Page 337 - Total War on PTSD

working, to their surprise, and report to me the following day that they had their best sleep in years that night. This gives them hope and motivation to know that there is a way to find peace and rest. Myofascial Release also includes Craniosacral work, which gently works with the bones of the skull to restore the free flow of cerebrospinal fluid, which nourishes and protects the brain and spinal cord. This essential flow of fluid can become uneven or blocked in places, from trauma, tension, or illness. When the flow is hindered it can lead to many complaints including anxiety, headaches, mysterious pain or numbness in various body areas, dizziness, insomnia, and many other symptoms that seem unrelated and inexplicable.
Restoring the normal rhythm and freedom of the cerebrospinal circulation allows the body to rebalance and heal itself and nourishes the nervous system. I always try to educate and explain what may be happening with a client’s body when they have pain or physical problems. When they can get a clear explanation for why they feel the way they do, it reassures them that they’re not just imagining it and that there are usually self-help actions they can take. Learning strategies to help themselves gives them a feeling of having some control in their life and encourages them. The bodywork also helps them to physically experience some of the strategies they learn in their morning education sessions.
For example, practicing open communication during their massage, paying attention to bodily sensations, recognizing triggers and excess tension as it arises and practicing overcoming them. These lessons are reiterated and bolstered by all staff in many encounters throughout the week so that they become ingrained in participants by the end of the week and can be readily accessed when needed. It is exciting to watch them learn and practice and apply their new tools in different situations as the week
337 of 1085