Pre-requisites?
I’m interested in your workshops. Are they for professional therapists who already possess qualifications? I have no background in massage or craniofascial therapy, I’m just fascinated by craniofascial and craniosacral therapies.
There are no formal pre-requisites to study CFT workshops. Some terminology is technical and familiarity with touching people is helpful. While most students are practising massage therapists, I have trained people like yourself previously. Being ‘fascinated’ is a great motivator for learning. Perhaps we can talk more about this later.
Watch a recent CFT student talk about her workshop experience
Training points for CPE?
Can I get recognition with my Association for continuing education points if I do your course?
The school is accredited for 15 CPE points per workshop with MMA, making a total of 45 points for all three levels.
ATMS accredits 16 CPE points for each workshop, a total of 48 points for all three workshops.
The syllabus for each level comprises 14 hours. Total for all three levels is 42 hours.
What cranial and fascia qualification?
Hi, I have been a Myotherapist for 9 years now and I am looking into adding some more types of treatment to help my patients. I would like some more info. Could you please send me an email in regards to what I will be qualified to do. Thankyou
That question is hard to answer as it depends on your existing qualifications and skills. The simple answer is you will be qualified to practise the techniques presented in the syllabus. Each student has a unique learning pathway and subsequent use of these skills.
Cranial is very different to most bodywork approaches and I find a lot of the information available is misleading. Points of difference are in the relevant anatomy, the light pressures used, the conditions amenable to treatment and particularly the ‘sense of the body’ which is difficult to describe.
As an example, assessing and localising fascial restrictions can be done through passive ‘listening’ to the forces of the Cranial Rhythm by palpation, and also by actively asking ‘body questions’ such as temporary traction or pressure forces with your hands.
I offer post-graduate style workshops and award a ‘Certificate of Competence in Craniofascial Therapy’ after completion of three workshops.
Presenter’s approach, qualifications and experience?
Could you tell me about your teaching style please
My approach is to not assume too much prior knowledge by the student, and remember that this discipline is jargon-laden and often poorly understood or communicated.
For example, when clinically relevant anatomy is presented, we do it first with overhead projections and talking, then real human separate cranial bones are introduced to make the learning more tangible, and finally, plenty of time for questions and discussion.
Briefly, I have 37 years of multi-disciplinary clinical experience and 28 years experience teaching cranial. I have researched many aspects, planned a device to objectively record the cranial rhythm, presented at conferences, taught throughout Australia, made a unique finding about the sphenoid bone, and so on.
Best way to learn Cranial?
Hi, I’m currently a student of Remedial Massage.
One of my massage teachers recommended I look into craniosacral as I’m fascinated with the fascial system of the body, in particular the sphenoid and sacral bones.
I would like to know the difference between craniosacral work and craniofascial therapy.
Also when would be the best time to do the workshops? I have another 6 months to complete my Diploma. Any other information I could get about this course of study would be appreciated. I would also be interested in getting some sessions to see what it’s like.
Craniofascial Therapy is a name I coined in 1992 to try and better describe this approach. While there are now several versions of craniosacral in the marketplace, CFT is very similar. Controversial to start with, cranio is now harder to define.
The school emphasises useful anatomy, both the peripheral fascia and the dura, and the cranial rhythm. You will love seeing a separate real sphenoid bone, a lot easier than trying to learn only from a book. The ‘sacred’ bone, the sacrum is THE key bone in the body for postural compensation reasons.
Fascia is interesting to bodyworkers for many reasons. Historically neglected, there is now a ‘catch up’ phase in full swing, with many texts appearing. The way it releases stored tension during therapy is unpredictable and sometimes fascinating.
Book-wise, a good cheap starting point is ‘The endless web’ by Schultz and Feitis. More technical, detailed books are ‘Fascial and membrane technique’ by Schwind and ‘The Fasciae’ by Paoletti, both good recent translations from German and French texts.
There is no best time for learning CFT, although I guess lots of familiarity with bodies and directing the treatment process helps. The terminology used assumes certain knowledge, but I regularly try to simplify what is taught. I have no formal prerequisite. The workshop brochure can be downloaded from the site.
Receiving treatments is an excellent alternative way of learning, but remember it is always through the prism of your own body. Someone else would have a different experience. In a perverse way, you will learn more if your body issues are complex or severe. Re your brain function issues, I would look to release mechanical tension and restore blood circulation as the primary issue. I find symptoms usually occur on the left hand side.
Cranial workshops done in order?
Hi, I’m just wondering do the workshops need to be completed in order, ie 1, 2, then 3?
Yes, each level builds on concepts and skills that lead to the next level.
The second and third levels largely involve working on successively smaller structures in the head that are easier to appreciate when the principles have been first learned on a larger scale.
For example, feeling the small complex movement of each temporal bone rotating is easier when essentially the same movement involving each leg has been learned first on a bigger, simpler scale.
Is Craniofascial the same as craniosacral therapy?
While there are several versions of craniosacral, the short answer is yes, as both approaches are more similar to each other than they are different. For full details, see ‘Comparison with Craniosacral, Biodynamic and other cranial therapies‘ that goes into more detail.
Many craniosacral therapists touch only the head, despite the fascial connections with the rest of the body.
This school does not teach pre-determined ‘protocols’, preferring to teach a curious, interactive approach based on interpretation of ‘listening’ feedback received.
CFT has a biomechanical-first philosophy, not biodynamic. Another obvious difference is that this school does not teach somatoemotional release or other para-psychology approaches, which are probably beyond the legal scope of practice and training parameters of bodyworkers in Australia.
Certification?
Can people who complete all 3 levels of training start treating clients legally as professionals, or do they have to have a diploma of massage first?
Massage is not recognised by Victorian state law, so there is not an issue of ‘treating clients legally as professionals’ as such. Education providers sometimes bandy around words like accredited that do not actually mean anything of substance; in this case merely signifying voluntary membership of a guild. Right now you have the same legal status as I do, it is more an issue of commercial confidence, experience and skill.
A Certificate IV of Massage is the standard entry qualification to join an Association.
A Diploma leads to private health insurance rebate and Workcare/Comcare status.
Class size, location and cost?
Hello, I went interstate to train a while back and there wasn’t much individual time with the presenter due to 30+ enrolees in the class. Where is it held and how much please
Our class sizes are typically small, between 4 and 8 students, in Ivanhoe, very close to bus and walking distance to train. $500 incl GST
What is the syllabus for this cranial training?
Which techniques do you cover in your course? Is treating infants part of it? I have had 2 kids since I did my first cranio course.
Each technique is described and illustrated in the workshop manual for each level. There are too many to describe in detail here, but briefly:
Level One relates to the body, neck and TMJ,
Level Two the cranial base and vault, and
Level Three the face incl. mouthwork, plus revision of temporal and sphenoid releases.
It is substantially the same classical syllabus, but arranged over three weekends, and not involving 4-day workshop learning marathons. Paediatric work is not provided in either training or treatment.