Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, hands-on form of bodywork that creates space for the body to slow down, settle and be listened to.

Unlike massage or more manipulative forms of bodywork, craniosacral therapy uses a very light touch. There is no forceful adjustment or manipulation. Instead, the practitioner works quietly with the body, noticing subtle patterns of movement, tension and stillness.

For people curious about craniosacral therapy in Mullumbimby, understanding what actually happens during a session can make this subtle form of bodywork feel a little less mysterious.

What is craniosacral therapy?

Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, hands-on form of bodywork with its roots in osteopathy. Over time, a number of different approaches to craniosacral work have developed, each with its own way of understanding and listening to the body.

At the Centre for Mind Body Wellness, our practitioners have also studied Visionary Craniosacral Work, an approach that brings a particular quality of listening, presence and curiosity to the work.

Rather than approaching the body with an idea of what needs to be fixed, the practitioner listens through their hands and works with what is presenting in that moment. There is an understanding that the body holds its own intelligence, and the practitioner’s role is not necessarily to impose change, but to create the conditions in which the body can respond in its own way.

This is part of what makes craniosacral therapy so subtle — and why two sessions may feel quite different from one another.

What happens during a craniosacral session?

A session usually begins with a conversation about what has brought you in and anything you would like your practitioner to be aware of.

You then lie comfortably on a treatment table, remaining fully clothed.

The practitioner uses gentle contact and may place their hands on different areas of the body throughout the session. While the cranium, spine and sacrum are important within craniosacral work, the work isn’t limited to these areas. Contact may be made wherever the practitioner is drawn to listen and where it feels appropriate for you and the session.

Sometimes the hands remain in one place for several minutes. At other times the work may move through different areas of the body.

From the outside, it can look as though very little is happening. Yet the experience can be quite different for the person receiving the work.

Some people notice warmth, tingling, changes in breathing, subtle movement or a deepening sense of stillness. Others simply notice that they feel more settled. Some people describe old memories or emotions surfacing, sometimes connected with past experiences or trauma, while feeling safely held and supported as they move through them. Others describe drifting into an almost dream-like state, with images, sensations or a sense of being taken to places that somehow feel connected to what they are experiencing in their body.

There is no particular experience you are supposed to have. Each session — and each person — can be very different.

Why is there so much stillness?

We spend a lot of our lives doing.

Thinking, planning, responding, caring for other people, working and moving from one thing to the next can leave very little opportunity to simply notice what is happening within us.

Craniosacral therapy offers something quite different.

The quietness of a session can create an opportunity to become aware of sensations and patterns that may normally go unnoticed.

The practitioner isn’t trying to make the body do something. Instead, there is an element of listening — allowing the body time and space rather than immediately trying to change it.

For some people, that experience of being able to simply lie down and receive can be valuable in itself.

Why do people seek craniosacral therapy?

People come to craniosacral therapy for many different reasons.

Some are looking for a gentle form of bodywork. Others are going through particularly busy or stressful periods and are drawn to the stillness of the work.

People may also explore craniosacral therapy because they want to become more connected with their bodies, are curious about body-based approaches to wellbeing, or prefer something gentler than massage or more physically active therapies.

It can also be used alongside other forms of healthcare and therapeutic support rather than necessarily being an either/or choice.

Do I need to have something wrong?

Not at all.

You don’t need a particular problem or diagnosis to experience craniosacral therapy.

Sometimes people come simply because they want an hour where they don’t have to perform, talk, organise or look after anybody else.

Others become curious about what they notice when their body is given the opportunity to become quiet.

Craniosacral therapy isn’t about searching for something that is “wrong” with you. A session can instead be an opportunity to develop greater awareness of your body and how you are feeling.

Craniosacral therapy in Mullumbimby

At the Centre for Mind Body Wellness in Mullumbimby, craniosacral therapy is offered by Gabrielle Morrison and Rohani, both of whom have studied Visionary Craniosacral Work alongside their Diploma in Craniosacral Therapy and experience.

While sharing this foundation, each brings their own experience, presence and individual approach to the work. You can learn more about each practitioner and find the person who feels right for you below.

Rohani – Craniosacral Therapist → 

Gabrielle Morrison – Craniosacral Therapist →