CranioSacral Therapy and Listening to the Second Brain: Upledger International

The following blog post is sponsored by Upledger Institute International.

Why is understanding the “second brain” (the gut) so important when achieving optimal health?

In the past, there was not much attention paid to the connection between gut health and emotional health. Current research is showing an ever closer and more intimate relationship between the two. It’s important to learn about the structure and function of the second brain (the enteric nervous system) by looking at recent research in the new field of neurogastroenterology and combining it with new understandings of tissue/cellular memory.

How can CranioSacral Therapy assist in listening to the gut?

Upledger’s CranioSacral training teaches you how to listen more sensitively to the stories our gut/second brain is waiting for us to hear. You can learn how to palpate the different parts of the enteric nervous system and explore the connection between the enteric nervous system and the central nervous system.

What is most helpful in listening to our second brain is to further develop the use of the craniosacral rhythm, the Significance Detector (SD), and the concept of tissue memory.

How can I learn to listen to my client’s second brain?

Upledger Institute International offers a multiday workshop entitled CST: Listening to the Second Brain - The Enteric Nervous System (CLSB). In this upper-level class, offered both virtually and in person, you will be offered a thorough foundation of both academic and experiential knowledge of all parts of our neurology. Prerequisites apply.

Feedback about this course from therapists all over the world has been extremely positive:

• “The information is presented in a way that prepares us for this new anatomical focus in clear stages.”
• “We are introduced to structures and the layers within them right down to a cellular level.”
• “All the material can be taken into our practice immediately, and I have found it to be of benefit to those with digestive issues and especially those whose chronic problems were shown to relate to issues within the layers in the gut.”

Where can I find more information on upcoming classes?

Go to Upledger.com to register for a CLSB class coming in May 2022. The class is virtual, so it’s convenient for you to learn from the comfort of your own space. Workshops that are required prerequisites for the CLSB class can also be found at Upledger.com.

Nikki Kenwood, CST-D, MCSS
Upledger CranioSacral Therapist