This approach applies osteopathic principles to the treatment of the whole body, including the skull and its contents.

In 1899 William Garner Sutherland, a student of Andrew Taylor Still, observed that the 26 bones of the skull were connected by modified joints which permitted a tiny degree of physiological motion expressed through the skull and its membranes, fluids and brain within. This motion can also be felt throughout the body, similar to a very refined form of breathing. This minute rhythmical shape change has come to be seen as the body’s (and cranium’s) response to the "breath of life" or "primary respiratory mechanism", and an expression of the individual’s state of health and wellbeing. Unlike flexing an arm or taking a deep breath, this motion is beyond our voluntary control, and so is called "involuntary motion".

One of the fundamental principles of osteopathy is that "the living body is a self-correcting, self-regulating, self-healing mechanism", constantly working to establish its optimum level of health. This principle is particularly emphasised in cranial osteopathy, wherein the practitioner seeks to be as receptive as possible to the intelligence of the "inner physician", in order to sense how the body is seeking to rebalance itself. This informs the practitioner’s mind and hands as to the body's state of health, and what support or intervention the system requires to re-establish balance and harmony, restoring the freedom it needs to get on with its job of self-healing.

The primary concern of the cranial osteopath is therefore to learn to listen. The treatment process arises out of this attitude of quiet respect and receptive attention.

“I spent a large amount of my life in the consulting rooms of perhaps 20 or 30 different osteopaths. All of them were good but in my first consultation with Bevis, I realised the difference between competent and inspired. Bevis simply has the depth of knowledge and an ability to heal, that can only be described as a gift. He is right at the top of his profession, and if you are one of those people who like the best, this is the man to see.”

Andrew Barrs, Limpley Stoke, Bath

Mr Bevis Nathan on Cranial Osteopathy

Essentially, this is a particular approach to osteopathy that makes use of extremely light manual treatment applied to involuntary bodily movement. To put it another way, it addresses the subtle rhythmic movements brought about by the inherent physiological activity of living tissue. (See my book Touch and Emotion in Manual Therapy for an in-depth explanation of how osteopathy works).

Dr William Sutherland, an American osteopath working at the beginning of the last century, discovered that there are rhythmic movements that are expressed by different kinds of body tissue. These produce detectable patterns throughout the body. The movements are fundamental to living tissue, and become altered during mental and physical trauma and illness.

Appropriately trained osteopaths can detect these abnormal movement patterns and help the body resolve them. It's called 'cranial' osteopathy because the movement patterns are most clearly felt in the head. As in the more ordinary kinds of osteopathy, the effect is that the body's inherent capacity to get well is promoted.

The overall effect of any osteopathic treatment is to release areas of restriction, improve mobility and blood-flow, that is - energy flow - and to correct imbalances in the body as a whole, leaving you more comfortable and feeling better in your self.

I use cranial osteopathy when treating babies and children, for a wide variety of different problems, ranging from infantile colic and unexplained crying, childhood asthma, through glue-ear, to so-called ?growing pains? (growing shouldn?t hurt!). I also use cranial osteopathy with adults, and it?s particularly useful where there has been trauma, shock, anxiety or depression, and when problems that ought to right themselves just don?t seem to want to! I find that the cranial approach reflects back to the body what is necessary for healing to take place. When brought to a state of stillness, body systems often find a new state of health ? they seem to ?remember? how to engage the normal healing responses. I also sometimes use cranial osteopathy in conjunction with Somatic Experiencing (SE), where there has been trauma that might still not be fully resolved.