"To work with living mechanisms in a living body, we need living palpatory skills." Rollin Becker, D.O.
The Craniosacral Approach for Animals
The Craniosacral Approach for Animals was designed by Jim Green, based on the works of Drs. Still, Sutherland, Magoun and Upledger. In 1990, Jim was working with a client with low back pain. After benefitting from CST, the client asked if this might also help her dog who was suffering from a similar problem. After success with the dog and CST, Jim continued to work with many other animals, also showing similar beneficial results. There was no initial intention of developing or teaching a class on animals, which allowed Jim the freedom to develop his work with animals in a natural and organic fashion. In 1995, a facilitator at UI asked if Jim would put together a two-day Equine class for a friend in Ocala, FL. The class went very well and Jim was soon contacted by an equine group in northern California with branches in Canada and England to teach a CST Animal class for them. As interest in the class grew, it was decided that a study guide would be needed, so Jim approached UI about their input and ideas for this new CST class and was told that the class was his and he could do with it as he wished. At this point in Jim's career, he had taught over 100 classes, both CST-1 and CST-2, was working with animals for the last 7 years, and had a wealth of ideas to draw from experientially. Jim built a repertoire of techniques that showed themselves over the years as being the most effective for use with animals and assembled them into the 4-day class which maximizes the full potential of the participants and the animals. Those with lesser understanding of CST usually take the CST-1 protocol and try to apply it directly to animals, which may in theory seem sound, but is not therapeutically the most skillful or effective means of achieving the greatest results for the animal or producing the broadest understanding for the therapist.
Jim has had the pleasure of teaching the animal CST class in Canada, England, Holland, Iceland, Ireland, and the United States of America. He also did animal-centered CST presentations in Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand.
This class is an introduction to craniosacral work in general. It is a 4-day class consisting of lectures, demonstrations, and practice sessions throughout each day. This class is open to the veterinary physician, the caring pet owner, and anyone who would like to have some effective hands-on tools to help their animals. Techniques to be covered will be beneficial for both people and animals.
Animals bring an unconditional love that helps to soothe people of the day-in, day-out stresses of life. Our animals become our family and just as we become stressed, so do our pets. In the equestrian field, we like to encourage both the rider and the horse to receive work. Considering how intimate the connection between horse and rider is and how one being affects the other, craniosacral therapy for both will enhance performance, health, and vitality.
The class is based on years of experience in working with both people and animals. We have found that working with horses has been the easiest and most enjoyable for the participants to learn their CST techniques due to the horses familiarity and comfort level with people, high saturation point for receiving the work, and patience with participants learning the work. It is formatted very differently from other classes pertaining to animals that participants may have taken in the past. Emphasis will be placed on the participants being open to receiving and giving the craniosacral work with fellow classmates and discussing feelings and encouraging personal insights. This class has a set structure for all four days and yet, the approach to applying the work follows more of an improvisational tone. Participants desiring a more linear format are encouraged to take the CST-1 class prior to this class.
There is a three fold learning objective for this class:
1) For the participant to gain insights and awareness of themselves by receiving craniosacral work in the class. The majority of class time will focus on working with fellow classmates. Centering and grounding techniques will be utilized.
2) For the participant in the class to learn craniosacral techniques that they can use to help both people and animals. By working with fellow classmates, they get feedback on their palpation and blending skills.
3) For the participant to use the craniosacral techniques with animals which requires greater sensitivity and more decision-making on the part of the therapist.
Participants are encouraged to receive a number of CST sessions before they come to class. This is to prepare the student for the work they will receive during class time. It has been found that the quality of the work done with animals often is reflected by the space from which the therapist is aware of within himself or herself. In order to enhance the efficacy of the work, the class proceeds as follows: DAYS 1 and 2 will consist of techniques and evaluative exercises with lectures and labs with fellow class participants for both morning and afternoon sessions for personal insights and technique clarification. DAYS 3 and 4 will consist of more techniques and evaluative exercises with fellow class participants in the morning sessions. The afternoon sessions will give participants the opportunity to take the techniques and insights they have learned previously and apply them to animals. Participants will do well to also have basic understanding of safety issues in working around animals. Clothing should be layered and comfortable for class time and appropriate for animal time. Class times are 9am to 7pm (ending times are approximate)
Experienced craniosacral therapists have found this class to be an excellent review with a fresh approach to the material.
Registration for CST Animal class
To register for the CST Animal class, please contact Regina Green at toll-free (888) 529-9796, local (678) 354-3500 or e-mail: info@acornseminars.com.
The tuition in the United States is $750 per person or $700 if registered one month prior to seminar date. Full payment is required to reserve a space. There is a $100 non-refundable registration fee. Classes are limited to 18 participants.
Certification Program for Animals
A question we often hear from our students when we discuss certification programs is, certified by whom? Which begs us to tell a story about our history... cranial work comes from the osteopathic field and was developed by W. G. Sutherland, D.O. in the early 1900's. It is a sub-specialty of the osteopathic field, meaning that there is no particular separate school that teaches cranial osteopathy as a stand alone profession, even amongst osteopathic schools, medical practitioners, and general physicians in America. People are recognized by educational institutions as doctors, massage therapists and acupuncturists... and there are often country or state laws for these specific professions. However, once again, there is not a specific school or institution that recognizes dermatologists, reflexologists or auricular therapists in and of themselves from a county, state or national level anywhere in the world.
People are recognized as osteopathic physicians and in that sub-specialty there is a small group of people who take classes through the Sutherland Cranial Teaching Foundation who then can sit for an exam and become a member of the Cranial Academy. However, they are still only recognized in the world by their D.O. license- their sub-specialty of cranial work is their preference/interest within their profession.
The Cranial Academy does not recognize the certified practitioners of the Upledger Institute or any other group for that matter who are not directly associated with them. Nor for that matter, do any of the schools recognize any of the other schools. All are their own individual associations and as such have all their own criteria for classes, exams, and certifications. Having worked for the Upledger Institute and being associated with them since 1985, I was very aware of every aspect of the certification program and was actually the very first person ever certified at UI by Dr. John himself in the techniques level.
It's important here to keep in mind that the Upledger brand of cranial osteopathy is by far the best marketed in the world, however, even they are not recognized by the osteopathic profession from which this all originated.
We have done our best to make our certification program as complete an experience for the participant as possible. All who have gone through our certification process have found it a most educational and profitable use of their time and energy.
Acorn Seminars Inc. Craniosacral Therapy Certification Program for Animals is designed to give the experienced therapist trained in CST with animals acknowledgement for their understanding and skill in this therapeutic modality. The benefits of CST certification are a strong understanding and application of techniques, creating assurance in the owner's mind of the therapist's skill level in CST and to build confidence with potential clients. Along with the application, applicants will be required to provide a copy of a hands-on license or equivalent indicating the legal ability to do hands-on therapy with both people and animals. Applicants will need to check their own state's regulations. CST is not a stand alone hands-on license. All successful certificants will receive a framed certificate indicating proficiency status.
Each participant will be required to have completed up to or above the CST-2 class and have achieved certification at that level either by Acorn Seminars Inc. or the Upledger Institute. Upon completion of certification, the applicant will be requested to take the CST for Animals class (Acorn Seminars classes only) twice before sitting for the CST Certification Program for Animals. Participants will also be required to have basic animal handling experience and safety background.
To register for certification, call Acorn Seminars, Inc. toll-free at 888-444-9454, local (678) 354-3500 or e-mail us at info@acornseminars.com. An applicant form will be sent to you with an introductory letter stating expectations of the therapist, materials to know and testing opportunities in your area.
The CST Certification Program for Animals consists of:
1) an open-book essay exam2) a true/false, multi-choice objective question exam
3) a hands-on practical with oral exam
4) hands on practical exam on three horses
5) 25 documented CST sessions- 13 humans, 12 animals
6) 4 (four) peer group student exchanges
7) 2 (two) receive professional sessions
The certification will include testing the applicant's ability to apply craniosacral therapy on both the tester and the animals during the hands-on/oral practical portions of the exam.
The CST Certification Program for Animals costs US$350.00 with US$100.00 due at time of application. Re-takes at each level are $150.00. ASI reserves the right to withdraw certification based on unethical or inappropriate actions on the part of the certificant by the certification ethics committee.