Bryony Smith

Bryony offers Craniosacral Therapy and Somatic Trauma Therapy sessions at  Cockenzie House, East Lothian.

Craniosacral Therapy is an extremely gentle therapy using light touch to encourage the body to let go of restrictions and tensions which may have caused us to feel unwell in some way or ’ just not right’. By supporting the body in this release it allows optimum health, balance and well-being to return. It can be beneficial for various physical symptoms as well as emotional and psychological issues.  It can be deeply calming for the nervous system and feel very relaxing.  As our system relaxes we can feel more resourced, and energy and vitality can return, helping us feel more able to cope with life.

During a session the person usually lies fully clothed (shoes off) on a massage couch, while the therapist will very gently place their hands on various parts of your body.  The number of sessions people have varies depending on what they are looking for.  Some people come for specific issues and are content when these are relieved – others wish to explore deeper issues and this may require sessions over a longer period. CST is very gentle and non-manipulative, and so is suitable for all ages including babies and young children.

Somatic Trauma therapy (STT) is a very simple approach for helping the body complete it’s natural responses to traumatic events.

It is particularly helpful for people who have suffered specific events and may have PTSD, for those who have had developmental trauma and also those who have had chronic stress and trauma. It doesn’t have to focus on talking about or reliving any traumatic event, and doesn’t have to involve any physical touch. The focus is on guiding the person to track their physical sensations in a way that doesn’t provoke any overwhelm or agitation and which allows the nervous system to self-regulate and find peace and calm. Again there is a deep listening in the sessions to ensure that the work takes place at a pace that feels safe to the client.

Before studying Craniosacral Therapy and Somatic Trauma Therapy, Bryony completed degrees in Psychology and Occupational Therapy and also spent 7 years living as a nun in a Buddhist monastery. All these experiences and skills seem to come together, and support and augment her work as a Craniosacral and Somatic Trauma Therapist.

For more details please visit the website www.craniosacralscotland.com

Somatic Trauma Therapy

Trauma

PTSD

Stress

Pain relief

Migraines

Relaxation
Holistic Stress
Mind-body
Babies
Children
Bodywork
PTSD

Testimonials:

“As a practitioner, Bryony is intuitive, caring and competent. Her peaceful, calm manner is reflected in her sessions where you feel cocooned in gentle healing energy. After a recent session, I was left feeling like a weight had been lifted from me. I felt so much lighter and in the following days, peaceful and full of energy.” (Elizabeth Martin)

‘I was very impressed with what you picked up on and the immediate relief I got from some pain. The sessions helped me notice where I was holding on.  I also felt much calmer and rested after the treatment. I felt very cared for during the session, you were extremely attentive and respectful.  I noticed improvements to the body system and flow. I really didn’t believe that this type of intervention could be effective but I have now recommended it to others!’     (Health Professional, mid 40s)

I started cranio-sacral therapy with Bryony when I was going through a challenging time in my life. I didn’t have any particular expectations, I just wanted to be open to this new experience and at first I didn’t feel or sense much and it took me a few sessions to start noticing subtle changes. I was very touched by Bryony’s listening skills, her extreme gentleness and insights. It’s hard to explain how it works but cranio-sacral therapy is beneficial on a very deep level. I felt so safe, respected and cared for in that space that my body, mind and spirit learnt to let go of my deepest fear that I wasn’t even aware of. My understanding is that as human beings, we need physical touch, especially when we are babies. We have such a strong, intimate bond with our mums (on a physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual level) who we always have a physical contact with and I lost that when my mum passed away when I was not even 3 years old and it left a huge, empty space and cranio-sacral therapy was a place for me where I was able to go back to this safe place of trust, love and gentleness where my body remembers the sacredness of human touch…. (Elisabeth Landgraf)

‘I was origininally quite cynical about the treatment but I now feel the cranio-sacral therapy sessions have provided me with a sense of a coreand a sense of relaxation in a fundamental way. Systemically I feel better and more robust. I feel it has been supporting what I’ve been trying to do myself.  It has been supportive in handling the emotional stuff around having (a major illness) and I feel more emotionally stable.  My general health is really good and I feel healthier and stronger.’ (Teacher, early 40s)