The Discovery and Practice of Craniosacral Therapy

"As a craniosacral therapist, I have been looking for a book that I could recommend to clients who want an overview of craniosacral therapy. I still haven’t found the ideal book, but this comes closest. It succinctly covers the concept of the craniosacral system, the principles of treatment, and the conditions for which this therapy can be helpful. All this is sprinkled with inspirational stories from the author’s own practice, covering conditions as diverse as dyslexia, temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) problems, and vertigo.

Readers of Upledger's earlier book "Your Inner Physician and You" will recognize many of the anecdotes in this book as mercifully cut-down versions of anecdotes in the previous book. This book is an easier read than the previous one and more up-to-date.

I have two reservations about this book. First, the final chapter describes techniques that can supposedly be used by anyone at home. Craniosacral therapy is a very practical skill and I doubt that any of the techniques can be learned from a book. However, you might find it interesting to have some idea of what the techniques are like. My other reservation is that only Upledger's own style of craniosacral therapy is described, and other styles aren’t acknowledged. Similarly, only Upledger's own institutes are listed in the “resources” section.

If this book whets your appetite, Michael Kern's "Wisdom in the Body" would be a good follow-up because it goes into more detail and covers aspects of the therapy not included in Upledger's approach. Upledger's book is probably a good place to start because it’s so succinct, but you need both books for a well-balanced overview."
~ Written on 2003-01-14