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Craniosacral Therapy Training and Careers
Get a Craniosacral Therapy Career and Education Overview
Craniosacral Therapy Schools | Natural Healers Career Resource Center
| | Craniosacral therapy originated with osteopathic physician Dr. William Sutherland in the 1900s. It is generally used to improve the movement of cerebrospinal fluid and reduce tension through gentle manipulation of the head and spine—"cranio" refers to the bony part of the head known as the cranium, and "sacral" refers to the sacrum, or the bottom of the spine. Bodywork and medical professionals alike can benefit from the techniques taught in craniosacral therapy school. |
Craniosacral Therapy Career Overview
Craniosacral therapy is used to treat a range of ailments, from the physical to the neurological to the psychological. It has proven particularly effective in treating headaches, jaw problems such as TMJ, eye and ear ailments, and neck and back pain.
During a session, the practitioner will delicately manipulate the bones of the head and the base of the spine in order to restore an optimal, balanced flow of cerebrospinal fluid and other subtle energies within the body. Graduates of craniosacral therapy school often incorporate these techniques into their practices as massage therapists, chiropractors or doctors of osteopathy (DO).
Craniosacral Therapy Training and Education
What You'll Study in Craniosacral Therapy School
Craniosacral therapy school focuses on the study of the skeletal system, fluid movement, and the neuro-endocrine system, and how the body's physical and energetic systems are interrelated. You'll also study theoretical concepts of craniosacral therapy, and practice highly specialized observational skills that help attune you to the client's physical state and any underlying symptoms or issues.
Average Length of Study
Full craniosacral therapy training at the foundation level requires 700 hours of study, if you pursue a program recommended by the Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Association of North America. If you are already in practice as a massage therapist, you may be able to obtain a certificate in craniosacral therapy in as few as 150 hours.
Average Tuition
Depending on the length of the program and whether you're attending a craniosacral therapy school or a massage therapy school, tuition varies between about $5,500 and $12,000 for a full craniosacral therapy training program.
Craniosacral Therapy Certification
Currently, craniosacral therapy school is not specifically regulated at the state or federal level. However, many states do regulate the practice of massage therapy and bodywork professionals, so be sure to check on the licensing guidelines of the state where you live. Craniosacral therapy practitioners can obtain voluntary Registered Craniosacral Therapist (RCST®) certification from the Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Association of North America. Certification for bodywork and massage therapists is available from the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.
Craniosacral Therapy Career Outlook
With increasing numbers of Americans seeking out preventive care and non-drug treatment for a variety of ailments, the career outlook is good for graduates of craniosacral therapy school. The 2007 National Health Interview Survey reported that about 18 million adults received massage therapy over the preceding year, and more than 18 million had received chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation.
Craniosacral Therapy Salary
Salaries for practitioners with craniosacral therapy training can vary quite a bit depending on whether you're working in private practice, as a massage therapist, as a chiropractor or as a doctor of osteopathic medicine. The average annual wage for massage therapists in 2009 was $39,780. Chiropractors earned an average salary of $80,390, and the average salary for an osteopathic physician was $185,000.
Learn more about alternative medicine career salaries.
Is a Craniosacral Therapy Career Right for You?
A career in craniosacral therapy demands excellent perceptual skills, sensitivity and communication abilities, in addition to solid knowledge of human anatomy and the nervous system. However, bodywork, massage therapy and medical professionals may find the training provided at craniosacral therapy school indispensable in treating a variety of physical and emotional problems in their patients.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011
NCCAM, 2011
Craniosacral Therapy Association of North America, 2006
International Professional School of Bodywork, 2009
National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage, 2007
ExploreHealthCareers.org, 2011
Where can I get training?
- Alabama
Cortiva Institute - Florida - Training in Pinellas Park, FL
- Alaska
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Nevada School of Massage Therapy - Las Vegas - Training in Las Vegas
- Utah College of Massage Therapy - Salt Lake City - Training in Salt Lake City
- Arizona
- Arizona School of Massage Therapy - Phoenix - Phoenix
- Cortiva Institute - Scottsdale - Scottsdale
- Arizona School of Massage Therapy - Tempe - Tempe
- Southwest Institute of Healing Arts - Tempe, Online & On-Campus
- Cortiva Institute - Tucson - Tucson
- California
- Mueller College - San Diego - A Campus in San Diego
- Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, San Diego - A Campus in San Diego
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- South Bay Massage College - Manhattan Beach
- World School of Massage & Holistic Healing Arts - Pleasanton
- International Professional School of Bodywork - San Diego
- World School of Massage & Holistic Healing Arts - San Francisco
- Nevada School of Massage Therapy - Las Vegas - Training in Las Vegas
- Arizona School of Massage Therapy - Phoenix - Training in Phoenix
- Utah College of Massage Therapy - Salt Lake City - Training in Salt Lake City
- Colorado
- Denver School of Massage Therapy - Aurora - Aurora
- IntelliTec Medical Institute - Colorado Springs
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Berkana Institute of Massage Therapy - Denver
- Denver School of Massage Therapy - Westminster - Westminster
- Connecticut
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Groton - Groton
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Newington - Newington
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Westport - Westport
- Cortiva Institute - Boston - Training in Boston, MA
- Delaware
- Cortiva Institute - Pennsylvania - Training in King of Prussia, PA
- Cortiva Institute - Somerset School of Massage Therapy - Training in Wall Township, NJ
- Florida
- Boca Beauty Academy - Boca Raton
- Florida College of Natural Health - Sarasota/Bradenton - Bradenton
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Florida School of Massage - Gainesville
- Florida College of Natural Health - Miami - Miami
- Florida College of Natural Health - Orlando - Orlando/Maitland
- Cortiva Institute - Florida - Pinellas Park
- Florida College of Natural Health - Fort Lauderdale - Pompano Beach
- Georgia
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Cortiva Institute - Florida - Training in Pinellas Park, FL
- Idaho
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Cortiva Institute - Federal Way - Training in Federal Way, WA
- Nevada School of Massage Therapy - Las Vegas - Training in Las Vegas
- Utah College of Massage Therapy - Salt Lake City - Training in Salt Lake City
- Cortiva Institute - Seattle - Training in Seattle, WA
- Illinois
- Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, Chicago - A location in Chicago
- Cortiva Institute - Chicago - Chicago
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Cortiva Institute - Crystal Lake/Chicago - Crystal Lake
- Cortiva Institute - Woodridge/Chicago - Woodridge
- Indiana
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Cortiva Institute - Chicago - Training in Chicago, IL
- Iowa
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Cortiva Institute - Chicago - Training in Chicago, IL
- Kansas
- Denver School of Massage Therapy - Aurora - Training in Aurora
- Maine
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Cortiva Institute - Boston - Training in Boston, MA
- Maryland
- Baltimore School of Massage - Baltimore - Linthicum
- Cortiva Institute - Pennsylvania - Training in King of Prussia, PA
- Massachusetts
- Cortiva Institute - Boston - Watertown
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Newington - Training in Newington, CT
- Michigan
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Irene's Myomassology Institute - Detroit area - Southfield
- Minnesota
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Missouri
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Montana
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Cortiva Institute - Federal Way - Training in Federal Way, WA
- Denver School of Massage Therapy - Aurora - Training in Aurora
- Utah College of Massage Therapy - Salt Lake City - Training in Salt Lake City
- Cortiva Institute - Seattle - Training in Seattle, WA
- Nebraska
- Denver School of Massage Therapy - Aurora - Training in Aurora
- Nevada
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Nevada School of Massage Therapy - Las Vegas - Las Vegas
- Cortiva Institute - Scottsdale - Training in Scottsdale, AZ
- New Hampshire
- Cortiva Institute - Boston - Training in Boston, MA
- New Jersey
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Cortiva Institute - Hoboken - Hoboken
- Cortiva Institute - Somerset School of Massage Therapy - Wall Township
- New Mexico
- Denver School of Massage Therapy - Aurora - Training in Aurora
- Arizona School of Massage Therapy - Phoenix - Training in Phoenix
- Cortiva Institute - Scottsdale - Training in Scottsdale, AZ
- New York
- Swedish Institute - A Campus in New York City
- Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, NY - A Campus in New York, NY
- Cortiva Institute - Hoboken - Hoboken, NJ - 8 Minutes from NYC
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Westport - Training in Westport, CT
- North Dakota
- Denver School of Massage Therapy - Aurora - Training in Aurora
- Oklahoma
- Denver School of Massage Therapy - Aurora - Training in Aurora
- Arizona School of Massage Therapy - Phoenix - Training in Phoenix
- Oregon
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Cortiva Institute - Federal Way - Training in Federal Way, WA
- Nevada School of Massage Therapy - Las Vegas - Training in Las Vegas
- Utah College of Massage Therapy - Salt Lake City - Training in Salt Lake City
- Cortiva Institute - Seattle - Training in Seattle, WA
- Pennsylvania
- Cortiva Institute - Pennsylvania - King of Prussia
- Baltimore School of Massage - York - York
- Rhode Island
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Cortiva Institute - Boston - Training in Boston, MA
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Groton - Training in Groton, CT
- South Carolina
- Cortiva Institute - Florida - Training in Pinellas Park, FL
- South Dakota
- Denver School of Massage Therapy - Aurora - Training in Aurora
- Tennessee
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Texas
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Texas Center for Massage Therapy - Houston - Houston
- Texas Center for Massage Therapy - Dallas - Richardson
- Denver School of Massage Therapy - Aurora - Training in Aurora
- Arizona School of Massage Therapy - Phoenix - Training in Phoenix
- Utah
- Utah College of Massage Therapy - Utah County - Lindon
- Utah College of Massage Therapy - Salt Lake City - Salt Lake City
- Cortiva Institute - Scottsdale - Training in Scottsdale, AZ
- Vermont
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Cortiva Institute - Boston - Training in Boston, MA
- Virginia
- Virginia School of Massage - Charlottesville - Charlottesville
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Washington
- Cortiva Institute - Federal Way - Federal Way
- Cortiva Institute - Seattle - Seattle
- Nevada School of Massage Therapy - Las Vegas - Training in Las Vegas
- Utah College of Massage Therapy - Salt Lake City - Training in Salt Lake City
- Wisconsin
- Cortiva Institute - Chicago - Training in Chicago, IL
- Wyoming
- Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy (Study Abroad in Costa Rica) - Costa Rica, Central America
- Denver School of Massage Therapy - Aurora - Training in Aurora
- Utah College of Massage Therapy - Salt Lake City - Training in Salt Lake City
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