About the Therapy
CranioSacral Therapy & SomatoEmotional Release
The advanced practice of CranioSacral therapy (CST) is designed to improve both physical and emotional wellness. This non-invasive, light touch therapy fosters a profound sense of safety, supporting the rest-and-digest branch of the nervous system while lowering fight-flight-freeze response. Because CST fosters safety and relaxation, it is uniquely suited to address traumas, no matter how large or small, at their roots in the body.
CST allows for the release of strain patterns throughout the body’s tissues and, when appropriate, facilitates the release of destructive emotions the body tends to hold onto.
CST may be supportive for any number of physical, neurological and emotional conditions. CST works to relieve tension and enhance function of all the systems of the body, including musculoskeletal, immune, digestive, endocrine, neurological, and specifically the brain and spinal cord. So, how does this uproot old traumas from the body? Sometimes, the memories of negative experiences get stuffed down. It’s human nature to stuff down emotions associated with negative experiences, so we can get on with life. For some people, this happens because of Big-T-Traumas that make headline-worthy news stories. For everyone else, this happens because of the little-t-traumas we all experience, like the heartache of your parents’ divorce, or that fender bender that gave you whiplash. Over time, traumatic memories stored in the body become destructive, leaving us in pain, both emotionally and physically. That’s where the advanced practice of CST comes in, a natural extension of CST called SomatoEmotional Release (SER). When underlying emotional baggage puts a strain on the body, SER helps bridge the gap between physical and emotional health care. By supporting a deep sense of safety and relaxation during a CST session, emotions may naturally begin to percolate to the surface. When this happens, emotions may be discharged, which helps restore the tissues of the body, and especially the nervous system, to greater balance. The use of imagery techniques may be employed, when therapeutically appropriate, to help the mind connect more deeply with the body and assist in the SER process. Dr. John Upledger, who developed CranioSacral therapy (CST), was ahead of his time in understanding the ways trauma impacts the body. Decades before the publication of the Body Keeps the Score, a book that is revolutionizing mental health care, Dr. Upledger was running clinics for Vietnam veterans, treating them with this body-based therapy. To date, the Upledger Institute International supports 132,000 manual therapists in 122 countries.
Pediatrics - What to Expect
Pediatric sessions are loosely structured, allowing little ones and their family members to feel safe, secure and supported. Depending on mobility, we may work on foam tiles on the floor, allowing for moving about in whatever way feels appropriate. Some toys reside at the treatment space, and it is always encouraged to bring favorite toys to help kiddos stay engaged during the session.
Caretakers are always encouraged to attend sessions. Because the effects of bonds between child and caregiver are far-reaching, it is beneficial to treat caregivers as part of the child’s process, either during the same session or in a separate adult session. Sleeping toddlers and babies in arms can be treated on the table alongside a caregiver.
Taking into account many variables, teenagers may choose to be treated without a chaperone present in the treatment room, based on the comfort level of the teen, the caregiver and the therapist.
Adults - What to Expect
Your session will begin with a brief discussion of CranioSacral Therapy and your goals for treatment. When we are ready for treatment, you will remain fully clothed, removing any glasses, shoes, belt and cumbersome jewelry. Usually, adults begin a session laying face-up on the treatment table. Accommodations are made for clients with difficulty lying down or lying flat. It is important that you feel comfortable and safe.
As therapeutic touch begins, you will feel light pressure (about the weight of a nickel) at various places on the surface of your body from head to toe. After a brief whole-body assessment, we will settle into the therapeutic process. As the therapy begins to support the nervous system, you may begin to feel deeply relaxed or may become aware of various sensations throughout the body.
It is possible to experience emotions spontaneously rising to the surface, or images fleeting through your mind. Some sessions are done in virtual silence while others may involve talking. Depending on many variables, dialogue techniques may be used to deepen the therapeutic process.
By regularly monitoring the CranioSacral rhythm and gently inviting releases, the therapy helps facilitate your body’s natural healing process. As the therapist, I must not have an agenda for your therapeutic process, but rather follow the innate wisdom of your body.
Sessions are 60 minutes of hands-on treatment. Please allow 75 minutes for your first session so we may discuss the therapy and your goals for treatment.
Testimonials
Literature & Links
Veterans & PTSD
"There is a great need for effective, non-invasive therapies to help military Veterans, first responders, and athletes struggling with mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI), concussions and lingering neurological problems or co-morbid psychological health conditions, such as posttraumatic stress, depression and anxiety..."
Ricky Williams
Concussion Treatment
"During the summer before the 2009 football season, I went through the CranioSacral Intensive Program at The Upledger Institute looking to deal with some nagging physical complaints I had from past injuries. I ended up getting the relief I was looking for and much more. I credit much of my well-being and my 1000 yard season to the multi-modality manual therapy program I experienced at Upledger."
Upledger Institute International
"For over 35 years, Upledger Institute International (UII) has been training manual therapists in evidence-informed and evidence-based disciplines. Supporting over 132,000 manual therapists in 122 countries with acclaimed healthcare education, UII continues the work developed by renowned healthcare innovator, Dr. John E. Upledger. His development of CST earned him an international reputation and established him as a leader in integrative, whole-person, manual therapy education, clinical services, and on-going research.
Schedule a Session
Scheduling for new clients is currently paused.
Please check back soon. We apologize for the inconvenience, but need to take good care of current clients until the schedule clears a bit. Feel free to contact us to be added to the waitlist when new client scheduling reopens.
Licenses & Certifications
West Virginia State License
Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies | Trauma Research Institute
Florida State License
Techniques Certified | Upledger Institute International
Ohio State License
Diplomate Certified | Upledger Institute International
The Upledger Institute International oversees two levels of certification. Patricia C. Rogers, CST-D earned her Techniques Certification in 2014 and her Diplomate Certification in 2016. The first level, Techniques Certification, ensures a keen understanding of anatomy, physiology and CranioSacral Therapy techniques. This certification requires successful completion of essay, objective and practical exams to demonstrate knowledge and proper practice of techniques. The advanced level, Diplomate Certification, ensures proficiency in the practice of SomatoEmotional techniques including Therapeutic Imagery & Dialogue. This involved certification process includes another tier of essay, objective and practical exams, documentation of case studies, preceptorship, and academic presentation or publication.
To help bridge the gap between physical and mental health care, Patricia also earned her Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies from the Trauma Research Foundation. Led by renowned psychiatrist Bessel Van der Kolk, MD it features 25 of today's leading trauma experts. This training, primarily geared toward providers with mental health licenses, covers the roots of trauma in the body, as well as the impacts trauma has on brain function.
Upledger CranioSacral studies may be pursued by practitioners with a variety of educational backgrounds and manual licensures including massage therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, nurses, midwives, doctors of osteopathy and medical doctors. CranioSacral Therapists most commonly hail from massage therapy backgrounds because of their highly developed palpation skills. Patricia holds active massage therapy licenses in West Virginia (2018-3650) Ohio (33.022034) and Florida (MA 57039).
A NOTE ABOUT SCOPE OF PRACTICE
Our culture draws a line in the sand between physical health care and mental health care. For decades, pioneers from both sides of the divide have been working to close that gap. For example, from the field of mental health comes:
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Sensorimotor Psychotherapy of Pat Ogden
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Somatic Experiencing of Peter Levine
From the other side of the divide, a surgeon developed:
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SomatoEmotional Release (SER) of Dr. John Upledger
An advanced practice of CranioSacral therapy, SER simultaneously addresses emotional trauma and the physical body. Upledger’s holistic approach to patient care drew on his background as an osteopathic physician and surgeon in combination with his study of acupuncture and psychology, especially the work of Fritz Perls, Carl Jung, Robert Assagiaoli, and Robert Johnson. Out of this grew SomatoEmotional Release, including techniques he dubbed Therapeutic Imagery and Dialogue.
With a combination of CST and SER techniques, Dr. Upledger treated physical and emotional conditions alike from neurologic disorders and orthopedic injuries to post-traumatic stress disorder. Therapeutic Imagery & Dialogue techniques are a valuable component of the advanced practice of this therapy. Though these techniques were developed based on principals from the field of psychology, they are used for the express purpose of facilitating release in the tissues of the body.
There is no agenda for verbal communication beyond facilitating the body’s sense of safety and improvements in structure and function of the tissues of the body. Patricia C. Rogers, CST-D does not counsel or give medical advice, personal recommendations, or interpretations of client experiences, nor does she diagnose or prescribe.
To date, the Upledger Institute International supports 132,000 manual therapists in 122 countries.