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Not Your Usual Suspect...Heather Thomas
In the field of health services available in Fort McMurray, occasionally overlooked are the more unusual health care options available. This may simply be because residents are unfamiliar with them, or unaware of the benefits they may provide. In some cases, such as Heather Thomas and her practice of CranioSacral Therapy, the practitioner must become a strong advocate in order to educate the public.
Thomas, who trained as a massage therapist, discovered CranioSacral Therapy through a series of classes on the practice, and discovered a new way to provide health benefits to her clients as well as a way of connecting mind and body through a therapy that is gentle, non-invasive and ideal for everyone.
“In CranioSacral Therapy, a light touch is combined with helping clients get in tune with what their bodies are telling them,” says Thomas. “My clients typically stay fully clothed and lying on their backs on a massage table, and the touch they feel will be much lighter than with traditional massage. It’s about developing a connection between the practitioner and the client, and between the client’s mind and their body.”
The light touch of CranioSacral Therapy means it is perfect for those who may be cautious about massage or chiropractic therapies, as unlike those practices it does not involve strenuous manipulation of the body and focuses instead on creating healing in the body through a series of gentle movements.
“Connection is an important component of this form of therapy,” says Thomas. “Helping to develop the connection between the mental and physical is fundamental to addressing issues in the body, even when those issues are physical in nature. When you are more actively involved in your own treatment, your results are better.”
CranioSacral Therapy is complementary to other forms of therapy, from traditional Western medical practice to alternative forms of therapy; it works to help clients develop more awareness of what is taking place in their own bodies, and empowers them to become active participants in their health.
“This is so gentle it can be performed on anyone of any age and with any health concern or condition,” says Thomas. “That means it meshes well with other therapies, and provides additional benefits. The body seeks homeostasis, and the body is always seeking to reach health and harmony. CranioSacral Therapy helps to achieve that homeostasis.”
From anxiety to chronic pain management and all the health issues in between, CranioSacral Therapy provides an opportunity to develop a deeper awareness and mind-body connection for those who choose to pursue this form of treatment. Whether an issue is resolved in one visit or over a series of treatments, the individual receiving therapy becomes a key factor in their own recovery.
The connection between therapist and client is also critical, as the trust and faith developed through the therapy frees the client to further foster mind-body connection.
“When doing treatments I often engage in a dialogue with the client,” says Thomas with a smile. “Rather than just lying there, you become a part of the treatment and engaged and involved in your own healing.”
Thomas, who may have come to CranioSacral Therapy through the more traditional health practice of massage therapy, has become a practitioner with a faithful following and an advocate for a practice that empowers and engages individuals in their own health. While CranioSacral Therapy may be an unusual suspect in the field of health care, it has undoubtedly become an acclaimed and welcomed option in Fort McMurray, thanks to practitioners such as Heather Thomas.
Those interested in exploring the benefits of CranioSacral Therapy can contact Heather Thomas, RMT @ 780-972-9447; www.heatherthomas.ca
