Craniosacral Therapy is your healing nervous system Medicine. Is the world in a Stress state or in a Healing state?

At the moment the world seems to be in a state of dysregulation. If we look at everything that might have been wrong in our (western) modern world: overconsumption, pollution, fast paced stressful lives that we call life, not enough quality time for family, closed hearts, loss of the art of true communication and connection, comes to mind. The COVID-19 virus seems to have wiped this all out. Blowing out all the candles on the global birthday cake, with one big puff. Bringing everything and everybody to a big grinding halt. Game over. Reset. 
 
In Craniosacral therapy we work a lot with trauma, the nervous system and in particular with dysregulated nervous systems and sympathetic overdrive.  Is the Earth in a deep state of Trauma, desperate to find a solution? Is the Earth crying out, beneath all its turmoil? Has the world been in a Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) overdrive for too long, pumping out the stress hormones of adrenaline and the cortisol? Has the Earth been put into this state to heal? We have had natural disasters and viruses before: floods, pollution, Sars, Ebola, Mexican Flu, bush fires, climate change etc. The world was shocked, pledged change and help but ultimately, we all carried on. Could the world no longer maintain the organised chaos and went into shutdown?
 
The devastation of losing loved ones and the financial consequences will be gigantic, unprecedented and unfolding every day and with far reaching consequences on our mental, physical and emotional health. It is undoubtedly a very triggering time for many and in particular for those with underlying trauma and mental health problems. Their systems are already more primed to be on the lookout for danger and in a state of hyper-vigilance, stretching it even further. More than ever we can see, witness and experience that our mind and our emotions affect our overall health. In order words, what happens in our nervous system, directly impacts the health in our body and the body’s ability to heal.
 
It is very important for us, as human beings to be and to remain in a Healing state. This perhaps easy defined difference between being in a stress state or being in a healing state, is actually crucial to our health and well-being.
 
When we are in a state of stress our SNS is activated, we are in fight/flight and respond to real or perceived danger. These are the people fighting in the supermarkets aisles and hoarding toilet paper. Many history and psychology books will no doubt be written about these interesting phenomena. For now, we must remain on the side where we will share our last toilet roll with others and help and support people in deep need. In Australia alone in the last couple of days there has been a 35% increase in phone calls to life-line organisations like Beyond blue.

When we are in Stress fight or flight state, we are ready for action, waiting for something to happen, on alert, fearful, pumped up, looking for danger and we have a hard time to relax. We have overactive minds, looking for things to numb ourselves with, alcohol, food, cigarettes, drugs, medication, we have trouble sleeping as our body releases adrenaline and cortisol, pain and aches increase, we can feel depleted, tired, on edge and tempers flare. Survival stress is often invisible but it shows up in the overall health of body. 

Our symptoms are deeply shaped and influenced by our thoughts, our emotions, stuck patterns and the health of our nervous systems. What it means in a snapshot on a Physiological level if we are in a Fight, Flight or ultimately a Freeze state:

• Anxiety, overwhelm, panic attacks
• Sleeping problems
• Muscular tension, increased muscular aches and pain, jaw problems, chronic pain
• Narrowing of blood vessels
• Quick and rapid breathing
• Increased neurological sensitivities - noise, light, sounds, nerves
• Decreased digestive function of food– IBS, bowel problems and absorption
• High blood pressure, faster heart rate, cardiovascular problems
• Decreased brain function, brain fog, living in our survival brain stem – difficulty focussing, processing and absorbing information
• Weakening of immune system – increase of colds and flu, slower wound healing, harder time to fight bacteria, infections, viruses and maladaptive cells.
• Build up off over-acidity and inflammation in the body
• The body goes into survival mode as a coping system and shuts down, slowing down of metabolism and depression.

 
When our nervous system is in a Healing state, we are calm and relaxed, our body feels calm and relaxed. We have a sense of peace, flow and calmness. We feel like socialising and connecting. We are calm and joyful. (please see previous blog on polyvagal). We are able to:

• Relax and digest
• Maintain Cell repair and regeneration
• Relax our muscles – ease and flow in the body
• Breathing slow and deep diaphragm
• Sleep well
• Increase digestion–increase of intestinal motility and secretion of digestive juices
• Store energy to meet the demands of the day.
• Have an enhanced immune response

So yes, we may have symptoms like painful joints and muscles, inflammation, sleeping problems, high blood pressure, neurological problems, light/noise/food sensitivities, tinnitus, asthma, addictions, compromised immune system, anxiety, depression or a poorly functioning digestive system but IT IS OUR NERVOUS SYSTEM THAT REGULATES OUR PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES AND OUR SYMPTOMS. (I can not stress (no pun intended:) this often enough or bold enough). This seems to be overlooked in the medical western health model. It is the nervous system that runs our internal show, sending messages to our body and driving most of our symptoms on a physical, mental and emotional level. It is crucial to work with your natural biological stress responses and to work on a nervous system level. And no, taking valium ain't going to do it. At it's best it is a (temporary) band-aid as your symptoms (your natural life force) will be unnaturally squashed & controlled, only to resurface or worsen, leading you to think you need more or can't do without, keeping you from that Healing state.

Whatever your symptoms are, if the body is not in a Healing state, healing is not the priority in your body. The main thing that stops us from healing, is our system being in a state of stress.The focus of your system will be on maintaining the stress state, keeping you busy and on alert and potentially impeding the effectiveness of sought remedies, chemical pills and interventions. Breaking the cycle is crucial.
 
Shifting people from a stress state into a healing state, has a big impact on our overall health: decreasing pain, better brain health, enhancing immune system, better functioning digestive system. This can not only be done cognitively and with your mind alone. If it is only done with the mind it stays in your mind, you have most likely not solved it on a bodily and deep physiological level and you have not embedded it in your nervous system. `Stress and trauma is very much a physiological reaction that circulates in your body, often long after any event has passed. Trauma and survival stress is held in our nervous system, in our physiology, in our tissues and our cells as our reactions and responses to trauma and stress are primarily bodily ones.
 
For our bodies to heal, we have to be in a healing state. Craniosacral Therapy is one the best modalities to reset your nervous system and is a potent medicine for your nervous system. CST allows your body to come out of the fight, flight or freeze response and allows your body to come into a healing state. CST works with:

•  the biological stress responses of the body
•  the physiology of the body
•  the natural rhythms in your body

CST is proven to:

• Decrease any sympathetic nervous system arousal, down regulating any activation and  coming out of the stress state.
• Decrease highly activated beta brain waves.
• Decrease, remove and heal any hard-wired stress grooves out of the nervous system.
• Increase healthy parasympathetic nervous system, bringing the body and the nervous system back into homeostasis and into a healing state.
• Increased awareness of your body, your thoughts, releasing stuck patterns, emotional layering and incorporating any overwhelmed and dissociated parts.

 
Collectively, we have moved to virtual connections. My Craniosacral clinics are officially closed until the world is back on its axis and we have flattened the curve. We have to make sure we also flatten our own fear and anxiety curve.
I cannot wait for the day to re-open my clinics and hug every person coming through the door. We cannot live without touch or connection. We are hard wired for touch and connection. As the saying goes: It is the first language we speak and the last language and one our nervous system so desperately needs.
 
Take good care of yourselves and of your loved ones. Stay safe.
​Dorine 

PS I could not say it any better than this. "Before you Catch the Virus -Watch this"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBi85WjeDyg

Dorine is an active writer and blogger who provides a wealth of information and experience in the health and well-being niches, specialising in Craniosacral Therapy and Transformational work on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level. Dorine has a busy private practice and strives for people to become the best version of themselves. Her writings have been featured in Fulcrum Magazine, Trauma awareness sites and many other popular information sites.​