Craniosacral Therapy...the gentle touch!
Majorly intrigued and as part of The Chapel Allerton Blog's expanding independent business discoveries, it was our pleasure meeting Joanna Jones - Chapel Allerton's resident Craniosacral Therapist. Ash, our Director, was the one lucky enough to get the first dedicated wellbeing write up with Joanna in August this year.
Here is Ash's insight as a newbie "Chapel A Cranio client" into the story behind this specialism and his first-hand wellness experience...
August's Journey of 'Inner Wellbeing Discovery' - Ash McVeagh
Based in the ever-expanding Chapel Allerton Pilates building is a dedicated therapy zone - boasted by an inviting, eco-feel entrance of astro green grass stairs and foliage - leading to what can only be described as decadent log cabin treatment rooms, kitted out with sheepskin throws and rugs.
After heading downstairs through the Pilates foliage and into the treatment rooms you can hear soft music playing, fit for a spa retreat - giving a sense of calm, peace and welcoming. A fire crackling like ambience hit me straight away. What a discovery - a hidden, safe paradise just seconds from bustling Harrogate Road outside!
An introduction in to Craniosacral Therapy
Joanna - an amazingly calm and warming individual, delved in to the background of Craniosacral Therapy, explaining it is a non-manipulative treatment (manipulative being like physiotherapy and osteopathy) therefore a gentle and engaging holistic treatment style - intended to relieve built up stress or anxiety from trauma, daily routine pressures or even a previous physical injury. There are over 20 symptom areas that are known to be relieved by this therapy.
Through gentle light touch methods (read my experience below for where) Craniosacral Therapy can release an individual’s self-healing triggers to help reunite the mind and body, removing stored-up tension from the big wide world. I loved hearing about the science behind this treatment - in the fact that certain pressure points in the body link through the nervous system to the cranium (head area encompassing the brain) the reason why this treatment can be so effective in its mind and body uniting methods.
I was fascinated to find out that some of Joanna's clients come for treatment with their new-borns and have a joint treatment for early sleeping troubles or colic. This attempts to re-tune mum and baby back into sync, to give well needed relief when nurturing a new addition to the family.
Other clients visit with ongoing problems from migraines or headaches where the treatment aims to provide an ‘un-blocking’ relief, encouraging the body to re-juvinate, relax and release during one to one sessions with your therapist.
My experience
I had written pages of notes during the first hour with Joanna - passionately scribbling down all of the fantastic facts of her background and the specialism of Craniosacral Therapy - to ensure I was equipped for our article publication. It had started to resonate with me that some of the benefits this treatment can offer might fit some of my own niggles; strange sleep episodes, crazy work schedule, built up natural stress. I was ready to give it a go... so Joanna and I then swapped roles and I took a seat on the sheepskin covered arm chairs for a pre treatment consultation.
Primed with the clipboard - Joanna kicked off the consultation which allowed me to explain some of the areas I had resonated with from the previous hour. There was a chance to chat through any medical issues or concerns and any worries for the treatment ahead.
I loved this little pre-session, as it was a comforting opportunity to sit back and be taken on a journey by a passionate professional in this field - still curious at this stage on what the experience was actually going to be like - but I already felt like I was in extremely sound hands.
I hopped on to the therapy bed fully-clothed which was perched in the centre of the room and draped the wool rug around me facing the ceiling above. I closed my eyes and chilled - listening to the hypnotic music playing and settled in to the feeling of the bed and my surroundings.
The treatment started with light touch pressure on my feet, taking deep breaths to get started - mindfully acknowledging my legs, hips and arms. Joanna spoke with a soothing intent explaining she will make her way from my feet to my head during the next hour- this sounded great! I was surprised at how completely relaxed I felt in such a short space of time.
It must have been after about ten minutes or so that small rushes from my feet to the top of my body kicked in. Warm sensations all over meant I felt so comfortable, at peace and totally loving the experience so far. Being such a fan of massage therapy, a whole new offering through Craniosacral treatment had been discovered.
For the next part of the treatment Joanna moved her hands to work on - in the most delicate way - certain parts of my head and neck. Already feeling ultra-relaxed at this stage, I continued to drift further into a zen like zone. Blissful thoughts and floating sensations with a cradling feeling on my head, I was conscious of falling asleep but couldn't get enough of the almost dreamlike state my body was experiencing.
My arms remained perched to the side of my body throughout the session, and through just light touch - a soothing, melting sensation flowed all around. Incredible feeling, magic was most certainly flowing out of Joanna's hands!
As the treatment hour came to an end (which seemed like minutes to me) Joanna gently squeezed the feet. I was convinced that my head was still being cradled at this stage! It proved the fact that the whole treatment had facilitated a huge amount of trust throughout its technique across the body.
I got up from the therapy bed and instantly felt as if I was in a newly relaxed
mode; slightly dazed by the full hour of Joanna's skills, but feeling content and with an energized spring in my step. I had managed to completely switch off from the deluge of planning and to do lists in the brain!
Joanna and I had a great chat about my experiences after the treatment. A chance to have some water and I headed off for the walk home. In awe of the colours of the trees on Harrogate Road- the Buddha waving at me from the Perfumed Gardens window on the walk down the hill, my eyes had been certainly opened up to a truly special alternative treatment in Chapel Allerton.
We are so lucky to have Joanna Jones on the suburbs doorstep. One treatment was enough for me to consider an absolute return booking again, just to test how far this massively undiscovered and great feeling "cranium, log cabin-esque, zen music restorative hour solution" could help me ongoing.
A bit about Joanna & How to find out more
Joanna is a fully qualified, registered and Insured Craniosacral Therapist. Her family has a lovely history in this arena with her father a well known osteopath, and her late mother a practicing Craniosacral Therapist being the inspiration to her wonderful career in the industry.
Joanna originally from Hampshire and her husband Shaun, Daughter Leela & Dog Frankie have lived in Chapel Allerton for 16 years.
Could this help you? I would highly recommend researching Joanna's website, and getting in touch to discuss and find out more
M: 07788164349
Chapel Allerton Pilates & Craniosacral Therapy Open day: 31st August 2019-CAAF Festival Weekend
Taster sessions with Joanna are available on Saturday 31st August- what a fantastic opportunity to learn more and meet the lovely Joanna who brightens up any day!
Chapel Allerton Pilates Studio
88 Harrogate Road
LS7 4LZ