Core Body Therapy

11/30/2025

"You are not a mess. You are not behind. You are not failing at life. You are in a country on fire:"

Read more 👉 https://elejrnl.com?p=4158835

11/19/2025

The vagus nerve is one of the most extraordinary structures in the human body. It is the bridge that spans the divide between the brain and the heart, the lungs and the diaphragm, the organs and the emotional self. It is the primary pathway of the parasympathetic nervous system, which means it governs our ability to rest, digest, restore, and feel safe. When the vagus nerve softens, the entire body follows; when it tightens, the whole system braces.

This nerve originates at the brainstem, emerges through the jugular foramen, and descends through the throat, passing through the vocal cords, the pharynx, the carotid sheath, the heart, the lungs, the diaphragm, and deep into the gut, where it wraps around the stomach, liver, pancreas, and intestines. It is a living story cord, carrying messages in both directions. Eighty percent of its fibers run from the body to the brain, which means emotional regulation is influenced far more by sensation than by thought. The vagus nerve speaks the language of feeling long before it speaks the language of logic.

This is why bodywork can profoundly shift a client’s emotional landscape. When we touch the fascia, guide the breath, soften tension in the diaphragm, or release constriction in the jaw, the vagus nerve listens. It perceives these changes as signals of safety, and the entire system recalibrates. Heart rate slows, breath deepens, digestion resumes, muscles release and the emotional body begins to thaw.

One of the simplest and most effective tools for vagal activation is humming. Because the vagus nerve innervates the larynx and pharynx, vibration created by humming stimulates its sensory branches. This mechanical resonance enhances vagal tone, which in turn improves heart rate variability, stress recovery, and emotional stability. Clients often report feeling warm, heavy, or deeply settled within moments. The hum is a conversation between sound and the nervous system, a way of telling the body, “You are safe now.”

The diaphragm is another essential gateway. As the primary muscle of respiration, it is both mechanically and emotionally tied to vagal function. When the diaphragm is tight, breath becomes shallow, the vagus nerve stiffens, and the system moves toward fight or flight. When we release the diaphragm manually or guide clients into slow belly breathing, the vagus nerve is stretched and soothed, promoting a shift from sympathetic activation to parasympathetic rest. This is why diaphragmatic work can bring tears, warmth, memories, and spontaneous emotional release. The diaphragm is the emotional hinge between the upper and lower body.

Cranial work also influences vagal health. At the base of the skull, the vagus nerve emerges adjacent to the occipital condyles and upper cervical fascia. Gentle decompression at the cranial base can reduce irritation, improve vagal tone, and soothe the entire central nervous system. Even a light touch can shift someone from a guarded state into a deep exhale that feels like relief.

And then there is the belly. The deepest branches of the vagus nerve wrap the visceral fascia of the digestive system. When we perform gentle abdominal massage, organ-specific work, or slow fascial holds, we support motility, reduce sympathetic nervous system firing, and help the body process emotions. The gut is sometimes referred to as the “second brain,” but in reality, it serves as an emotional archive. Fear, grief, shame, and instinct live here. When the visceral layer softens, the stories held there soften with it.

My Parasympathetic Reset, which many lovingly refer to as the Sleep Therapy Massage, weaves all of these techniques together. It uses sound, fascia, cranial stillness, diaphragmatic release, and visceral unwinding to restore balance to the vagus nerve. Clients often drift into a dreamlike state because the nervous system finally feels safe enough to let go. Muscles melt. The breath widens. The heart quiets. The mind stops bracing. This is not simply relaxation. It is neurological reorganization. It is the body stepping out of defense and back into belonging.

For bodyworkers, this is some of the most meaningful work we can offer. Touch becomes communication, stillness becomes medicine, and breath becomes transformation. By supporting the vagus nerve, we not only ease pain and tension but also help clients return to themselves, regulate their emotions, and feel at home in their bodies again.

11/19/2025

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For decades, bodyworkers have observed that emotions often surface during hands-on sessions. Clients cry without knowing why, shake, tremble, feel heat rising, or experience spontaneous memories.

These patterns are not imaginary, nor are they an“energy-only” phenomenon. Modern research now supports what somatic practitioners have known for generations: the body stores physiological consequences of emotion, and manual therapy can access the systems involved.

What rises in the session room is never random. It is the nervous system speaking in its oldest language. Tomorrow, we’ll explore this language through the lens of Polyvagal Theory.

08/17/2025

We are living in stressful times.

Stress shows up in our bodies, especially in the neck and shoulders. Lately, I’ve been working with so many more people suffering with ongoing neck and back pain. Maybe it’s too much screen time? Maybe it’s worries about the future? We are all feeling it.

Craniosacral bodywork helps balance your nervous system from the inside out, easing that stress and tension and allowing your mind and body to relax and calm down.

Would some bodywork help you now?
Online calendar in bio.

08/02/2025

🔥🚒 Still Making an Impact: CranioSacral Therapy for Firefighter Cadets 🔥🚒

We’re revisiting one of our prior article:
“A Proposal for the Use of CranioSacral Therapy in Firefighter Cadets.”
When we first shared this research, it struck a chord—and for good reason.

The study revealed the potential of CranioSacral Therapy (CST) to reduce cortisol levels and improve postural stability in firefighter cadets—crucial factors in helping these frontline heroes stay physically and mentally prepared.

If you missed it the first time, now’s the perfect chance to see how CST continues to support the well-being of those who protect and serve.

📖 Read more: https://bit.ly/4gzl8Zs
(Or search the Upledger.com Article Database)

07/19/2025

Check this out 👇

The IPSB Wellness Center provides bodywork, craniosacral therapy, yoga, pilates, assisted stretching, sound baths, and community workshops partnered with a retail store.

07/11/2025

Craniosacral work has been helpful for my clients who have long COVID symptoms.

🌿 Osteopathy & Long COVID Relief 🌿
Can hands-on therapies help with long COVID?

A pilot study by Sabine Foster-Garn, PT, DO, CVMP showed that patients receiving Visceral Manipulation, Neural Manipulation & CranioSacral Therapy experienced:

✅ Better physical health
✅ Improved walking ability
✅ Boosted well-being

These gentle techniques may offer real support for post-COVID recovery.

🔗 Read more: http://ow.ly/2Ln850OqUPz or Barralinstitute.com Searchable Article database

07/10/2025

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06/26/2025

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Study Highlights the Real-World Impact of CranioSacral Therapy (CST)

A large prospective cohort study examined how CST is used in real-world primary care—and the results are inspiring.

✅ CST is being used safely and effectively across all age groups—from infants to adults
✅ Patients reported reduced pain, better function, improved sleep, and emotional wellbeing
✅ No serious adverse events were reported

If you’re a manual therapist passionate about integrative care, this study validates the power of what you do every day. 💪💛

📖 Read the full article here: http://ow.ly/7nqI50Hv0ji
🔍 Or search the Upledger.com article database

06/18/2025

❤️

Your state of being literally effects the field you give off. The heart generates the largest electromagnetic field in the body, which can be measured several feet away from the body. This field changes with emotional states and influences brain activity. Other beings can sense this magnetic field with their own heart and brain, sensing the energy that is being given off.

HeartMath studies show that people who practice heart coherence techniques (like deep breathing and gratitude exercises) have better brain function, reduced anxiety, and improved focus.

This research challenges the traditional idea that the brain is the sole center of intelligence. Instead, it suggests that the heart and brain work together as a dynamic, bidirectional system, with the heart playing a central role in emotional intelligence and intuition.

06/15/2025

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Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, colorless liquid that surrounds and protects your brain. It cushions the brain, helps maintain chemical balance, and transports nutrients and waste.

Here’s how it works:

➡️ CSF is made by ependymal cells in a special area called the choroid plexus, located inside your brain’s ventricles.

➡️ From there, it flows through a network of ventricles:

1) Starts in the lateral ventricles (one in each hemisphere)

2) Drains into the third ventricle

3) Travels through the cerebral aqueduct to the fourth ventricle

4) Then enters the subarachnoid space through small openings (apertures)

5) Once it has done its job, CSF is reabsorbed into the bloodstream via structures called arachnoid villi.

To keep your brain safe, the body has a blood-brain barrier (BBB). This barrier, formed by tight junctions in both blood vessels and ependymal cells, helps prevent harmful substances from reaching brain tissue—while still allowing in the oxygen and glucose your brain needs.

The entire system is a masterpiece of protection, flow, and balance.