She sits across from me. Already I noticed things about how she stands, moves, tilts her head. I file away the subtleties of how she turns to get something from her bag and pivots from her hips, avoiding turning her neck. I see the slight wince when she forgets and turns it anyways. Her shoulders are tense and one is slightly higher than the other.
I ask her what brings her in, asking questions to get to the source of the issue. When did it start? How does it feel? What makes it feel better? How is it today? I don’t spend too much time here, I am eager to get them on the table so my hands can get to work.
Next to my name it says Craniosacral therapist and Acupuncturist. As with most practitioners, that is the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface lies life experience, mentorships, other trainings not typed up next to my name.
My own life experiences led me to the degrees I hold. I went from Massage therapist and Reiki practitioner to Holistic Health Coach. From there I got my Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and Masters in Acupuncture. Due to the holistic focus of these degrees, I got to be trained in physical medicine, Tui Na and Qi Gong. While in med school I got trained in Craniosacral therapy. I took all that knowledge with me to my residency when I graduated.
That life experiences I eluded to involved health challenges. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis when I was 25. This is what started my journey toward holistic work. That path deviated when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 33. That was 6 years ago and is still ongoing. I was diagnosed the second time a week into my residency. I stepped away from the role of primary care and instead worked on my supervising doctor’s patients with Craniosacral therapy and Acupuncure. Although my path shifted, I found that I loved this work. It was and is incredibly gratifying.
So when she lies on my table, I am eager to see what I can find. I place one hand under her shoulders, the other on her collarbones. I gently pull and suddenly I can see so much more. I notice the restrictions, the joints that aren’t moving as they should, the twist of her spine.
I compare the feel to undoing a knot in a fine necklace. You have to gently rub the knot for it to unwind enough to loosen. I place my hands around her shoulder and gently pull one way, then the other. I follow the path of least resistance and feel that tissue unwind. I often ask the body to tell me what I need to see. I let my minds eye move out from where my hand rests, letting it show me where that restriction extends to. The body is a magnificent thing. We are wrapped like a gift in tissues, all connected, all supporting. A restriction in one area manifesting in discomfort in another.
This is the puzzle I love to piece together when someone comes to see me. I use all the knowledge I’ve accrued over the years and combine it with their story. And this is where the magic happens.
Claire Millet ~ Acupuncturist and Specialist in CranioSacral Therapy.
