Biodynamic craniosacral therapy is a gentle hands-on therapy. The practitioner places their hands on the body —usually clothed— and waits. They do not push, do not correct, do not look for a point that needs undoing. They follow the rhythm the body already has: the breath, the movement of the tissues, the pauses. Hence «biodynamic»: the body has its own dynamic, and the work consists of not covering it up.

The phrase that best sums up the work is short: we touch little, we listen a lot.

The name, in parts

Craniosacral comes from the axis that runs from the skull to the sacrum. In the first half of the twentieth century, within osteopathy, a very small movement was described — almost imperceptible — that could be felt along that axis. From there comes the name, and also the idea that the central nervous system and the membranes around it move, and that this movement can be accompanied.

It is also called craniosacral therapy. Over the years the name has spread so widely that it sometimes means very different things, which is why it is worth looking at how the person works, not only at what it is called.

Biodynamic is the current within this tradition that shifted the attention: not so much to what the practitioner does, but to what the body is already doing. Instead of bringing the body to a state we consider better, the point is not to interfere while the body is working.

What the practitioner does

Very little, apparently. The contact is light and still, and usually goes to the head, the base of the skull, the spine, the sacrum and the feet. The hands do not direct: they accompany. If the body moves, the hands move with it; if it stops, the hands stop.

The hardest part is not pressure, it is attention. Being with another person’s body without interpreting what is happening, without anticipating the result and without deciding in advance where it should go. That is what we practise, and it is what makes the session something other than a massage.

What you may notice

There is no single experience. The most common is to feel warmth, tingling, weight, the breath widening, an urge to stretch or to fall asleep. A sense of calm may also appear that comes from nowhere in particular, or quite the opposite: an urge to move, a restlessness that until now had been kept quiet.

Sometimes nothing happens that can be put into words. That does not mean the session was useless; it means that what changed has no words yet, or does not need any. The body does not work in categories.

What it is not (and what it is)

The name sometimes suggests something it is not, and it is worth clearing that up before you come. Not to set limits, but so you know what you will find.

It is not a massage. There is no strong pressure, no oil, no stretching. You stay clothed and the hands rest for long stretches. If what you want is an hour of hands working on the muscles, that is something else, and it has its place too.

It is not a manipulation. There are no cracks or sudden movements. Here the body is not put in place from outside: it is accompanied while it does its own work.

It is not a diagnosis. It does not replace a doctor or any treatment, and it does not try to. If there is a symptom that needs looking at, it is looked at first, and then we see what can be done here.

It is not a promise. It does not cure anything on its own. What it does is create conditions for the body to do its own work, and that is sometimes quick and sometimes needs time.

One more thing: you do not need to believe in it. The work is manual and what you notice is in the body.

What a session is like

The first visit begins with talking: what brings you here, what you have noticed, what you have tried before, how you are sleeping. That conversation is not a formality; it is often half the work.

Then, lying on the table, fully clothed. The hands settle and stay. You can talk or remain silent, and you can fall asleep: there is nothing to get right and nothing to watch. At the end there is a while to get up slowly, because the body does not come back all at once.

The session lasts between forty-five minutes and an hour. There is no single rule about frequency: some people come once for something specific and some come a few times, weeks apart, when there is a longer process. That is decided between the two of us, not by the calendar.

Who it is for

It is common to see people with tension in the neck and back, pains that come and go, tiredness that sleep does not fix, anxiety, insomnia, or periods of change: a loss, a new job, a separation. People also come who simply want to stop for an hour and leave with the body a little closer to what it is.

You do not need a serious problem in order to come, and you do not need to be well in order to stay away. What is true is that this work goes better with a little availability: if you arrive in a hurry, the body notices and the session does not get going.

Where and with whom

Individual sessions in Vic, at Club Tennis Vic (Avinguda d’Olímpia s/n, 08503 Gurb). I have been practising as a therapist since 1995. Biodynamic craniosacral therapy is one of the tools I use, together with somatic work, biocuantics and neurolinguistic programming.

Frequently asked questions

Does it hurt?

No. The contact is light and there is no pressure. You are more likely to notice where your tension is than to feel pain from the session.

Do I have to undress?

No. You stay clothed; you only take off your shoes.

How many sessions do I need?

There is no figure. One session can help with a specific thing. When there is a longer process, we look at it session by session, without selling packs or closed calendars.

Does it work for children?

Yes. I work with children from newborns.

Can I continue with my medical treatment?

Yes, and that is what you should do. This work does not replace anything.