BioWavz of Central Indiana
We listen to the wisdom of your body.
*Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy*
BioWavz of Central Indiana
We listen to the wisdom of your body.
*Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy*
Our Services
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is a safe and gentle complementary modality which works directly with the nervous system to bring the body back to a healthy balance. This therapy creates a safe space for deep ease, increased energy, more resilience, and has profoundly therapeutic effects.
Somatic Movement Class
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy
Coming soon.
Waggle Wavz - for Dogs
Trager Approach Therapy
Trager Approach Therapy
Tenderly addresses whole body patterns of internal fascia restrictions in canines that will allow local restricted joints to free up as well as excessive tension in the back and neck, issues with the jaw and areas of past injuries that are stiffer than normal. All breeds can benefit from Waggle Wavz.
Trager Approach Therapy
Trager Approach Therapy
Trager Approach Therapy
Coming in December 2023
What is Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy?
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST)
- has its roots in osteopathy
- uses no manipulation
- uses advances in neuroscience
- is client led, pace is set by you and your body's needs
- is a safe and gentle restorative modality that helps to re-balance and restore healthy function
The subtle nature of this holistic approach makes it particularly suitable for people in fragile or vulnerable conditions as well as those in sound health. Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy works with the central nervous system to soothe over-stimulated nerves, release holding patterns and renegotiate physical and emotional trauma. The work is extremely gentle and profoundly effective. This modality can address physical aches and pains, birth trauma, accidents and injuries, acute and chronic disease, emotional or psychological disturbances, or simply help to develop well-being, health and vitality.
BCST is a soothing body/mind therapy that combines a Western scientific understanding of the body with mindfulness skills, a unique type of touch and an appreciation of the body's ability to heal itself.
The core principle of BCST is that health is always present in every body. Sometimes when the focus has been on illness, pain or pathology, it is possible to lose a connection with the underlying feelings of health, comfort and ease. BCST can help you reconnect to the health, ease and vitality inside you.
It is a quantum approach emphasizing our energy, physiology, structure and function in an integrated way.
Is it energy work?
People often ask me if I do energy work. This may seem like a simple question but, to me, the answer is complex and informative. First, I would say that all bodywork is energy work in that everything involves energy. We are made up of energy. Every tissue in our bodies emanates a bio-electric field. Gizmodo’s Maddie Stone has calculated the amount of energy it would need and discovered that, in theory, the power generated could charge an iPhone 5C in 70 hours. We respond to each other energetically, whether we are aware of it or not. I do not, however, consider Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy to be “energy work.”
What is it? How does it benefit me, the client?
BCST is a gentle touch therapy, practiced with awareness of anatomy and physiology, which guides my perception and enhances my ability to meet what you, as a client, present. An informed appreciation for the subtle expressions of anatomy and physiology allows me to perceive more subtle layers of what we call physical reality.
William Sutherland, the father of Cranial Osteopathy (also known as Osteopathy in the Cranial Field), perceived a process of transmutation, or stepping down, of what he termed The Breath of Life. He saw this Breath as a larger source beyond the physical body. He sensed through his “thinking-feeling-seeing-knowing fingers” the subtle rhythmical fluctuations of fluid within the body. He understood that the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain picked up the potency, or life energy, of the Breath of Life force that forms us. The CSF then carries this potency to every tissue, every cell in our bodies, bringing life and health.
A. T. Still, the father of Osteopathy, stated:
“A thought strikes him that the cerebro-spinal fluid is one of the highest known elements that are contained in the body, and unless the brain furnishes the fluid in abundance, a disabled condition of the body will remain. He who is able to reason will see that this great river of life must be tapped and the withering field irrigated at once, or the harvest of health be forever lost.”
This is the work of BCST. Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy in particular has grown from the later work of William Sutherland. Towards the end of his 40 years of studying and facilitating the subtle movements of the bones, tissues, and fluids of the body, Sutherland moved to California. Living near the ocean, he was influenced by its tides and recognized their similarity to what he was palpating in the body. He began to speak of “the Tide.” He advised his students to “Rely upon the Tide.” He wrote:
“Visualize a potency, an intelligent potency, that is more intelligent than your own human mentality. You will have observed its potency and also its Intelligence, spelled with a capital I. It is something you can depend upon to do the work for you. In other words, don’t try to drive the mechanism through any external force. Rely upon the Tide”.
Up until this point in his career, Sutherland had practiced various forms of subtle manipulation of the cranial bones, membranes, ligaments, and fluids. Most cranial practitioners today continue to practice such manipulations. These practices are considered to be “biomechanical.” They involve the common cultural perception of the body as a living machine. When something goes wrong with a machine, the mechanic evaluates what is wrong, which informs him as to how to fix it. If I break a bone, for example, it can be extremely helpful to have an X-ray taken so as to establish which bones are affected and if they are truly broken. Then a skilled practitioner can set the bone and immobilize it with a cast. This is a useful, biomechanical approach. It involves the external source, the X-ray technician, doctor, etc., evaluating the situation and applying an external force, X-rays and a cast, to fix the problem.
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is a different approach. It involves the appreciation and facilitation of internal forces. These resemble, and perhaps are, the embryological forces that form us in the womb. Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy involves attention to the dynamic and physical midlines of the body, which rhythmically re-enact the miraculous expression of the life force through embryological development.
The potency driving this expression is essential to health. Potency is always present in the system, although it may be tied up in areas of holding or compression in the body or its biosphere. These areas of holding are actually expressions of the ever-present Health. The system has done its best to manage unresolved traumatic forces by containing them in various patterns in the body or its biosphere. My job is to perceive and resonate with the Potency and Health in the client, which supports full expression and resolution of the issue. The client’s Intelligence knows what it needs to do. It has its own “Inherent Treatment Plan.” As a BCST practitioner, I have profound respect for this expression of Intelligence and patiently wait for it to unfold, rather than imposing my own ideas of what should or shouldn’t happen or be treated next.
In order for the Inherent Treatment Plan to present, there is usually a need for the client’s system to slow down. Rather than focusing in on the trauma or holding in the system, limiting access to the resources of the entire system, I settle myself as a neutral mirror for the client’s system. The purpose is to reflect back to the client the whole, including the issues and the forces available to resolve them. A gentle relationship and physical contact is developed enhancing the client's sense of safety and trust. The client is supported in being present with their breath and bodily sensations, to balance the tendency to slip into old trauma-related patterns of dissociation or acceleration. The client is helped to orient to the resources available to them, such as things that are working well in their lives, people or pets they love, activities they enjoy, etc. We notice as their nervous system settles and balances.
At some point, a “Holistic Shift” or “Neutral” state known as Stillpoint is experienced. The system has shifted from an accelerated, often chaotic state to a more settled coherence. This is much like how seltzer water in a bottle settles after it has been shaken. Consider that our bodies are made up of about 70-90% fluid. At our rapid speed of modern, western life, these fluids can be in a state of perpetual shaking. Our nervous systems are constantly in fight-flight, which interferes with our innate ability to rest and rejuvenate. In BCST, we wait for the system to settle before bringing attention to specific issues in the body. Once this settling has occurred, the Potency naturally begins to orient itself to where it is needed. The Inherent Treatment Plan can emerge when the system no longer needs to constantly respond to external input. As a practitioner, I listen for what your system chooses to express and support its lead in a non-judgmental and non-invasive way.
A BCST practitioner doesn’t need to strive, claim, or pretend to know what is needed. We also don’t get to claim responsibility. The work is done by the Breath of Life as it operates through both client and practitioner. There is a resonance between us, which is a key to how BCST works.
Over time, this settling becomes deeper into the rhythms of the Breath. There is a slowing down as the client returns to the beginning, prior to the hurts and traumas of their personal histories. Like the early embryo, the client floats within the full potential of what life has to offer. This is the heart of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy.
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What can Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy support?
A gentle and safe complementary modality, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is suitable for people of all ages and physical conditions. Treatment can aid almost any condition, raise vitality and improve the body’s capacity for self-repair. Some of the conditions successfully worked with are:
Acute/Chronic Pain
- injuries
- surgeries
- chronic inflammation
- headaches
- backaches
- sciatica
A properly functioning nervous system plays an important role in how we improve from injury and how we perceive and experience pain over time. An activated nervous system creates a state that slows the healing of tissues, contributes to inflammation, and sometimes generates a despairing mental orientation to pain. BCST can support the nervous system to return to a less activated state. Clients frequently experience pain relief from the softening and realigning of tissues and fluids.
Anxiety, pain, restlessness...
- rheumatoid arthritis
- diabetes
- allergies
- multiple sclerosis (MS)
- inflammatory skin disorders
- effects of social isolation
The effects of an overactive nervous system can challenge the immune system, compromising its ability to recognize real threats to the body's health while mistaking the body's own tissue as an invader. BCST supports the immune system to function more efficiently and effectively by supporting the restoration of healthy nervous system balance.
Trauma/Nervous System Dysregulation
- concussions
- Trauma / PTSD
- depression
- anxiety
- stress
- difficulties sleeping
BCST is particularly effective in working with the effects of shock and trauma. There are 5 recognized types of trauma: physical, emotional, psychological, economical, and social/relational. Nervous system overwhelm, known as the 'freeze response', can result in prolonged feelings of helplessness, patterns of behavior that recount the trauma, or the inability to move forward in a creative empowered way with one's life. When the nervous system can be supported with BCST, shock and trauma can be discharged, while at the same time experiencing inner resource and the capacity to access one's Inherent Health and enhance one's personal strength and resiliency.
Pregnancy and birth related issues
- Colic
- Excessive crying and/or irritability
- Sleeping difficulties
- Nursing/Latching
- Attachment and bonding challenges
BCST can help parent(s) and baby build resources during and following pregnancy. Reducing prenatal stress has been proven to improve baby's brain development and other gestational developmental outcomes. Following birth, BCST can help resolve the effects of a challenging delivery on both mom and baby, including those related to nursing, bonding and attachment.
Effects of other disorders and condtions
- Alzheimer's
- arthritis
- birth trauma
- central nervous system disorders
- headaches
- hyperactivity
- long COVID
- TBI
- TMJ (jaw) disorders
This list is by no means exhaustive. The work can involve resolution of past events and is often profoundly relaxing, deeply moving and exhilarating.
Trauma
Trauma is an injury - not a disorder. Trauma can heal.
Kinds of Trauma include: Physical, Emotional, Social, Relational, Generational, Psychological, Vicarious
Trauma results from any event that overwhelms a person’s capacity to cope. This is true whether the trauma is quick -- as in a car accident, or slowly accumulated over time -- including prolonged social isolation.
Response to a traumatic event varies significantly among individuals, but there are some basic, common symptoms.
Emotional signs can include:
- sadness
- anger
- denial
- fear
- shame
These may lead to:
- nightmares
- insomnia
- difficulty with relationships
- emotional outbursts
Common physical symptoms:
- nausea
- dizziness
- altered sleep patterns
- changes in appetite
- headaches
- gastrointestinal problems
Psychological disorders may include:
- PTSD
- depression
- anxiety
- dissociative disorders
- substance abuse
BCST is a trauma-informed, somatic approach
“Traumatic symptoms are not caused by the triggering event itself. They stem from the frozen residue of energy that has not been resolved and discharged in the nervous system” ~ Peter Levine
When our capacity to defend ourselves by flight, fight, or freeze is not successful, we stay stuck in survival mode and we develop symptoms of trauma. The light and joy seems to go out of our life. By releasing the held impacts of trauma with BCST, we invite light and joy back in and open the door to our body's ability to heal. A natural state of calm, balance and harmony returns.
Dissociation and acceleration creates suffering
Unprocessed pain keeps our system of self-preservation on permanent alert. Whether or not there is any actual danger present, a wide range of situations, many non-threatening, may activate the alarmingly high levels of pain and fear stored in our body. We feel absolutely at risk and compelled to find a way to get away from the pain.
In order to make it through such sudden and severe pain, victims of trauma typically dissociate from their bodies, numbing their sensitivity to physical sensations. Some people feel “unreal,” as if they have left their body and are experiencing life from a great distance. They do whatever they can to keep from feeling the raw sensations of fear and pain in their body. They might lash out in aggression or freeze in depression or confusion. They might have suicidal thoughts or drink themselves senseless. They may accelerate by keeping busy, overeat or starve themselves, use drugs, obsess, or in other ways try to numb or control their experience. Yet the pain and fear don’t go away.
Resolution with BCST
BCST is a process individualized to each person and their uniqueness. This process involves:
*Resources - Developing resources to access a sense of safety and support. This helps neutralize over-arousal in the nervous system.
*Felt sense – Helps you to develop a relationship with your body and track your experience in your body. This counters both dissociation and hyper-vigilance.
*Release – Releasing the trauma that is stuck in the body. This leads to re-connection of mind and body. This re-connection can alleviate other symptoms which have crept up due to being out of balance from the trauma in the first place. More importantly, balance can be restored without re-traumatizing. Healing can occur.
What happens during a BCST session?
During a typical Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy session, you lie comfortably and fully clothed on a treatment table or in a chair. Your practitioner makes contact with her hands, gently and with negotiation so that you feel at ease with what is happening. BCST offers a way of being held that encourages feelings of safety and comfort so that physical tension, emotions and psychological states can be clarified and processed.
Common places of contact include the feet, shoulders, head, or under the spine and pelvis. This is always at your discretion and your pratitioner will check with you before making contact. Using her hands helps her to feel or ‘listen’ to how you are holding yourself together and to notice the changes in tension as your body responds. The first thing you will probably notice is a sense of deep relaxation which will generally last throughout the session. With subsequent sessions this release of tension often extends into everyday life.
Biodynamic touch is a particular type of touch. It is light and gracious. There is never any pressure, manipulation or force. Your trained practitioner creates a calm, still and embodied presence. This type of touch and presence enables you to feel safe, supported and held. This sense of safety allows your brain to switch from flight, flight or freeze to rest and repair. It is in this state that healing and change can begin to take place at the cellular level. As well as using touch, there may be some verbal interaction during our work together. While this doesn’t necessarily mean talking about your experiences, sometimes talking about sensations, thoughts or feelings that come into awareness helps to deepen the healing process. This can be a valuable way to help integrate the body and mind, embedding the physical experience with insights that become conscious.
When you arrive...
At your first appointment there will be plenty of time to fill out a little paperwork if not already submitted.
You remain fully clothed. Only shoes, bulky items--like thick belts or large earrings--and glasses need be removed.
We will have an optional personal eye mask for your use during your session. The brain can relax in total darkness.
Lay face up on the table. Blankets, pillows and bolsters are available for your comfort.
Put on your eye mask or close eyes.
Dismiss the thoughts of the day. Relax. It's very hard for many to relax - especially nowadays with so many pressures we experience. Don’t worry if success comes later than sooner. Just take your time and do your best.
You will be directed to take some settling breaths. Your therapist will negotiate a gentle, safe touch. Sessions are most often quiet. Be silent or express. There is no wrong.
She will let you know when your session is ending. Understand that this process can continue through your next sleep cycle and even up to three days.
How many sessions will I need?
When you want to make real changes in a problem that’s bothering you, the best way to start is to do a few sessions, maybe five to six, in a relatively short time frame. After that, we can re-evaluate together and sessions can usually be further apart.
Typically, after 10-12 sessions, clients experience how deeply and profoundly Biodynamic Craniosacral has helped or is helping. After that.....
You might never need to come back again to address the condition that brought you to seek treatment in the first place. Or you might find that you need sessions once or twice a year if you feel your condition hinting that it might start up again. Many people find this approach preferable to taking medication that doesn’t do the job very well and/or creates distressing side effects. Remember to maintain your regular medical checkups.
Some people live in high-pressure situations and make Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy a regular part of their self-care. And still others choose to periodically continue Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy sessions because they find it an important support to their personal development.
Sharon Schweizer, RCST®, BCST
Sharon Schweizer, RCST®, BCST
Sharon Schweizer, RCST®, BCST
Sharon Schweizer, RCST®, BCST
Sharon Schweizer, RCST®, BCST
Helping others is Sharon's passion. After several accidents that left her in serious pain, she found results with Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. Now she shares this remarkable, gentle touch modality so that others can benefit and feel resolution of conditions resulting from stress, injury, dis-ease, and trauma.
Sharon is a Registered Cra
Helping others is Sharon's passion. After several accidents that left her in serious pain, she found results with Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. Now she shares this remarkable, gentle touch modality so that others can benefit and feel resolution of conditions resulting from stress, injury, dis-ease, and trauma.
Sharon is a Registered Craniosacral Therapist and Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist. She graduated from Body Intelligence, an accredited and world-wide recognized body that trains competent practitioners in BCST. She works with adults, teens, and babies in the greater Indianapolis, Indiana, area.
In addition, Sharon has always been interested in the nervous system, brain, and how the body works. She has studied with the intention of becoming a neurosurgeon, but gave that up to pursue music, Tai Chi, as well as Qi Gong and Trager Approach Therapy. "The alternative, or complementary, modalities resonate at a deeper level for me and my clients. I can be of service and profoundly affect many more people this way", she says.
In her spare time, she enjoys music, painting and restoring her historic house. Fluent in American Sign Language, she welcomes those in the Deaf community.
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