Somato Emotional Release
A gentle approach that helps the body process and release stored, unaddressed emotional experience — often blended with CST.
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Gentle hands-on care · Midtown Manhattan
Craniosacral Therapy in NYC
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a focused, light-touch approach that helps release stored physical and emotional tension, calm the nervous system, and support your body's natural healing — without cracking or forceful manipulation.
Dr. Alex Kaminsky, D.C. · Certified Craniosacral Therapist · over 25 years of experience
Sessions may blend CST with Somato Emotional Release and Myofascial Release, chosen to suit what your body needs. Gentle enough for adults, children, and babies.
Light touch · No cracking
Light-touch method
Gentle, intentional contact along the spine, neck, head, and body — never forceful.
Calms the nervous system
Aims to settle the central nervous system so the body can rebalance and self-correct.
Supports CSF flow
Works with subtle cranial and sacral motion to support healthy cerebrospinal fluid rhythm.
Adults, children, babies
A soft, respectful approach gentle enough for every age in one calm Manhattan setting.
Why people choose CST
Release held patterns and restore ease
Craniosacral Therapy in NYC uses gentle, intentional touch along the spine, neck, head, and body to help correct imbalances in the central nervous system and support whole-body wellbeing. The work is quiet and unforced — the goal is to give your body space to let go of what it has been holding so the nervous system can settle and your health can rebound.
Dr. Alex Kaminsky, D.C., is a Certified Craniosacral Therapist with more than twenty-five years of clinical experience. He works in a calm, private treatment room in Midtown Manhattan, tailoring each session to the person on the table — whether that is an adult, a child, or a baby.
How CST may help
- Helps the body process stored emotional and physical stress.
- Can calm pain, spasm, fatigue, headaches, and other symptoms.
- Supports stability in the nervous system for lasting change.
- Works for adults, children, and babies with a soft, respectful approach.
Sessions can be blended with Somato Emotional Release and Myofascial Release when that suits what your body needs, so the different layers of physical and emotional tension can be addressed together.
How the body heals
Energetic and physical restoration
The body often stores unprocessed emotions and injuries as energetic charges. Craniosacral Therapy offers space for these to resolve, allowing the nervous system and tissues to rebalance. Rather than forcing a change, the work invites the body to release patterns it has been carrying — sometimes from a recent event, sometimes from experiences decades old.
Patterns CST aims to address
- Emotions such as fear, jealousy, and betrayal that may manifest physically.
- Stuck energy from recent or decades-old experiences.
- The mind-body connection, so the system has room to self-correct.
Natural capacity
The body can heal at any age
CST is gentle and non-invasive, tapping into the body's own capacity for self-healing across a wide range of symptoms, dysfunctions, and pain. Because it relies on light touch only — no cracking or forceful manipulation — it can be a comfortable choice for people of every age, including infants and young children.
Many people leave a session feeling calm, centered, and balanced. That settled feeling can reflect a more freely functioning craniosacral mechanism, where tension has eased and the nervous system has had a chance to reset.
Results vary, and CST is complementary care. Craniosacral Therapy is gentle, non-invasive support — it does not diagnose, cure, or replace medical care. If you have a new, severe, or worsening symptom, please see your physician for proper evaluation.
CSF flow
Cerebrospinal fluid: the body's life force
Optimal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow is central to the craniosacral mechanism. Craniosacral Therapy supports a healthy CSF rhythm, which helps nourish the brain and spinal cord. The therapist's attention is on the subtle cranial and sacral motion that influences how this fluid circulates.
What this focus supports
- Subtle cranial and sacral motion that influences CSF circulation.
- A calmer nervous system and improved overall function.
- Restorative practices such as meditation and breathwork, which pair well with CST.
If you would like to understand the physiology behind this in more detail, you can read more about how the body works and the role cerebrospinal fluid plays in everyday function.
Origins
How Craniosacral Therapy emerged
Craniosacral Therapy was developed by Dr. John Upledger following research at Michigan State University. From those beginnings, CST has grown into a gentle manual therapy approach practiced around the world and taught through the Upledger Institute.
Though CST is not universally embraced by allopathic medicine, it continues to offer practical results for many patients. That is why it is best understood as a complementary approach — something that can sit alongside the care your physician provides, supporting how you feel and function rather than replacing medical diagnosis or treatment.
Relief for many concerns
Common reasons people seek CST
People come to Craniosacral Therapy with a range of concerns, many of which are linked to imbalance in the nervous system. Some of the most common include:
- TMJ, headaches, neck and back pain, and shoulder pain.
- Scoliosis, torticollis, fibromyalgia, and insomnia.
- Other conditions linked to nervous-system imbalance.
When symptoms ease, you may feel calm, centered, and balanced — a sign of an optimally functioning craniosacral mechanism. Somato Emotional Release and Myofascial Release can be blended in as needed to address the physical and emotional layers together.
Questions and answers
Frequently asked questions about CST
What is Craniosacral Therapy?
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, light-touch manual therapy. Using soft, intentional hand placement along the spine, neck, head, and body, it aims to release stored physical and emotional tension, calm the nervous system, and support the body's natural ability to heal.
Is Craniosacral Therapy gentle and safe?
CST is gentle and non-invasive. It uses light touch only, with no cracking or forceful manipulation, which is why it can be appropriate for adults, children, and babies. It is complementary to medical care and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from your physician.
What does a Craniosacral Therapy session feel like?
Sessions are quiet and unhurried. Dr. Kaminsky uses light, focused contact along the spine, neck, head, and limbs. Many people feel calm, centered, and balanced as tension eases, which can reflect a more freely functioning craniosacral mechanism.
Who can have Craniosacral Therapy?
Because the touch is so light, CST is suitable for adults, children, and babies. Sessions are tailored to each person, and CST may be combined with Somato Emotional Release and Myofascial Release as needed.
Who developed Craniosacral Therapy?
CST was developed by Dr. John Upledger following research at Michigan State University, and it is taught worldwide through the Upledger Institute. Although it is not universally embraced by allopathic medicine, many patients find it offers practical results.
Explore further
Related care and methods
Myofascial Release
Soft-tissue work that eases fascial restriction and trigger points, restoring more comfortable movement.
Explore MFR +
How the body works
Understand cerebrospinal fluid, the nervous system, and the craniosacral mechanism behind this gentle work.
Learn more +
Your first visit
See what to expect at a calm, unhurried first appointment and how Dr. Kaminsky plans your care.
What to expect +
Patient experiences
From our patients
Google ★★★★★ From our Google reviews
4 months ago · Google
I came to Dr. Kaminsky for Craniosacral Therapy and was truly amazed by the results. While the treatment is gentle, its impact on my nervous system and stress levels was incredibly effective. The biggest change is that I no longer have a … Read full review on Google
Craniosacral Therapy NY (Owner): Virna, thank you so much for your kind words. Craniosacral Therapy is truly an incredible modality. It was a pleasure working with you. Welcome back anytime if you want to improve your nervous system even more. :)
Individual results vary. Reproduced from our Google Business profile; not medical advice or a guarantee of outcomes.
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