Benjamin Shield, Ph.D.

Pediatric Craniosacral Therapy:
Newborn through Age Two

This four-day class brings the practice of craniosacral work and manual therapies into the hands of practitioners who wish to work with infants and children. The principle goal is to honor the consciousness of the infant, and the course involves infant centered therapy. It incorporates a caring, common sense approach through utilizing craniosacral techniques, prenatal and perinatal psychology, and principles of infant development.

The class will include simple and effective therapeutic techniques to assist in normalizing the structure, balancing the nervous system, and resolving possible issues of the birth experience. Therapies utilized will include biodynamic and biomechanical craniosacral therapies, soft tissue skills, and the pioneering developmental and technical works of Hugh Milne, Joelle-Aimée Kubisch, William Emerson, Raymond Castellino, Franklyn Sills, as well as many other leaders of the field throughout the world.

The class is designed to be approximately one-half lecture/theory, and one-half practical/hands-on table work, with appropriate demonstrations.

The first day will introduce the students to pediatric craniosacral work and present an overview of its relevance and applicability. The various conditions that pediatric craniosacral work can treat are discussed. There will be a presentation on successful ways to work with babies and infants, as well as with their parents. How to best utilize the resources of an infant will be explored. Also during the first day, there will be a presentation on the birthing/delivery process, birth presentation positions, and pelvic anatomy.

The second day will include lecture and demonstration of craniosacral evaluation of babies and infants, system evaluation of newborns, and pediatric structural evaluations. Demonstrations and table work will take place throughout the day.

The third day will focus on craniosacral treatment in newborns and infants. We will discuss the various stages of birth and the specific cranial lesions that can occur at each stage, along with the specific treatment. We will also discuss the nature and treatment of craniosacral issues created by Caesarian, forceps, and vacuum extraction deliveries, as well as that of postpartum cranial injuries.

The fourth day will involve craniosacral work and maternal care. We will discuss developmental patterns of babies and infants, along with appropriate cranial treatment for each stage of development. Demonstrations will be given. The second half of day four will focus on a complete one-hour protocol for the evaluation and treatment of newborns.

The pre-requisites for this course are the equivalent of C1 and C2 from any of the major cranial schools.