Lyons Institute - online home study courses in Craniosacral Therapy, Structural Integration, Rolfing, Equine Massage and Equine Craniosacral

Welcome to Lyons Institute! We provide top-notch online home study courses in Craniosacral Therapy, Structural Integration, Rolfing, Equine Massage and Equine Craniosacral

The Importance of Stretching Knowledge in our Bodywork Practices: Part 1

Have you ever noticed that many of the patterns of dysfunction that are brought to our practices repeat themselves regardless of how many sessions we might perform with them? I am going to propose how using stretching, in its many approaches, can change that pattern and create lasting healing in our clients.

I don’t care if someone has come to you for Cranial Sacral therapy, Rolfing, Feldenkrais, Alexander technique, myofascial release, acupuncture, chiropractic and on and on. Most have come because they are suffering a painful condition. In many or even most cases, stretching in some form would have either helped to prevent the condition or accelerated its healing. [Read more…]

Scoliosis, Can Massage Help? – Part 3

We left off on the last part of this series talking about the need to deal with the obturator internus. As we mentioned I believe it will also be short on the site of the out-flare. We have them open the leg where there is an in flare in the iliac crest and have the client on their back and bend that leg and then open it outward. Then we ask them to push against our hand and then one more after holding against their movement. Its essentially like doing a PNF stretch. We repeat 3 or four times. The opposite hand is holding down the opposite iliac crest.

Then we move on to further stabilization by having the client bring both feet up on the table, knees bent. We will do this next move to release any tension in the pubic symphysis area. We place our hands on the outside of the knees and resist the opening of their legs. Do that three or four times. Then, cross your hands and place the heels of your hands on the inside of their legs and repeat by resisting inside movement three or four times. If there is a noticeable rotation in the horizontal plane of the pelvis, have your client sit on a bench, table or chair. Place your hands on the illiopsoas tendon and resist their movement into the pattern of ease.
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Scoliosis, Can Massage Help? – Part 2

In a true scoliosis the shoulder girdle will be obviously lower on one side than the other. The best observation point to this reference are the clavicles. If they are slanting, but in line with each other it is due to a scoliosis. If only one side is inclined, it can be from other factors like carrying a bag, some former trauma, etc. The ribs will be fixed open where there is convexity of the curvature, that is where the gibbus will be noticed. The ribs are closer together on the concave side. You should notice the scapula being pulled medially by the rhomboids. As the scapula is sliding laterally on the convex side, the serratus anterior and the muscles between the arm will shorten. There will also be a compensatory pattern in the cervical vertebrae at the AO joint with a notable compression.

I think its important to realize there are some degrees of scoliosis and age factors that will only allow a client to feel more comfortable from our work. Once the bones have changed their structure due to the forces paced upon them over long periods of time, there is only so much that we can do.

So the question begs, what can we accomplish as therapists? First of all it depends on the degree of the pattern. It’s a core issue and we must never lose sight of this fact, nor the need to integrate our work throughout the body. There is value to working with the client lying down, sitting and standing as well.
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Scoliosis, Can Massage Help? – Part 1

Helping Our Clients with Scoliosis

If you have being involved in bodywork for any length of time you have had your hands on more than a few clients who were scoliotic and offered you quite a challenge!
In my training at the Rolf Institute there was one axiom that I was taught that made the work very simple to understand. Our work is involved in the lengthening process. It is the only way you can straighten a body.

So, if we can lengthen the body, we can give support to our clients whose scoliosis creates often constant painful conditions in their bodies. Given enough time, we can assist in making some wonderful changes in this idiopathic condition (a condition of unknown origin). You will definitely need to sharpen your body reading skills, and allow yourself enough time to make these changes in your client’s body.
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What Is the Difference Between The Mechanical and The Biodynamic Models of Craniosacral Therapy?

I am often asked by students, what is Craniosacral Biodynamics and how does it differ from the “mechanical” approach? My answer is that one is the path of the Shaman, and the other is that of the mechanic. Both are very rewarding and effective, but the Biodynamic model will change who you are as a human being and how you walk on this water planet.

I know because I practiced the mechanical approach for ten years, and then the Biodynamic aproach for the last 13. Of all the disciplines whose knowledge I have drunk from, including my start at the Rolf Institute in 1989, the Biodynamic model of craniosacral therapy has been the greatest gift and the most transformative and magical of all the disciplines I have learned.
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