CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY EDUCATIONAL TRUST

- HOW DO WE FEEL?

WITH STEVE HAINES

Two one-day workshops exploring pain and emotion from a biodynamic craniosacral therapy perspective. These workshops can be attended as single days or together. The focus will be on understanding the neurology underlying the experience of pain and emotion, and integrating that knowledge for simple, effective clinical practice. There will be ample time for hands-on table work.

PAIN AND THE SPINAL CORD

* SATURDAY 21ST MARCH 2009 *

Pain is one of the central reasons why clients come for treatment. It is a complex phenomenon. According to the international research guidelines definition, pain always involves the whole story of who we are and always includes emotion. However there are certain staging points in the processing of pain. Being aware of these can enormously enhance your clinical effectiveness.

Topics covered will include:

• The flexor withdrawal response - a whole cord reflex in response to noxious stimuli.
• ‘Taking loads off the back of the donkey’. There are common things that prevent healing, so it is always useful to help them clear from weighing the system down.
• Why the site of the pain is often a poor guide to the source of the problem.
• Nociceptive (pain) loops and ‘junk in equals junk out’ - the importance of signals coming into the CNS (afferentation and proprioception).

EMOTIONS AND THE LIMBIC SYSTEM

* SUNDAY 22ND MARCH 2009 *

It can be easy to think of working at an 'emotional level' as something different from working at a 'physical level'. This workshop will present emotions as a response of the whole organism. Emotions are deeply rooted in the physiology of the neuro-endocrine-immune and musculoskeletal systems (i.e. the body). Responding skilfully to body stories with a strong emotional context is essential to clinical practice.

Topics covered will include:

• Working with the “felt sense”. We will explore why, “How does your body feel right now?” and “How do you respond to that?” are such great questions.
• The deep brain structures that are involved in emotion, especially the Limbic System.
• How fear is processed - understanding the amygdala and overwhelm.
• Orienting to the ventricles and fluid brain.

This workshop will draw on Antonio Damasio's framing of emotion as something that emerges from the body (see "Descartes Error") and the work of Alan Watkins and others.

Course Tutor:

Steve Haines D.C. B.C.S.T. - is a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist and Chiropractor. He also trained as a Shiatsu practitioner. He teaches Craniosacral courses in Switzerland, Malaysia, Australia and Dubai, as well as being a senior tutor for Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust. He is the current director of Trust's Living Anatomy course, and for 2 1/2 years he co-ordinated the CTET Teaching Clinic for final year students. He has taught anatomy, physiology and pathology at the College of Practical Homeopathy, and taught on the craniosacral module at the University of Westminster. His background includes yoga, not enough meditation, eight years' working with people with mental health problems and bodywork with people with immune disorders. He lives and works between Geneva and London.

Venue:

The Skylight Centre
9-15 Elthorne Road
London N19 4AJ
Nearest stations: Archway (on the Northern Line) or Upper Holloway (main line).

Times:

From 9.30am - 6pm

Cost:

£90 for each day, or £165 for the whole weekend if payment is received by 6th February 2009. If payment is received after this date the cost will be £100 for each day, or £185 for the whole weekend. Cheques are payable to CTET.

For bookings and further details, please contact:

Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust
78 York Street
London W1H 1DP
England

Tel/Fax: 07000-785778
e-mail: info@cranio.co.uk