CranioSacral for Kids
When I tell people I also offer CranioSacral Therapy for kids, one of the first questions I get is…
“But how on earth do you get a child to lie still for that long?”
Simple.
I don't.
Because anyone who has ever met a toddler knows that telling them to “just lie still and relax” is an excellent way to make sure they do the complete opposite.
Continue below for a more in depth look at what this modality is and what it can do for you.
CranioSacral Therapy for children works on the same gentle principles as it does for adults — using very light touch and working with the body and nervous system — but the way we go about it can look VERY different.
A child might lie on the table.
They might sit.
They might cuddle Mum or Dad.
They might talk to me about dinosaurs for 20 minutes.
They might play with something while I work.
They might decide halfway through that they're done.
And that's okay.
Because when I work with children, I'm not expecting them to fit into an adult-style treatment.
I fit the treatment around them.
Kids have nervous systems too.
They experience stress, overwhelm, excitement, change and big emotions — they just don't always have the words to explain what they're experiencing.
Sometimes we see it through their behaviour.
Sometimes it's difficulty settling.
Sometimes they're constantly on the go.
Sometimes they become clingy, emotional or overwhelmed.
And sometimes they've simply had a LOT happening in their little world.
That doesn't automatically mean something is “wrong” with them.
Sometimes their system might just benefit from a gentle opportunity to slow down and settle.
And that is what I love about Cranio for kids.
We're not trying to force anything.
We're not asking them to understand their nervous system.
We're not expecting them to tell us exactly what's going on.
And we're definitely not expecting a four-year-old to lie silently on a massage table while listening to relaxing spa music.
We meet them where they're at.
Some kids become incredibly relaxed.
Some get quieter as the session goes on.
Some want to chat the entire time.
Some might not want me anywhere near them initially — so we take our time.
Because one of the most important things when I'm working with a child is that they feel safe, comfortable and involved in what's happening to their body.
If they don't want me to touch them somewhere, I don't.
If they need Mum or Dad close, they're close.
If they need a break, we have a break.
And if the session needs to look completely different from what I had imagined when you walked through the door…
we roll with it.
Because children aren't just tiny adults.
And CranioSacral Therapy doesn't have to look a certain way to be worthwhile.
If your child leaves feeling calm and settled — I've done my job.
If they've spent some time slowing down and simply being in their body — I've done my job.
If they've spent half the appointment telling me an extremely detailed story while I quietly work away — I've done my job.
And if all we've achieved is helping your child feel comfortable, safe and positive about receiving gentle bodywork…
I've still done my job.
Cranio for kids is gentle, child-led and adapted to the little person in front of me.
No forcing.
No expectation that they have to behave a certain way.
No requirement to be perfectly still.
Just giving their little body and nervous system some space to slow down, settle and be listened to.