Andrew Taylor Still, Kirksville, Missouri circa 1907
What is Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy?
Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, hands-on technique that utilizes the body's own self-correcting mechanisms to bring about profound change. It was developed by osteopathic physicians and has burgeoned into a field of therapy that can be used with all ages; from newborns to seniors.
How does it work?
Per minute, the heart beats 60-100 times. The lungs inhale/exhale about 12-20 times. The craniosacral rhythm (6-12 times) is an even slower rhythm that a skilled therapist can detect. The craniosacral rhythm is a great diagnostic tool for the state of a person's nervous system and vitality level. I wish it were a standard test in doctor's offices; much like blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, etc.
As the therapist tracks the craniosacral rhythm in the body, the client's system is able to access its original blueprint, enabling it to heal. Scar tissue and general restrictions melt! Bones return to their "happy home" (as Dr Lawrence Jones used to say). The neuroendocrine immune balance will reset, along with many other possibilities. No two sessions are ever the same. The effects of the work compound. Sessions go deeper and deeper and the healing becomes greater. I haven't found anything as profoundly healing as Craniosacral therapy!
Is it safe?
Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy is extremely safe! The contact is light, yet the changes are deep, very deep. The human body can restore itself and heal, given the right contact. The recipient is fully clothed, lying on a massage table or sitting in a chair.
How can it help me?
Biodynamic Craniosacral has the ability to help a wide variety of issues. It is commonly sought for TMJ, neck pain, shoulder, low back, knee, foot, elbow, painful scars, migraines, trauma, anxiety etc...
My personal experience:
I'll never forget my first session of BCST. I had TMJ at the time. The therapist held the base of my skull. After about 10 minutes, I felt the base of my skull widen and soften. At the same time, I felt my my lower jaw slide back up into the socket! I was blown away and knew I needed to learn anything and everything about Craniosacral therapy. I quickly enrolled in my first class. During that class, I felt my upper palate widen and my teeth separate. It felt as if it was correcting something from the years of wearing braces and other appliances as a teen. I now understand that even the smallest of injuries or traumas can have a huge effect on the rest of the body. In contrast, a small correction can create an enormous amount of relief in the body.
Update November 2020: I am now finding many people are very compromised, in pain, overwhelmed etc. BCST is one of the best ways to sense when a person's nervous system is in fight / flight or freeze. When a person is in fight / flight, we will see conditions such as muscle tension, anxiety, poor sleep, pain, constipation, etc. When a person is in freeze we see similar complaints, however, freeze requires a different approach in my clinical experience. I have found, after years of using different techniques, when I combine BCST with my latest modality called "Focusing" (by Anne Weiser Cornell) people come out of freeze 100% of the time!!!! Yes, that's right, 100%!!!! Everyone says they sleep better the first night, their pain improves, digestion / elimination is restored, things just HEAL! I also hear reports of reduced inflammation, weight loss; the list goes on and on!
Testimonials:
“Karen is the only person who brought my daughter’s brain ‘back online’ after a severe concussion. We took her to specialists, concussion specialists, doctors, acupuncture, chiropractic and they all said “wait and see. There’s nothing we can do.” Initially, she had full stroke-like symptoms. After every treatment with Karen, things just started happening! Despite the concussion specialist weekly telling us “wait and see,” he noticed her conversation and balance test suddenly favorably responding! Before treatment, she could not eat; her jaw was so misaligned. The dentist and orthodontist could not help. Karen was able to realign it and she could eat again. She also had massive headaches. We had to whisper because our voices hurt her head. She could not watch TV or look at a cell phone. Karen lifted all of that! She could not sleep due to extreme anxiety. I could not let her out of my sight. Karen pulled all of that out. Four years later, she still has some short-term memory loss, but it is greatly improved. Thank you, Karen, so much for changing our lives for the better!!! You truly saved my daughter. Without you, I truly believe she would never have been able to return to living a normal and healthy life.” Anonymous – Thousand Oaks, CA
“With a 25% handicap due to pinched discs at L4 / L5, I notice myself hunching over and waddling because of pain. After Karen’s treatment, I feel like my spine has elongated and my range of motion has improved. I was not able to fly on an airplane because of pressure in my head. That is gone now, no more earplugs! Before clearing some energy in my sessions, I used to experience sadness. Now, I feel much more positive and self-confident! Karen’s treatments also took away my fear of heights. I was terrified. I had some food allergies clear from working my digestive tract that NAET was unable to clear. Thank you so much for all you have done for us! We love you!!!” You’re the best! Anonymous – Thousand Oaks, CA
“Before, I couldn’t eat spices; now, I can eat chili! I can eat chili to this day! Each treatment helps me relax, especially when I feel tight or overwhelmed.” Anonymous – Thousand Oaks, CA
"Karen really took the time to dive into what the issues were and how to best navigate each Target area. I am a doctor of Chiropractic and, of course, I'm a bit of a massage snob. You have to be pretty good to get my attention.
The places where I have been experiencing pain even I haven't really done all of the deep work to alleviate some of the problematic areas. Karen got right in there and spent not two but ~ three hours teasing out each problem area. 5 + Lyle M Sedona Arizona
"Karen's treatment gave me more resilience. I spent years trying psychiatric meds and therapy. It was the only one that gave me emotional relief and process out of the diffent things I tried. It helped my physical pain and pelvic alignment that nothing was helping. It was hard to walk straight. I saw a chiropractor and a physical therapist. After my first session with Karen, I could walk again." Anonymous - Simi Valley
I was in therapy for 10 years. It was very often emotionally painful as I went layer by layer healing trauma. I've been working with Karen for the I've been working with Karen for the past few weeks and it's been a totally different experience. This is so much easier for me emotionally and a lot faster to process through the trauma. I was very I was very unsure about connecting with my body and being able to hear what it wanted. It didn't take long It didn't take long for the lines of communication to open and the information has been invaluable! The body just knows. It still surprises me sometimes with what it has to say. It continues to get easier with each session. Karen is the best, non-judgmental, kind, warm, easy to connect with and really good at what she does. She provides a safe space for anything that might come up. Anonymous - online Focusing sessions
"The combination that Karen uses to treat my hEDS pain and dysautonomia symptoms (Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy - the most gentle style of CST - and Bowen Technique manual therapy) is proving to be the most effective and long-lasting of all the treatments I have done, both Western Med and alternative. Aside from Karen's functional (and constantly evolving) therapeutic skill set, I believe her desire to truly improve the life-quality of her clients has much to do with the treatment efficacy. She cares - it's obvious - I'm thankful." Randi S - Westlake
"I’ve been a client of Karen Pasquini for several years. Her rates are very reasonable. I’m on a fixed income. I’ve had a problem in the same area of my back for years. I’ve had massage, acupuncture and physical therapy prior to Bowen treatments, sometimes with temporary relief. My body tightens with stress. I get muscle spasms. I do things a 76-year-old woman probably shouldn’t do on her own, so I could have used Karen daily. Recently she had me schedule Craniosacral / Bowen / Massage treatments every other week for a couple of months. In four treatments the muscle/tendon pain subsided. She told me to do a simple exercise which seems to have strengthened my back. For one month now, I haven’t experienced the same problem. Karen evaluates the immediate problem as well as past complaints and works to find the source . I would and do recommend her to everyone who talks about body pain. I highly recommend Karen and her treatments. My Sincere Thanks, Elaine M"
"I received 100% improvement from TMJ and relief from a migraine after only two sessions of Biodynamic Craniosacral with Karen." Lisa G.-Malibu
"I came to see Karen for Trigeminal Neuralgia. It has greatly improved and my back pain is much better from receiving Biodynamic Craniosacral. Thank you!" Robert F - West Hills
"I was referred to Karen by a friend. I'm so glad I went to see her!! Karen did a craniosacral treatment with me, it was awesome! I have had shoulder pain from a frozen shoulder for years, knee and lower body issues. After my first session I could feel my body changing, after 2 sessions my body felt so good, lighter, my circulation better with an ease of movement and the pain lessening. I could feel the results so quickly, I recommend cranial sacral treatments for anyone who has pain, feels unbalanced, needs to sleep or an hour of quite peace in the healing hands of Karen Pasquini!" Stephanie D - Topanga
"I went to Karen after my friend suggested the Bowen Therapy for my pain in my left leg. Karen is amazing! By Bowen and craniosacral Therapy after two weeks my most severe pain was gone and I could move more comfortably again. We discovered my pain originated from my hip. I have now had a hip replacement. Karens pre-op therapy aligned my muscles and prepared my muscles for surgery. I have healed quite quickly after surgery and my body feels strong and in shape due to the craniosacral and Bowen Therapy. THANK YOU SO MUCH, Karen!" Carol H - West Hills
"Karen is great, you're going to love her. She is helping me with my sciatica, it's gotten much better. I appreciate her help and highly recommend her work. Thanks a lot!" Kim L - Woodland Hills
"Karen has a loving, quiet and thoughtful approach to health and healing. Her knowledge of anatomy is apparent as I found she help facilitated and encouraged my own self awareness of my health and body. Experiencing Biodynamic Cranio Sacral is a life changer for me!" Philip L - Santa Barbara
"In just two or three sessions, Karen really helped me with my foot pain." Ellen T - Sherman Oaks
Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, hands-on technique that utilizes the body's own self-correcting mechanisms to bring about profound change. It was developed by osteopathic physicians and has burgeoned into a field of therapy that can be used with all ages; from newborns to seniors.
How does it work?
Per minute, the heart beats 60-100 times. The lungs inhale/exhale about 12-20 times. The craniosacral rhythm (6-12 times) is an even slower rhythm that a skilled therapist can detect. The craniosacral rhythm is a great diagnostic tool for the state of a person's nervous system and vitality level. I wish it were a standard test in doctor's offices; much like blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, etc.
As the therapist tracks the craniosacral rhythm in the body, the client's system is able to access its original blueprint, enabling it to heal. Scar tissue and general restrictions melt! Bones return to their "happy home" (as Dr Lawrence Jones used to say). The neuroendocrine immune balance will reset, along with many other possibilities. No two sessions are ever the same. The effects of the work compound. Sessions go deeper and deeper and the healing becomes greater. I haven't found anything as profoundly healing as Craniosacral therapy!
Is it safe?
Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy is extremely safe! The contact is light, yet the changes are deep, very deep. The human body can restore itself and heal, given the right contact. The recipient is fully clothed, lying on a massage table or sitting in a chair.
How can it help me?
Biodynamic Craniosacral has the ability to help a wide variety of issues. It is commonly sought for TMJ, neck pain, shoulder, low back, knee, foot, elbow, painful scars, migraines, trauma, anxiety etc...
My personal experience:
I'll never forget my first session of BCST. I had TMJ at the time. The therapist held the base of my skull. After about 10 minutes, I felt the base of my skull widen and soften. At the same time, I felt my my lower jaw slide back up into the socket! I was blown away and knew I needed to learn anything and everything about Craniosacral therapy. I quickly enrolled in my first class. During that class, I felt my upper palate widen and my teeth separate. It felt as if it was correcting something from the years of wearing braces and other appliances as a teen. I now understand that even the smallest of injuries or traumas can have a huge effect on the rest of the body. In contrast, a small correction can create an enormous amount of relief in the body.
Update November 2020: I am now finding many people are very compromised, in pain, overwhelmed etc. BCST is one of the best ways to sense when a person's nervous system is in fight / flight or freeze. When a person is in fight / flight, we will see conditions such as muscle tension, anxiety, poor sleep, pain, constipation, etc. When a person is in freeze we see similar complaints, however, freeze requires a different approach in my clinical experience. I have found, after years of using different techniques, when I combine BCST with my latest modality called "Focusing" (by Anne Weiser Cornell) people come out of freeze 100% of the time!!!! Yes, that's right, 100%!!!! Everyone says they sleep better the first night, their pain improves, digestion / elimination is restored, things just HEAL! I also hear reports of reduced inflammation, weight loss; the list goes on and on!
Testimonials:
“Karen is the only person who brought my daughter’s brain ‘back online’ after a severe concussion. We took her to specialists, concussion specialists, doctors, acupuncture, chiropractic and they all said “wait and see. There’s nothing we can do.” Initially, she had full stroke-like symptoms. After every treatment with Karen, things just started happening! Despite the concussion specialist weekly telling us “wait and see,” he noticed her conversation and balance test suddenly favorably responding! Before treatment, she could not eat; her jaw was so misaligned. The dentist and orthodontist could not help. Karen was able to realign it and she could eat again. She also had massive headaches. We had to whisper because our voices hurt her head. She could not watch TV or look at a cell phone. Karen lifted all of that! She could not sleep due to extreme anxiety. I could not let her out of my sight. Karen pulled all of that out. Four years later, she still has some short-term memory loss, but it is greatly improved. Thank you, Karen, so much for changing our lives for the better!!! You truly saved my daughter. Without you, I truly believe she would never have been able to return to living a normal and healthy life.” Anonymous – Thousand Oaks, CA
“With a 25% handicap due to pinched discs at L4 / L5, I notice myself hunching over and waddling because of pain. After Karen’s treatment, I feel like my spine has elongated and my range of motion has improved. I was not able to fly on an airplane because of pressure in my head. That is gone now, no more earplugs! Before clearing some energy in my sessions, I used to experience sadness. Now, I feel much more positive and self-confident! Karen’s treatments also took away my fear of heights. I was terrified. I had some food allergies clear from working my digestive tract that NAET was unable to clear. Thank you so much for all you have done for us! We love you!!!” You’re the best! Anonymous – Thousand Oaks, CA
“Before, I couldn’t eat spices; now, I can eat chili! I can eat chili to this day! Each treatment helps me relax, especially when I feel tight or overwhelmed.” Anonymous – Thousand Oaks, CA
"Karen really took the time to dive into what the issues were and how to best navigate each Target area. I am a doctor of Chiropractic and, of course, I'm a bit of a massage snob. You have to be pretty good to get my attention.
The places where I have been experiencing pain even I haven't really done all of the deep work to alleviate some of the problematic areas. Karen got right in there and spent not two but ~ three hours teasing out each problem area. 5 + Lyle M Sedona Arizona
"Karen's treatment gave me more resilience. I spent years trying psychiatric meds and therapy. It was the only one that gave me emotional relief and process out of the diffent things I tried. It helped my physical pain and pelvic alignment that nothing was helping. It was hard to walk straight. I saw a chiropractor and a physical therapist. After my first session with Karen, I could walk again." Anonymous - Simi Valley
I was in therapy for 10 years. It was very often emotionally painful as I went layer by layer healing trauma. I've been working with Karen for the I've been working with Karen for the past few weeks and it's been a totally different experience. This is so much easier for me emotionally and a lot faster to process through the trauma. I was very I was very unsure about connecting with my body and being able to hear what it wanted. It didn't take long It didn't take long for the lines of communication to open and the information has been invaluable! The body just knows. It still surprises me sometimes with what it has to say. It continues to get easier with each session. Karen is the best, non-judgmental, kind, warm, easy to connect with and really good at what she does. She provides a safe space for anything that might come up. Anonymous - online Focusing sessions
"The combination that Karen uses to treat my hEDS pain and dysautonomia symptoms (Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy - the most gentle style of CST - and Bowen Technique manual therapy) is proving to be the most effective and long-lasting of all the treatments I have done, both Western Med and alternative. Aside from Karen's functional (and constantly evolving) therapeutic skill set, I believe her desire to truly improve the life-quality of her clients has much to do with the treatment efficacy. She cares - it's obvious - I'm thankful." Randi S - Westlake
"I’ve been a client of Karen Pasquini for several years. Her rates are very reasonable. I’m on a fixed income. I’ve had a problem in the same area of my back for years. I’ve had massage, acupuncture and physical therapy prior to Bowen treatments, sometimes with temporary relief. My body tightens with stress. I get muscle spasms. I do things a 76-year-old woman probably shouldn’t do on her own, so I could have used Karen daily. Recently she had me schedule Craniosacral / Bowen / Massage treatments every other week for a couple of months. In four treatments the muscle/tendon pain subsided. She told me to do a simple exercise which seems to have strengthened my back. For one month now, I haven’t experienced the same problem. Karen evaluates the immediate problem as well as past complaints and works to find the source . I would and do recommend her to everyone who talks about body pain. I highly recommend Karen and her treatments. My Sincere Thanks, Elaine M"
"I received 100% improvement from TMJ and relief from a migraine after only two sessions of Biodynamic Craniosacral with Karen." Lisa G.-Malibu
"I came to see Karen for Trigeminal Neuralgia. It has greatly improved and my back pain is much better from receiving Biodynamic Craniosacral. Thank you!" Robert F - West Hills
"I was referred to Karen by a friend. I'm so glad I went to see her!! Karen did a craniosacral treatment with me, it was awesome! I have had shoulder pain from a frozen shoulder for years, knee and lower body issues. After my first session I could feel my body changing, after 2 sessions my body felt so good, lighter, my circulation better with an ease of movement and the pain lessening. I could feel the results so quickly, I recommend cranial sacral treatments for anyone who has pain, feels unbalanced, needs to sleep or an hour of quite peace in the healing hands of Karen Pasquini!" Stephanie D - Topanga
"I went to Karen after my friend suggested the Bowen Therapy for my pain in my left leg. Karen is amazing! By Bowen and craniosacral Therapy after two weeks my most severe pain was gone and I could move more comfortably again. We discovered my pain originated from my hip. I have now had a hip replacement. Karens pre-op therapy aligned my muscles and prepared my muscles for surgery. I have healed quite quickly after surgery and my body feels strong and in shape due to the craniosacral and Bowen Therapy. THANK YOU SO MUCH, Karen!" Carol H - West Hills
"Karen is great, you're going to love her. She is helping me with my sciatica, it's gotten much better. I appreciate her help and highly recommend her work. Thanks a lot!" Kim L - Woodland Hills
"Karen has a loving, quiet and thoughtful approach to health and healing. Her knowledge of anatomy is apparent as I found she help facilitated and encouraged my own self awareness of my health and body. Experiencing Biodynamic Cranio Sacral is a life changer for me!" Philip L - Santa Barbara
"In just two or three sessions, Karen really helped me with my foot pain." Ellen T - Sherman Oaks