Craniosacral Bodywork

Nervous System Restoration and Trauma Healing

 

Leave stress behind.

Let the nervous system unwind and repair for a calmer way of life.

Through Craniosacral Therapy, I offer a pathway towards nervous system repair from the impacts of trauma and/or chronic stress.  I support your nervous system to come out of patterns of fight/flight/freeze through our work together over time.

I have extensive education and training in the autonomic nervous system and somatic trauma therapy, as well as pre-perinatal trauma healing, which gives me a unique understanding of how to support physiological shifts through Craniosacral Bodywork, and how to facilitate you through any trauma integration that may come up as you shift out of long-held stress patterns.

 
 

Let’s Enter the Stillness Together

Perhaps you can feel the impact of chronic stress or trauma on your body.  You want to experience greater nervous system regulation. Maybe you have heard of or experienced the depth and magic of Craniosacral Therapy for emotional and nervous system healing.  It is my passion to be a carrier of this modality and to facilitate the transformation made possible through it. 

My extensive education in relational somatic trauma therapy allows me to create the optimal conditions for safety, so that your nervous system feels safe to unwind.  I hold all bodywork sessions with the capacity to support trauma and attachment imprints to heal and integrate through this work.

When held with appropriate skill and trauma therapy tools, I know of no other form of bodywork that can support the nervous system to tap into safety and heal trauma that has been held in the body, like Craniosacral Therapy can.  There is a potency, power and even mysticism to this modality, and it can support your healing in a way that top-down approaches often cannot.

 
 

My journey with Craniosacral

After living with debilitating chronic illness for several years, I found my way to Cranioscaral Therapy, which was the catalyst that finally initiated restoration and healing for me and ultimately supported my recovery over time.  It is my joy and passion to now share this beautiful and unique bodywork modality with others.  

In my Craniosacral practice, I specialize in working with clients living with / healing from chronic illness, as well as those who are seeking relief from other symptoms of nervous system dysregulation such as chronic anxiety or insomnia.  Through retraining my own nervous system, I have gained a unique capacity to feel into the nervous system of my clients and help facilitate new patterns of regulation.  Through the hundreds of sessions that I have given, I am continually amazed by the beauty of this work, and the places of tender contact with Self that it can allow greater access to, in addition to it’s ability to integrate somatic trauma in a supported and safe way.  

Thank you for being here, and I look forward to meeting you!

What’s the Transformation?

  • You have a daily “felt sense” of calm and safety in your body

  • You have more resilience to stress and are less reactive than you used to be

  • Your physical symptoms and quality of sleep improve

  • Managing the everyday ups and downs of life feels easier

  • You feel more present and trusting

  • There’s a sense of ground beneath you as you navigate big emotional terrain

 

 Frequently Asked Questions

 

  • Craniosacral Therapy is a form of subtle energy work that supports the healthy flow of cerebrospinal fluid, which bathes the nervous system. It supports nervous system regulation, which can resolve a variety of emotional and physical symptoms, release stored somatic trauma, as well as allow for greater mental clarity and overall vitality. Craniosacral Therapy is a deeply regulating modality because it stimulates the ventral vegas branch of the nervous system, which calms sympathetic and parasympathetic activation, both in the moment, as well as through creating more regulating patterns over time.

    Check out my YouTube video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGKoBI9I4fU

  • Many chronic symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, inflammation, low immunity, adrenal/chronic fatigue, gut dysbiosis, chronic digestive issues, and autoimmune conditions often have their roots in a pattern of nervous system dysregulation. When we have experienced overwhelming events that we were not able to integrate at the time, these experiences throw our nervous system out of equilibrium and we can get stuck in a pattern of fight/flight/freeze, which impairs normal physiological functioning in every body system. Here, our resilience lowers and we can become stuck in chronic illness patterns. Craniosacral Therapy supports the healing of the nervous system, and therefore can aid in the healing of a variety of chronic conditions. It also can be helpful for overall stress reduction, as well as holding us through a time of grief, crisis, or personal transformation.

  • We will begin each session with a check-in, where you can share with me what’s alive for you, and your intentions for the session. Clients typically spend 10-30 minutes in the phase of the session.

    For the bodywork portion of the session, you will be laying face-up, fully clothed on a massage table. Once on the table, you may feel yourself relax and melt layers of tension, moving into a somewhat altered state of consciousness, and you may become so relaxed that you fall asleep. I will energetically encourage and support this process, knowing the nourishment that your nervous system will receive here. It is also possible that you will have memories or emotions come up for integration during the bodywork. When I am not feeling us drop into a quieter consciousness, I will be checking in to ask what’s happening for you, and we will work together so that I can offer the right amount of space or support if emotions, images or memories do arise. I can offer somatic trauma therapy skills should this be needed, allowing you to deeply integrate this.

    Check out my YouTube video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGKoBI9I4fU

  • My approach to Craniosacral Therapy is intended as a medium-term therapy for nervous system restoration and trauma healing. Making a weekly or bi-weekly commitment for a period of 3-6 months will get you the best results, allowing for the time needed for your nervous system to come out of stress patterns and learn new pathways. Some clients choose to incorporate regular sessions into their long-term self-care plan, but if used as a specific treatment protocol for nervous system regeneration, you should expect a minimum of 6 sessions to start to see lasting results.

  • Yes, there are different types of Craniosacral Therapy, and though many aspects of the general technique are the same, they can actually be quite different. While some Craniosacral Therapists may do subtle “adjustments” to the bones like a chiropractor or osteopath might, I do not practice that way. My approach is what is called “Biodynamic”, and I practice more in stillness and on an energetic level. My sessions focus on nervous system regulation and helping your body come out of patterns of fight/flight/freeze. Working with the nervous system can address both mental health as well as chronic illness patterns, and can calm stress-related symptoms. However, my approach does not specifically address structural issues such as back pain or healing from a physical injury. If you are seeking Craniosacral Therapy for a structural issue, I recommend that you work with a different practitioner, and I’m happy to offer referrals - feel free to reach out.

  • My main training was at the Peirsman Craniosacral Academy in New Mexico, where I completed a certification program as a Full-Spectrum Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist. I have also taken additional courses in traditional Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy with Margaret Rosenau at the School of Inner Health, and Robyn Michelle Jones of the Intrinsic Touch Institute. My training in Craniosacral Therapy totals hundreds of classroom hours.

    Prior to becoming a Craniosacral Therapist, I completed a certification in massage therapy in 2007 at the Sebastopol Massage Center, and took continuing bodywork classes through Alive & Well Institute of Conscious Bodywork and Kalani Massage School, but I no longer offer massage therapy. Additionally, my training in somatic trauma therapy, which I bring to my work as a Craniosacral Therapist, has been through Somatic Experiencing International, Trauma Solutions, Castellino Training, the Center for Pre-Perinatal Studies, and the Colorado School of Energy Studies.

  • “I am forever grateful to this woman.”

    “I was in stage 3 adrenal fatigue when I finally met Nisa. I could barely work, and I was desperate and in despair. I had seen a couple of Craniosacral practitioners previously, but they didn't seem to "get" what I was going through. Once I met Nisa and told her my story she was able to meet me in a way that showed she understood. She *got* it. As soon as she put her hands on me and reflected back her experience of my body, I knew I had found my healer. It was then that I trusted her ability to unfreeze and shift the trauma stored in my body. Nisa is the reason that I am almost fully healed from my health crisis. Everything else was just an added support. I rarely go into a somatic trauma response anymore and my energy reserves are almost fully replenished. Nisa is warm. compassionate and deeply practiced in her craft. Her own inner work is reflected in her ability to go deep and she embodies the healing she offers. She has coached me and calmed my anxiety during the long spiral journey of healing. She speaks from experience which built a strong foundation of trust for me. She feels like a friend and can simultaneously hold me with her professional wisdom. She authentically cares about me and has been a bright light during a very dark time.”

    ~ Jaclyn H.

  • “I feel completely safe.”

    “As soon as I enter Nisa’s space, I feel like the treatment has already begun. It’s evident that she doesn’t merely practice a technique, but she embodies the work herself. Her warm, compassionate presence gives me the feeling of ease and safety conducive to deep healing. As someone who has undergone prolonged chronic stress and illness, I’ve often felt that in order for a practitioner to grasp the true effects of that, I’ve needed to expend extra energy in explanation, and even then, I’ve sometimes still felt on guard against possible judgment or misunderstanding. This is not at all the case with Nisa. Her understanding of the effects of trauma and stress on the nervous system and overall health is so nuanced and complete, that not only am I spared the expenditure of my own energy when I work with her, but I feel completely safe to open in full vulnerability, allowing my nervous system to effectively receive the treatment.”

    ~ Rachel D.

  • “I've had profound cathartic healing experiences through her care.”

    “Through my sessions with Nisa, I've been able to access deeper, untapped parts of my nervous system. She holds a sacred and safe container to unfold oneself into the mystery and medicine of craniosacral therapy. I've had profound cathartic healing experiences through her care. Nisa is incredibly skilled, intuitive and a wonderful listener. Her approach has helped recalibrate my nervous system and I especially cherish our conversations post-session where we both share reflections on what we experienced. I always walk away with a greater sense of understanding about myself and my body!”

    ~ Hilary G.

  • “These sessions have been an essential part of my healing journey.”

    “Sessions with Nisa bring my mind and body to a settled place of peace and stillness. The stresses that have compounded over days and weeks steadily dissipate, leaving space for easeful breath and a freedom of mind. From the moment I arrive I feel held in a healing container, balanced by her keen sensitivity and grounded awareness.”

    ~ Gabriel K.

Book a Session

Through working together over time, your nervous system will start to heal and you will notice having more resilience to stress.  You will not react the way that you used to.  Your sleep will improve, as well as the quality of your energy.  The way that you think about and see the world will even start to shift, as your nervous system comes out of fight/flight/freeze and remembers what safety feels like, possibly for the first time. 

Bodywork sessions are usually combined with Somatic Counseling, but Craniosacral Therapy sessions are also available as a stand-alone offering.

 

FOR SESSIONS IN MARIN COUNTY:

6 Bridge st 
San Anselmo CA 94960

FOR SESSIONS IN SONOMA COUNTY:

Sophia’s Garden and Healing Center
4038 Green Valley School rd
Sebastopol CA 95472