What is Craniosacral Fascial Therapy (CFT)?
Gentle, hands-on support for babies, children, and postpartum families
Understanding CFT
Craniosacral Fascial Therapy (CFT) is a gentle, non-invasive manual therapy technique that focuses on the cranium (skull) and fascia (connective tissue) of the body. The Gillespie Approach-CFT was developed by Dr. Barry Gillespie over 50 years ago and continues to evolve as a gentle and effective modality for babies, children, and families.
With powerful therapeutic effects, CFT helps release fascial strain to free the body, brain, and nervous system to thrive. The therapy uses very light touch and gentle techniques to help release tension, improve mobility, and support the body's natural healing processes.
This work is not forced—and that's why it works. It's safe, comfortable, and designed to support the body's natural ability to self-regulate and heal.
Common Concerns We Support
Here's how CFT can help with common challenges in babies and children—what "the struggle" often looks like, and how gentle fascial work can support your family. From feeding and sleep to ears, nerves, and sensory load, these are areas we explore together every day.
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1. Feeding & Oral Restrictions
The Struggle: Difficulty latching, clicking while nursing, or fatigue during feedings.
How CFT Helps: By releasing tension in the neck, jaw, and floor of the mouth, CFT helps your baby open wider and use their tongue more efficiently. It is a vital support for babies before and after a tongue-tie release (frenectomy).
2. Digestive Comfort (Colic & Reflux)
The Struggle: Constant crying, arching the back, or frequent "spit-ups."
How CFT Helps: Physical tension in the torso can compress the digestive tract. CFT gently releases this "abdominal bracing," allowing the digestive system to move more freely and helping your baby transition into a "rest and digest" state.
3. Structural Balance & Mobility
The Struggle: Preferring to turn the head to one side (Torticollis) or concerns about head shape (Plagiocephaly).
How CFT Helps: Easing the fascial pull from the neck down to the hips, we allow your baby to move their head and body symmetrically, supporting natural motor development like rolling and crawling.
4. Sleep & Nervous System Regulation
The Struggle: Difficulty settling down, being "easily startled," or a general inability to relax.
How CFT Helps: CFT acts like a "reset button" for the nervous system. By releasing the physical "armor" of tight fascia, we help your baby feel safe and comfortable in their own skin, which often leads to deeper, more restorative sleep.
5. Ear Health
The Struggle: Recurrent ear infections, pressure or fluid that keeps coming back, or discomfort that disrupts sleep and daily comfort.
How CFT Helps: CFT supports healthy movement and drainage patterns in the head, neck, and related tissues—promoting natural drainage to help reduce the cycle of chronic ear infections and help your child feel more comfortable.
6. Neurodiversity Support
The Struggle: Feeling easily overwhelmed, overstimulated, or "on guard" in the body—patterns that often show up alongside Autism and ADHD.
How CFT Helps: CFT offers a gentle resource by calming the nervous system and releasing physical "bracing" patterns in the fascia, so your child can feel a little more regulated and at ease in their own body.
7. Neurological Ease
The Struggle: Tics, sensory overload, or feeling wired, restless, and ungrounded in everyday environments.
How CFT Helps: By relaxing strain in the fascial system around the head, neck, and body, CFT can support tics and sensory processing concerns—helping children feel more grounded, settled, and connected to their surroundings.
During a session, I follow your child's lead. There are no forceful adjustments—only gentle, sustained pressure that allows the body to release on its own time.
What to Expect
We begin with a conversation: what you're hoping for, what you've been noticing, and the context that helps me understand you or your child. When you're ready, we move into gentle hands-on work—light touch, unhurried pacing, and space to ask questions as we go.
Little ones get to set the rhythm. They might drift off for part of the visit or stay bright-eyed the whole time; both are completely normal. If they need a break—a different hold, a cuddle from you, or time to nurse or reset—we pause and continue when it feels right again.
You stay in the room for the full session, and we treat it as teamwork. I often share simple ideas you can use between visits so the support doesn't end when you walk out the door.
Most appointments run about 45–60 minutes. Many families also find it helpful simply to see how their child's body responds in the moment and what we're prioritizing together over time.
The Collaborative Care Model
CFT is often a powerful missing piece—and it pairs naturally with other skilled providers. I'm a firm believer in the "village" approach to wellness and love working alongside your care team when it supports your goals.
Collaborations we often coordinate with
Ready to Learn More?
Learn more about our practitioner, or schedule a consultation to see if CFT is right for you or your little one.