal itself, from the inside out. Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy seeks to optimize this movement via light touch and other supportive strategies (John Chitty, Colorado School of Energy Studies).

Past experiences and habits may have altered this natural rhythmic movement. When a relationship between one system of the body is not in harmony with the others, then symptoms are subject to present. The symptoms are strategies that the body employs to accommodate challenging events in one’s life. Although beneficial in the moment, if these strategies are maintained by the body they may lead to habits that disrupt our natural flow.

My role is to listen from a neutral point to your cyclic movements, and to reflect back your original blueprint for health. From this quiet reflection, your Body, Mind, and Spirit can trust to release this old story and habits that have altered your natural rhythm, allowing your body to chose to return to a full expression of its natural cyclic flow. Here, the Intelligence and Wisdom of the body guide you to a renewed state of balance.

Read more about the history of BCST

Lymph Drainage Therapy

“The lymphatic system is as essential to bodily function as the bloodstream it complements.” -Dr. Gerald Lemole, Cardiologist

Lymph Drainage Therapy (LDT) is an original hands-on method of lymphatic drainage developed by Bruno Chikly, MD, DO (hon.). Created out of his award winning research on the lymphatic system, LDT takes traditional lymphatic drainage techniques and adds a new level of precision in keeping with the latest scientific discoveries and exact anatomical science. This science combined with distinct manual techniques allows for palpation and evaluation of the lymphatic system.

The lymphatic system is comprised of three main elements: lymphatic fluid, capillaries, vessels and nodes. This system is of primary importance in transporting fat from the intestines to the blood stream, in removing and destroying toxic substances, regenerating tissues and in maintaining a healthy immune system. When lymph circulation stagnates, toxins can accumulate and result in a variety of health situations.

Lymphatic flow can stagnate for a variety of reasons such as swelling, chronic inflammation, stress, fatigue, emotional shock, surgery, and lack of physical activity. When lymphatic circulation slows down, the regeneration of cells becomes less effective. This condition allows toxins and proteins to accumulate around the cells, causing cellular oxygenation to decrease and tissue regeneration to diminish.

It is a mystery of the Intelligence and Wisdom of the human body that the lymph system can reroute itself. Implementation of advanced techniques allows me to stimulate the peristaltic activity in the system. I feel the specific rhythm, direction, depth, and quality of lymphatic flow. The use of Manual Lymphatic Mapping allows me to track the direction of lymph flow before, during, and after treatment to assess changes in lymphatic routes, and informs us how to arrive at efficient and effective lymphatic flow.

To promote more generalized lymphatic health, I work with clients to develop personal programs that the client can perform on their own to support lymphatic and immune function. I also provide workshops to practitioners in the birthing field and community groups on self-help techniques that can support an efficient lymphatic system.

Pediatric Work

I feel honored to work within the Austin birthing community. My work with babies began in 1999, after attending a pediatric cranial training course where I observed a demonstration session with a newborn. A mother brought her baby because they were experiencing on-going challenges latching and transferring breast milk. I was brought to silence as the baby began to suckle in a relatively short amount of time. This sparked something deep within me; a realization that I wanted to work with babies and their mothers, to be with them in challenging moments, and to help them thrive.

Babies are incredibly sensitive and have access to their internal blueprint of health, which gives them capacity to self-correct in a succinct and rapid fashion. However, their lack of verbal expression may eclipse these qualities. One aspect of my work with babies is to help mothers (and fathers) recognize and interpret the signals their baby is sending with respect to the breastfeeding process. Symptoms including pinching of mother’s breast tissue, blisters and bruises on nipple tissue, clicking noises made while feeding, being gassy after feeding, breastfeeding sessions that last 30 to 60 minutes, and baby falling asleep at the breast during feedings are all communications. These signals are a language the baby is offering for us to interpret. It is a call for help.

Often, a lactation consultant or midwife can help mother and baby resolve feeding challenges. Other times, the baby needs assistance to make subtle, organic changes to balance, so that the symphony of extension and contraction of muscles allows the baby to gently hold mother’s breast tissue and to suck, draw, suck, draw, swallow, and then breathe. Breastfeeding involves a fundamental rhythm that can be gently supported with Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. Babies who may benefit include those who have experienced very quick or long labor and deliveries, C-section, forcep, or vacuum assisted deliveries, and pre-mature babies.

If not resolved as a newborn then strategies may be communicated in childhood or adolescence as migraine headaches, expressive language delays, chronic ear, sinus or bladder infections. Biodynamic Craniosacral or Lymph Drainage Therapy can support your child, regardless of age, to address these conditions.

I continue to learn so much from children; they are my teachers. I feel honored to offer them support as they adjust to life and process their own birth experience. Witnessing the resilience within these “teachers”, I have profoundly deepened my therapeutic understanding with all my clients.

I owe much gratitude to Barbara Wilson Clay, BSEd, IBCLC and Judy Osborne, PT, LAc. Each graciously introduced me to the network of professionals working within the Austin birthing community. Their support and mentorship facilitated my entry into this deeply rewarding work.