Transformative Healing: Lisa's Journey with Craniosacral Therapy

Can gentle, hands-on therapy revolutionize your approach to healing? Discover the transformative power of craniosacral therapy as our guest, Lisa Foster shares her journey from skepticism to certification. We begin with a grounding guided meditation, setting the stage for a deep conversation on how craniosacral therapy can enhance confidence and create meaningful space for healing. Lisa opens up about her personal and professional evolution, highlighting how this therapy has reshaped her perspective on patient care.

In our discussion, Lisa recounts her transition from a mindset focused on "fixing" to one that empowers patients in their own healing journeys. Through detailed exploration, we uncover the benefits of craniosacral therapy, especially its surprising effectiveness during virtual sessions in the pandemic. Lisa's insights into the therapy's holistic, patient-centred approach make this a compelling listen for anyone curious about alternative healing methods or looking to deepen their understanding of bodywork.

We also delve into the importance of individualized care, particularly for children on the autism spectrum, and how unconventional approaches can yield unexpected results. From the interconnectedness of the body's systems to the significance of self-trust and personal accountability in health, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and inspiring stories. Join us to gain fresh perspectives on how to nurture your well-being through the body's natural communication and integration.

Learn more about LIsa Foster here:
Mapleton CranioSacral Therapy https://www.mapletoncst.com/
Real Life Momz https://www.reallifemomz.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reallifemomz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
YouTube Channel: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@reallifemomzpodcast4048

Chapters

• 0:00 Boosting Confidence Through Grounded Conversations
• 8:09 Navigating Transformation With Craniosacral Therapy
• 13:19 Exploring Craniosacral Therapy Virtually
• 27:10 Empowering Individualized Healing Journeys
• 31:21 Embracing Unique Healing Approaches
• 42:24 Healing Through Body's Communication and Integration
• 53:48 Empowering Wellness Through Self-Trust

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello Hi.

Speaker 2: 0:02

Lisa, how are you Good? How are you? I'm well, I'm well. I had an in-person event yesterday and it went really well and the attendees experienced a lot of new things that they didn't know was possible Feeling big emotions and still staying with it and going through the waves. So it's just boost the confidence of the space I can hold in the gift that I have and just continue on and see what the benefits are, what you can do simply with your own biology, with that holding space.

Speaker 1: 0:42

So yeah, I love that. When you do virtual events, let me know I might have to come to one. It's important for people because, honestly, especially when you're a healthcare body worker or something, that isn't actually like I'm giving you something, right. You feel like if I actually give you something physical, then I can pay for that, but if it's free for me to give which, it's not right, that's a whole conversation. But then all of a sudden it's hard to charge money for and you start making up stories that aren't actually true.

Speaker 2: 1:14

Welcome to the Lift One Self podcast, where we break mental health stigmas through conversations. I'm your host, nat Nat, and we dive into topics about trauma and how it impacts the nervous system. Yet we don't just leave you there. We share insights and tools of self-care, meditation and growth that help you be curious about your own biology. Your presence matters. Please like and subscribe to our podcast. Help our community grow. Let's get into this. Oh, and please remember to be kind to yourself. Welcome to the Lift One Self podcast, lisa. I am so excited to dive deep in this conversation with you.

Speaker 1: 1:58

Oh my gosh, I'm so excited to be here with you and just connect on whatever level is needed today to be here with you and just connect on whatever level is needed today.

Speaker 2: 2:05

Yeah, I was gracious enough to be a guest on your podcast Real Life Moms. Correct, I got that right?

Speaker 1: 2:12

Yes, yeah, real.

Speaker 2: 2:13

Life Moms. I've been doing so many podcasts. I'm like, okay, which one is this? Yet on your podcast we had such a great synergy and open dialogue. I was like, oh, Belisa, please come on my podcast, because you have so much to offer to my audience that they probably have no awareness of and what this will benefit for them. So I'm looking forward to this conversation.

Speaker 1: 2:39

Thank you. Yes, I love. I love the opportunity to share all that I'm doing, whether it's the podcast or just even my own craniosacral therapy work. So I know that's something you're interested in and can't wait to talk about it.

Speaker 2: 2:54

So I know the listeners heard that they're like craniosacral therapy. So what is that? And we're going to get into it. We're going to get into it. We're going to get into it. Will you join me in a guided meditation so we can ground in our breath and sink our hearts before we get into this dialogue? Yeah, I would love to.

Speaker 2: 3:17

Okay, and for the listeners, as you always hear me rant when I ask Lisa and myself to close our eyes, please don't close your eyes if you're needing your visual. I want you to be safe and everyone around you to be safe. You're able to do the prompts that I'm going to lead into. Yet again, safety If you're feeling too relaxed, please stop and just fast forward into the conversation. Yet, when you have a moment and you're in a space where you can take that mindful moment, come back to the meditation and do yourself a favor by just grounding yourself in your breath for a moment. So, lisa, I'll ask you to get comfortable in your seating and you're going to gently close your eyes and you're going to begin breathing in and out through your nose and you're going to bring your awareness to watching your breath go in and out through your nose.

Speaker 2: 4:17

Don't try to control your breath. Just bring your awareness to watching your breath go in and out. There may be some sensations or feelings coming up. It's okay, let them pass. You're safe to feel. You're safe to let go. Surrender the need to control, release the need to control, release the need to resist and just be. Be with your breath. Drop into your body, keep your awareness on your breath.

Speaker 2: 5:09

By now you may have noticed some thoughts or some memories popping up. It's fine. Just gently bring your awareness back to your breath and go deeper into your body, coming aware of the air going through your nostrils, into your lungs, into your belly, coming back out. Just keeping that awareness and watching that breath. Breathe in and breathing out and breathing out. Now, while still staying with your breath. Lisa, I'm going to ask you in your mind to create an intention you want to bring forth in this conversation. And when you've created that intention, I'm going to ask you to release it in your mind, allowing that intention to drop into your nervous system, down your neck, through your throat, down, filling your heart, filling your lungs, down into your abdomen, into your stomach, into your life force, still staying with your breath, still staying with your breath, allowing that intention to surround your energy field, dropping deeper into the body. Now, while still staying with your breath, at your own time and at your own pace, you're going to gently open your eyes, while still staying with your breath. How's your heart doing?

Speaker 2: 7:41

great, I feel great can you let the listeners know who Lisa is?

Speaker 1: 8:09

years and I was lucky enough to come across a colleague that was doing something called craniosacral therapy. And when I came across this colleague I was kind of skeptical, because craniosacral therapy we'll talk about in a little bit, but is very I'm going to put quote unquote woo, woo, you know, in a way. In a way it's really not. However, in my mind it was, it wasn't as open, I was a little bit more judgmental, and so when I saw such light work having such big effects, it kind of got me a little bit intrigued but also a little skeptical. I'm not going to lie.

Speaker 1: 8:43

It's needed free, but also a little skeptical. I'm not going to lie, it's needed. So I think that's a little bit of who old Lisa was a little judgy, a little skeptical, a little close-minded, and after getting in touch with this craniosacral work and learning about it and actually getting certified in it and changing my practice from being just traditional PT to a craniosacral therapist and owning my own practice, which is Mapleton craniosacral therapy, I began to also be Lisa that's now more open, believes in things that you can't just see, you know, trusts herself, trusts others, and I feel like the work really just transformed my life. And so, from somebody who used to be a planner at every step to someone who's not afraid to step a little out of their comfort zone and not know all the answers I used to as a traditional PT, I wanted to fix everyone, but I had to know all the answers, to the point where I would pretend I did honestly, like if you had, you know, sprained ankle or a back pain, I'd be like, yeah, I can fix this, you know, and the answer is I didn't know.

Speaker 1: 9:58

And the answer is it shouldn't be me fixing it, it should be the patient. You know they're in charge of their body and with cranial sacral therapy. It allowed me to be more of a person who could come in and still help and want to fix, say, but stay back and allow the patient to take that role and empower them to help themselves. While I could be more of that support system for their body to help themselves, while I could be more of that support system for their body. And it just brought in this whole new, almost like relief in my life to not have to know all the answers but know that's okay and more than okay not to know what the answer is. It's actually better because then I can just follow that next right step because I didn't have a plan that who knows if it's going to work or not.

Speaker 1: 10:50

So, yeah, I think Lisa is someone who's in progress.

Speaker 2: 10:56

I love that. I think it's funny when people are like, oh, I don't want to change, and it's like, well, I think what it is is that you don't want to dim yourself for other people, because if you learn new things about yourself, you're going to change. Yet it's just always being true to yourself and trusting yourself in that change. Yet a lot of times we contort and we dim ourselves just to feel a sense of belonging in the company of others, and so we kind of self-sabotage ourselves and that's what we don't want, because we think, well, that is change. And it's like, no, you were just dimming yourself and pinching yourself from yourself to be able to conform in the spaces, and it's understanding your nervous system. It's all in a sense of protection, not berating and blaming. It's like let me better understand my biology and why I do the things that I do.

Speaker 2: 11:54

Where there's not enough spaces that allow that curiosity, we're always told to do it this way and it needs to be perfect or it needs to have a 10 step plan and yada, yada, and I get like some of that is needed. Yet I don't see enough of you know, having the autonomy of empowering the person to better understand what is going on in their inner world, rather than telling them, no, what their experience or what their emotions are feeling isn't right or it's too much, or it's this or that, rather than how, would we draw it out a little bit more? So, as myself and I'm sure many listeners want to know a little bit more. We got into it a little bit in the podcast when we spoke last time. Yet I was like, oh, please, come on so we can dive deep and you can give me some knowledge as well as open up the floor for other listeners. So can you let us know you know what that looked like with the craniosacral therapy, if you applied it on yourself, and what exactly is it?

Speaker 1: 13:06

Yeah, yeah, I think the reason people don't know what it is like there are so many people who have tried it but they don't know what it is because it's really hard to explain, it's hard to put into words, but I am going to try and I'm going to try it in a few ways. Okay, so, from the anatomical mindset, for those people who have that scientific background and need to know like structures and things, basically craniosacral is just a gentle, hands-on approach. I mean so gentle that it is the weight of your hands and that a therapist is going to have their hands on their patient's head, spine and kind of sacrum. So that's why it's like cranial sacral, because house is the whole thing and those are the handles of the system and we're working with all the structures that surround the nervous system. So this system includes the brain, the spinal cord, the cerebral spinal fluid is the fluid that comes in through the system. It brings in nutrition, it takes out toxins. You know it's the fuel of the system and the cranial sacral therapist is really focused on that fluid flow because it tells us what patterns are kind of more typical and where are there restrictions in the system.

Speaker 1: 14:22

And what I love about craniosacral therapy is that, instead of, as, like a traditional PT, right where, like you, don't have range of motion in your system we're going to push through, right? Well, does the nervous system want to be pushed? No, right, it protects us, right? So if we push the system, it's going to, you know, protect and guard. We don't want that. So, as a craniosacral therapist, we follow the system, we follow the restriction, actually, and then when it releases, then it forms a nice new pattern and then it's more typical. And the thing about it is the nervous system is such a core foundation of our bodies, right? I always think of. It's like, if you're going to build a house, right, you want to build it on something that's a little slanted, because everything on top of that is also not going to be upright either, right? So our nervous system is such a core system of our body that all other systems in our body are actually working off of the system. So if we can be balanced, then all other systems can be more optimal. They're functioning more optimally.

Speaker 1: 15:28

So I think that's kind of like the science behind it for those people who need that. But the other thing that I think is really just easy to understand is that the whole premise of cranial sacral therapy is that the body knows how to heal itself right. And we see that every day you get a cut. Nobody touches it and it's healed right. Like, how does that happen? But sometimes your cut is too big right, and then you go and you get stitches. You got the little support and now your body can heal itself. So I like to think of the cranial sacral therapist as the person, the stitches, the support that's actually holding the body as it's unwinding, as it's finding these new paths and as it's healing, and so that's kind of what it is in a nutshell.

Speaker 2: 16:17

So let me ask is this only done in person, or can it be done virtually?

Speaker 1: 16:22

Great question. So, yes, it's a manual and most cranial sacral therapists will do it in person. However, covid hit and you have patients that need to be seen and we had to like be a little creative. And what happened was I actually ended up taking a course on basically doing it through an online platform, and I first, once again, you know as much as I've been open and non-judgmental and in my transformation I said I'm a work in progress. So at first I go, oh, I don't know about this, but there is an energetic component, right, we are working with physical structures, for sure, in that palpation. But what I realized in taking that course I am not just palpating through my hands, I'm palpating through my own body, right, because there is an energetic piece around this craniosacral work as well. So the principles are the same, but, yes, you can, if people are trained, do it through like a telehealth, a Zoom. You know whatever it is and what I loved about that way I took the course and I actually could feel it on myself, which is how I became a believer that, oh my, wow, I can really feel that this is powerful. But was even more powerful and I actually brought back into my own practice was that because your hands aren't on it, on the person, the person is so much more involved.

Speaker 1: 17:52

There's a lot more dialoguing during that type of session. So you know they'll be relaxing and I'll kind of say, okay, we're going to walk through your system, let's check out here. Come look, what do you see here, what are you feeling in that space? And then they'll start talking and they're like oh wait, and I'm remembering I had this accident it was back when I was like five, you know, or something like that. I didn't remember that fall on my tailbone. Oh well, let's explore that. So we're kind of doing more. We do this in session two, but only for blocked, honestly. But when you're online, it's really a big part of it. The dialoguing and what I found with that is it really empowers the patient because they're able to really tap into their own body, not just like from a sensation point of view, but also to verbalize it to someone else who also is feeling it too. And that's pretty powerful.

Speaker 2: 18:49

Yeah, it's sounding like somatic releases that happen, that are blocked. In those experiences, too, there were emotions that got suppressed. So being able to validate and, you know, release and have somebody witness the witnessing and the healing really helps with that somatic release also. That it's like, oh, it's safe to you know, let go of this and feel it and let the body do what it needs to do.

Speaker 2: 19:16

I had my first in-person event yesterday and with the meditation I had them sit up for a bit and did a body scan and at a certain point I told them to lie down. There were some that were already lying down and then I told them just let your body do what it needs to do. If it needs to lift its leg, let it lift. If it needs to rock, let it rock. Do all that. And then I started rocking. I could feel energetically how the space was. So then I was like, okay, you're going to take your hips and you're going to go back and forth with your hips, because there was a majority of women in the space at the time and I understand how women will hold a lot in their hips, so just being able to gently. And then they were rocking and I'm like and, at a certain point, may want to do circular or you want to, yet listen to what your body. I may be guiding you right now, yet I'm just prompting you to start listening to what your body needs and allowing you to give yourself permission to start doing whatever. And then they started moving in a way that was fluid for them and listening to the body, because we're told a lot of times not to let the body do certain things where, if we need to process and do healing, we have to allow it to somatically release the things without us rationalizing or intellectualizing or analyzing what the sensation or feelings that are coming up in the body, what the sensation or feelings that are coming up in the body. So I appreciate that you know you've pivoted so that you can really harness the energy of your nervous system, because we're feeling bodies that think, and so that safety in what the frequency is coming through our tone of voice and our energy on the internet is real, like these things are real, that the vibrations that were like this feels a little off, or this feels closed, or I don't like it's your, your nervous system as a wifi radar trying to search and see like is there opening. Is it okay to you know? What degree is there safety? What degree can we be authentic? What degree can I let vulnerability come out in play or do I have to protect it?

Speaker 2: 21:27

And I love how you said like you don't want to try to tell the nervous system what to do and overload it, because it will buck and kick. You cannot override your biology. You want to work with it, and a lot of times we try and do that and then people wonder why did I get depressed or burnout or illnesses or injuries? And the body is infamous at healing. Yet if you're not using the modalities to work with that nervous system to help it repair, then it's a long process for the healing process, yet it is still possible. Did you use some of these practices for yourself and what were the results for it for you?

Speaker 1: 22:11

Yeah. So, like I said, I mean now I do like anytime anything. I'm like I need my cranial people, let's go. It's my first modality, for sure that I'd go to any time. However, when I was new and I was just starting to even take the classes, like for me, I had migraines. That was a big one for me and I had migraines a lot around my cycle and I had a really hard time getting pregnant as well as keeping a pregnancy. So I had two miscarriages.

Speaker 1: 22:41

I took the first cranial course, the first one, where none of us know what we're doing, you know, but we're on the table. I hadn't had a migraine after that course for months and I also got pregnant literally a month later and I'm like, is that a coincidence? Possibly, but I don't think so. I mean, I was suffering for a while. I had had my first child, like I think she was about two maybe when I took the course, maybe maybe 18 months, but before her took me a year to get pregnant, I had a miscarriage, had her had another miscarriage, then, after the course, got pregnant with my son and kept it, and so I don't know, you know, who knows, but yeah, so I definitely saw it right away changing my life. But also I just use it. You know, I'll never forget my in my PT training. I love being a PT I just want to put that out there and PTs are amazing. But, however, in my PT training I have like a bit of a leg length discrepancy that always just kind of comes and goes right in my pelvis. We'll probably have to address that too. Right?

Speaker 1: 23:54

And I went to a course and I'll never forget this it was a manual course, not a cranial course, a manual course. And this guy looked at my legs. He's like one's longer than the other. Let me fix that. Let me fix that. Should have been my first warning sign to get off this table immediately, right, because we don't want anyone else fixing things I want to like be within my own system.

Speaker 1: 24:16

However, I didn't know anything at the time and he just pulled my leg and it felt like the inside of my body ripped apart. It wasn't even that painful, but it just it was like traumatizing. I don't know how to explain it, other than the feeling of your insides kind of ripping wasn't painful, I mean, granted, I was even, but that was not good, you know. And then you know, years later I took this cranial course and you know I got realigned in a second and it was magical. You know it released any trauma that was there. It released any emotion that was stuck still in those tissues and guess what? It didn't just come back a day later because I had taken care of the stuff that needed to be taken care of. That was probably really holding that area back.

Speaker 1: 25:06

So I'm just I use it now for anything. It's my first go-to, not my last go-to anymore. You know it's my first go-to. If I have a headache, I will go. If I hit my head on you know a side table by accident, I immediately call somebody because I know how well it works for concussions and I don't want anything residual in my head and so I'm always using it, as well as on my family. I mean, my kids are always asking for it, my husband which is not good to treat your own family members. We'll put that out there.

Speaker 2: 25:38

However, we'll put that out there. However, really handy. Yeah, um, that subjective piece becomes very murky, yes, and stuff. So it's like okay, um, now let's get into the pelvic and the hips and what is stored there and what um is probably causing a lot of blockages for the energy to be able to flow naturally for people. Could you give what your perception and what you've seen and what you know?

Speaker 1: 26:09

Yeah, you know what, to be honest, I feel like with cranial. It's like you can see a patient with hip pain, headaches, and I always say, if I see, say I treat a lot of patients with concussions, I'm going to throw this one out there, okay. So I think if I see a patient with a concussion, I've seen one patient with concussion, because every person that comes to the door they're not going to be the same. Even if it is the same symptoms, the same part of the body, even if it's the same injury, they got hit the same way. But what I found is to kind of throw that out, because they didn't have the same upbringing, they don't have the same stressors on a day-to-day, they don't have the same life, and I think all of that stuff really actually makes us who we are individually, but it also is what heals us too. So I think that's what I love about the work. So much is that I don't have to put people in categories of their symptoms. All I have to do is say, okay, I have this one person here, let me hear their story, what's their story? And on a subconscious level, not even on a conscious level, because what we may find is they come in with hip pain or pelvis or trauma, whatever it is, but actually it's something all the way up in their head. You know, that's affecting lower because of something that may have happened. So, like we don't, I really try not to put each person in like a container, like all concussions do this, all headaches, all pelvis do this. And that's what I love about the work too, because people come in the door and I have no idea what we're going to be doing that day, because it depends what their story is on the table or, I guess, online. And I think that's where the power is.

Speaker 1: 28:16

In fact, the other day, my client said what I love this work is that you're treating me, you know, even to the point where she's like show. Well, you know, should I do this, should I do that, or should I come back in a day? Should I come back in a week? Should I? You know, what should I do? And I said let's treat you first and then see what you need, cause I can say lots of things but I haven't touched you yet and I don't know. And let's see what you need, and what you need today, because what you need today might be different than what you need tomorrow or next week, because everything impacts us. All that stress, you know right, of the nervous system it all impacts us and so, yeah, so I like to really keep an open mind and treat each individual as an individual.

Speaker 2: 29:07

Yeah, I love when I get the answer. So, how does it work with you? Like, what do clients do and what are the sessions? And I'm like it's an individual basis, so it's the client to find out. What is it that they want to do? What do they want to engage with? Are they full force that they really want to dive in deep and they really want to tackle, or is their lifestyle making it that they can only do a little by little?

Speaker 2: 29:35

So and she's like I really like that Like you put the person back in the driver's seat.

Speaker 2: 29:40

I'm like I'm not here to sign out prescription.

Speaker 2: 29:42

I do not sign out prescription pads or tell you like what you're to do is it's like we do our sessions and then I'll remind you like of the work that you need to engage with internally so that you can have the benefit of regulating your nervous system and feeling those authentic emotions and holding space while you're discovering new things, while the old part and the new part are kind of tussling and conflicting with each other.

Speaker 2: 30:12

Yet at the end of the day, I want to return the autonomy to you and it's funny how a lot of people like tell me what to do like what, how does this work and what is it going to go? And it's like, can we take a breath and just be here right now and let me you know? Let's meet each other in the space, like you said beautifully, let me see what you need right now. Let's go through that process and that may even shift everything that will happen after the session, but before it's really regulating that nervous system because it wants control, it wants safety, and you're going to tell me how to make it better, how to make it okay, and it's like, actually that's your responsibility, but we have been lured out of that accountability.

Speaker 1: 30:57

Totally, totally. And I'm going to give an example. That really kind of made me see things also differently, because we are taught so many things, right, and nobody reads the book. Nobody reads the book. I mean, seriously, your body did not read that science book or whatever that. Now we're following all the directions, everyone's coming in with their own stuff and they don't even know what that is.

Speaker 1: 31:21

So I have this kiddo I treat a lot of kids as well and he's on the spectrum and his nervous system is always like up, right, really up, like jumping all over the place, not somebody who can sit still. And I tend to have a quiet environment because that is what my nervous system loves, right, I like the quiet music, right. And if you ask somebody, well, what's a relaxing place? Most people or books will say you know, it's dark, it's quiet, it's a slow music, right. Well, that's if you like that. I had this kiddo who I put that music on. I swear that irritated this boy to no end because he doesn't like that. His nervous system is stressed out by that and he asked for another song which was like a rap song, and I was like there is no way this is going to happen. But in my open-mindedness I said, let's try it, because that's my new way I did. Oh my God, the boy laid down, he was quiet, he felt safe Because I put on this music that honestly, probably disturbed my nervous system.

Speaker 1: 32:28

However, for him, it's exactly what he needs. So you cannot judge anyone really by what it's supposed to be this way, because every system is going to be different in what it needs, and what we really need to do is right. Exactly what you said is we need to listen and meet the patient where they are, because if they're in the driver's seat, who knows themselves best? Right, like, I don't know you best, you know you best and you might not tap into that yet, but if we really dig deep, you know you best. And you might not tap into that yet, but if we really dig deep, you know yourself best. There's a reason why you want the rap song versus that slow, quiet song that I'm trying to impose on you, and I think that is huge, that we can't just go by what society says or this says. We have to really, really listen, and I feel like cranial, sacral is one of the many modalities out there that really has that art of listening to a person.

Speaker 2: 33:30

Yeah, that's the biggest. Like I say, the three things that I give as a simplicity for people with healing is the nervous system needs safety. You need radical honesty to be able to see yourself, and then you need to feel. Yet if silence and stillness feel threatening to your system, you're not going to find safety. So for that boy, he's just even more hypervigilant because that doesn't feel safe. I need to have some stimulus to allow myself to get to that degree. I cannot go from 100 to zero like that. So I need something to taper me down and unfortunately you know we have been given these wrong narratives that this is what this looks like and it's like that's not for everybody. Diversity and uniqueness, that there's a reason why we have those names and it's a reason why we have that in life, because if it was always the same temple, nothing would flourish in the world.

Speaker 1: 34:29

Right, totally, and I think like they have to be seen also in a positive light. You know, uniqueness a lot of times has this negative connotation, like oh, they're unique, but it's actually beautiful. Yeah, they're unique, and I think we have to change that a little bit.

Speaker 2: 34:46

Yeah, yeah, exactly Cause it's work. I just want to go with my conditions and my belief systems and don't have me do some critical thinking and to have to regulate my own nervous system. When you just regulate me, I don't have to do the work to regulate myself. Yet when you do the work to regulate, you better understand yourself even more, of your biases, of your protection, of your defense mechanisms of your nervous system. And those are all work like.

Speaker 2: 35:14

They're heavy waves that you have to swim through and you know the neural energy that gets depleted from that. It's taxing. So I get it where, just put them in a box so I don't have to tap into my nervous system to see if there's safety. I'd rather just intellectualize everything and you know, look at what it's done for the world. There's a lot more damage in people seeking help, and mental health is at an all time high of people really not knowing how to relate to themselves or what's going on in their inner world. So coming back home into their body is a really important one and I'm very thankful for the work that, in the light that you're providing out in the world, it's totally appreciated. I want to bring you into a reflective question. I want to ask you to bring your awareness right now and to go back to your 18 year old self, and you have three words to tell your 18 year old self to carry you through the journey to right now. What would those words be?

Speaker 1: 36:22

Oh my gosh. Okay, I would say trust, don't be afraid, and you're good enough.

Speaker 2: 36:33

Are you? Willing to share why those those answers.

Speaker 1: 36:37

Yeah, I feel like, okay, well, in a nutshell, I mean, I feel like when I was younger, it was very I felt like stifled, like I felt like I didn't have enough to say once, once again, I guess, going back to that perfection, you know, if it wasn't, if I didn't know the answer, if I didn't or if I was kind of iffy about the answer or I didn't do something perfectly, or actually, if someone just did it better, which it seemed like everybody did something better than me back then, right, like they were smarter, they had it all together, whatever it was. You know, and I just am realizing, as I'm now in my 50s, that that's such a crock of shit. I'm sorry, but it's such bull Like you don't need to know all that you are. Everybody is so enough on their own. Everybody has something that I'm going to put quote unquote they're good at that, they're an expert at, and even if that something is just you're an expert at you, then yay, rise and shine with that. Rise and shine with that.

Speaker 1: 37:51

And then, just, you know, trust that, because I think there's always that, like you know, mind in our head that is not our friend. That's like, oh, you can't do that or you can't do this. And you know, you ever have an idea like you're like, oh my God, I'm going to open a business and I'm going to do all these things, and I'm really excited and you're go, go, go and then like what happens? Like you go to bed, you wake up the next morning and you're like, oh my God, I can't do that because I don't, I don't know business. Like, how am I going to open? No, who's going to come? Right, all this stuff, this story comes in your head and who is that person telling me those things? Right, that's, that's nobody. That's nobody. That's nobody we are.

Speaker 1: 38:30

We don't need to have all the answers, we don't need to be the perfect one to do all the things. I think just showing up, trusting and taking that one step to get to the next step is enough. And I wish I knew that when I was 18, because I think it would have helped me have so much more confidence in myself. You know, I just believe that once again, that I was enough. And now I know that, I know I'm enough. I know that and I hope that my kids see that and I'm modeling that for them.

Speaker 1: 39:07

And I think I am, because even the other day my daughter goes. You know she's getting all worried she and her roommate from college is not going to be her roommate anymore, and then she's all this stuff and of course all the drama breaks out right and then she goes. I'm just telling myself some stories and I'm like thank you, thank you. I've modeled enough to know that this is chatter in your head and has nothing to do with reality.

Speaker 2: 39:34

Mm-hmm or in your head and has nothing to do with reality, and that's the nervous system, sending those defense mechanisms of protection, of trying to find the possibilities of negative biases. I'm going to throw you all the possible problems. We take it as a way to stump us rather than oh, these are all just scenarios that are possible, that could happen. Yet I have to do the work of the positive scenarios because the nervous system's only built out a negative bias, it's don't die. So it's going to look at all the things that are problems and the work is okay. Take down the defense mechanisms of the nervous system so you can be in your vulnerability and in that one self of seeing all these opportunities and possibilities. Yet that shaping of the nervous system, it's drowning. We all know. When that story and that narrative comes up, it's like I can't do anything. Viscerally in my body, I am stuck.

Speaker 2: 40:28

There is a reason why they say fight, flight, fawn or freeze, like they are literal, physiological things that happen in our biology and be able to interact and, like I always remind myself, it's protection, it's protection. So what? And am I even? I think in our society we don't even know how to have a proper language of are. Are you in fear? Like, are you feeling fear right now? And okay, acknowledge it. Because once it gets acknowledged, it's not like the Wizard of Oz, this big voice, you, the little man, can come out and say, okay, like you're, like you're okay, like we can feel this, this stuff, and it's like yeah, but that's its own process. To always remind ourselves like our nervous system has one function and when it gets activated it's not too nice inside our biology, yet more that we can feel the feelings and better understand like it's OK, like this isn't my identity anymore, but at a certain point it was, and you honor that, and you, you and you work through that process.

Speaker 2: 41:35

I wanted to ask also too in the sacral cranial no cranial sacral, cranial, sacral Sorry, going from the bottom up.

Speaker 2: 41:49

Are you working with the fascia and the lymphatic system for people to better understand how those um parts of their biology where you know a lot of people are like fascia what the heck is that? And it's like this thin layer of your muscle and lymphatic system. What are you talking about? Like I got to move that and let it drain out the sewer system, so could you give a little bit more detail for that? For some listeners that are like what are you talking about?

Speaker 1: 42:18

Yeah, you're actually working with everything honestly. Yes, fascia for sure. Lymphatics definitely get in the way. I find a lot of times people have a little trapped lymphatics right by their clavicles, which there's a big area there, and the problem with that is that the head needs to drain the fluid into our bodies and when things are really backed up in the chest or the lymphatics, things tend to go back, and then you have a lot of people who feel foggy or headachy or all this stuff, because it's like there's no drainage, and so a lot of times just opening that up alone is life-changing, and a lot of times that you know like COVID was a big one where people just seem to be getting stuck in that too, that actual system just kind of gets backed up when you are sick too. So that's another area. However, cranial also works in the working with the organs of the body. You know that's a huge area too. So there's some visceral work that you can do.

Speaker 1: 43:24

I actually love brain work. That's like a big thing for me, so working actually with the brain structures, and it's like weirdly, how are you getting to the brain structures Right? Well, of course that's kind of like more through an energetic piece. However, I am just kind of feeling. If I'm with their cranium and I'm feeling in their cranium, we kind of go through the layers, you know. First it's kind of the skull, then there's the membrane. The membrane tends to get really protective, like you said, in the nervous system. If something is protecting, that membrane is like we are going to hold on and it's tight and that can cause all sorts of issues. And remember, that membrane goes around our brain but comes out like a little hole in our head, I like to call it and turns into this what we call the dural tube that goes around our spine and so it's all connected right, and that fascial system is all connected. It's holding everything together.

Speaker 1: 44:22

So what I always like to say too, it's like you can't just work on one part of the body. I know we do right, like we go for surgery, we surgery, we have, you know you have a ankle sprain. You know people just hone in. But, however, if you ever like, just take your shirt and you just like, pull your shirt right, you pull your shirt and you have a knot at the bottom, but you can see the ripples all the way up, and so that's like, I think, of the fascial system for sure. It's like if I have a knot in my fascia somewhere it's rippling out to maybe my shoulder, to my neck, you know. So we have to take care of all of it. And with cranial, once again, we're listening to the body and we're going through all those restrictions.

Speaker 1: 45:10

So one thing, you know, it's like I could be working once again down at the pelvis and all of a sudden someone's like oh, my head just released. Yeah, it did, you know like that. And it, you know, it's never shocking. You're like yeah, of course it did. Yeah, because we're all connected, you know, and there are things that mimic each other in the body. You know, the temporal bones in our head which are around the ear, they tend to mimic, like those hip, you know. And pelvis, you know there's, there's just different areas, that kind of like the sacrum, that butt bone down there mimics, mimics the back of the head. They tend to balance each other out. So there are things that if we're working on the top, we're working on the bottom. If we're working on the bottom, we're working on the top.

Speaker 2: 45:54

They're all interconnected and that fascial system is really important because it's holding all of it together they hear muscles so they just think you know my biceps and my triceps and my this and it's like do you even know about the invisible muscle lining of the fascia and how that can really impact things? And it's like what are you talking about? And it's like no, no, we don't have that kind of muscle. I'm like, yeah, we weren't. Unless you really went into science and biology, you weren't taught about the fascia. Some people are like I've never even heard that word before. So I just help to do that micro of understanding holistically how complex the body is. Yet we're going to communicate it all so it's not just one part like there's so much depth to it and you want to re-signal it so that all the parts are communicating and that there's a homeostasis happening again and not everybody's arguing like at a family reunion that there's actually harmony in there.

Speaker 1: 47:01

Yeah, exactly, and I think a big thing is, a lot of people will have pain or have a symptom, right, and they go and they go get checked, but maybe their muscles are just as strong as they need to be, they have full range of motion, maybe all the tests are coming out just fine, and that's what happens a lot of times. I'm sure you see these people too. It's like they have a symptom, but like everything looks normal, right, because on the surface, yeah, sure, but you got to really dig deeper, like what is that core piece? That's kind of setting out the you know, the alert in you, right, and causing all those other things to then feel like, oh, this is pain. Now, pain is communication of something in your body. It's giving you a signal. And here's the deal.

Speaker 1: 47:53

We probably had smaller signals along the way that we just ignored, you know, and so you know, just like you do, I'm sure it's like cranial cycle we have to peel back the layers, right, we're going to get to the most superficial layer. That's maybe that, that pain that you're feeling, but like then, what's the next layer? What's the next layer? What's that core piece? That was the thing maybe we ignored back in the day and that could have been an emotional piece. That may not even be a physical piece right, like our body wants to always move forward in any situation. Right, and it, like you said, always wants to protect us. So there may have been. It could even be a simple like right with big T's, little t's right. It could be a simple trauma, like you were in school and your teacher told you that something you know embarrassed you in front of the class because you didn't read something right or just whatever. You felt insignificant. Boom, we're going to bottle that up. We're going to tuck it down because we need to move forward to that next class or finish this class or whatever it is.

Speaker 1: 49:04

Now, all of a sudden, I fell down the stairs and in that same location I bottled something else up. Okay, we're going to put another bubble over that one and we're going to stuff it down in our body Cause I need to get up and go to work and whatever it is, and all these things are like stuck in our tissue till we honestly run out of room. And all of a sudden we come in. We're like I got this weird shoulder pain. Well, is it that you got this real shoulder pain out of nothing. Or as we uncover those layers, all of a sudden these stories start to arise and we realize it's been like a lifetime of little, small teeth that built up and our body just had no way of releasing it from the actual tissue.

Speaker 2: 49:54

Yeah yeah, well said, well explained. It's that somatic and we don't realize the suppressing of our emotions, the defense mechanisms toward vulnerability. We become out into the worldly world and don't know how to be authentic and be with ourselves and trust ourselves, because on the outside we were told these parts aren't acceptable. So you splinter and now to come back, the body's like oh no, we need to signal back now. These are too many holes with an H going on out here and we need to be a hole with a W. So let's come do. And that's that shadow work that people speak about.

Speaker 2: 50:35

Yet the shadow work doesn't have to be daunting. Is it processing shit? Oh yeah, it is. It doesn't feel good in certain points because there's a part where you're having to be accountable to see where you haven't been able to honor and hold space for yourself. But this isn't in a way of blame, it's a way of understanding. No one gave me the tools for this. I had no idea how to do this. I didn't know how to process this. I didn't know how to feel this.

Speaker 2: 51:03

Nobody talks really in depth of what that looks like internally and how it can impact. We're just told keep numbing it, don't listen to the body Just keep numbing pain, where, eventually, pain gets too much, where it's like, oh, we got some big work to do because the body is like I ain't doing it no more. So unless you do something, I ain't doing it no more. And it's like, oh my gosh, and that's you know. It's being able to see that every shadow part that you have, there's a glimmer part to it. It's all in protection. I understand it may be inconvenient, it may be irritating, it may be causing some depths of suffering, psychologically, emotionally.

Speaker 2: 51:54

We awakening to seeing what you've tolerated in your life, what you've accepted, what you have allowed in your life, where you want to place blame on the other person and, yes, they have their part. Yet at a certain point you have to see that you didn't know what your worth was, you didn't understand how to support your energy and so you felt that you had to dim and contort to belong in certain places. But now that you're seeing okay, I don't have to your energy changes within your system, there is an opening where that blockage comes out because you know being around certain people, it really changes your energy. It's a real thing. We're feeling bodies that think and how we treat ourselves is very indicative.

Speaker 2: 52:35

Yet again, have we been taught tools? Check in? How are you talking to yourself? What are you actually feeling, what? What are you avoiding? What do you not want to feel? What are you avoiding in conflict or confrontation, where you don't feel you have the ability to communicate these things or be honest or truthful about things, and that's its own process. Are you willing to share what your intention was at the beginning of the meditation?

Speaker 1: 53:02

Oh, I have to remember I think it was. I just wanted to be honestly. I think I was open. I just wanted to be open, honest and to inform people.

Speaker 2: 53:12

And that's exactly what you did. I know now people are like okay, Nat, Nat, enough talking, Can we find out where we can find Lisa? So can you let the listeners know where they can find you and what offerings you have? Sure.

Speaker 1: 53:28

So I think my websites are the best place to find all the information. So if you're interested in actual cranial sacral work, you can go to mapletoncstcom, and that has blog posts and articles and videos all about cranial sacral therapy. My goal is to educate people. It also has a visualization exercise that you can do. That's on there too, so I would go there for any craniosacral work or even nervous system education, and then my Real Life Moms podcast. You know mental, physical and emotional wellness for moms. So if you're a parent and you want that support, there's once again, there's blog posts, there is the visualization exercise on there as well, and there's a bunch of podcasts and Nat Nat's on one of our recent podcasts, so you can check her out there too of podcasts, and Nat Nat's on one of our recent podcasts, so you can check her out there too.

Speaker 2: 54:39

And it just has a lot of resources and information on both, on both platforms, yeah, and I've checked out a few of the episodes on the podcast and it is a wealth of resources for mothers to let down their guard of superwoman and just be so that they can feel a sense of belonging and that they're not alone and see things from different. Be so that they can feel a sense of belonging and that they're not alone and see things from different perspectives, so that they can, you know, do that exhale, not be holding their breath so much. So I thank you for offering the wealth of knowledge out there for people to you know have access to. Is there anything that you would like to leave the listeners you know have access to? Is?

Speaker 1: 55:13

there anything that you would like to leave the listeners? Yeah, I think I'd like to just say I guess it goes back to trust yourself. You know, if you're somebody who's been suffering from something like you don't feel good and you go to the doctor and they're not finding anything, Whatever it is, just trust yourself, because you do know yourself best and you are not crazy. I have a lot of people who come into my practice and it feels like it's the first time anyone ever really heard them, Because when we don't know the answer, a lot of times people will say, yeah, there's nothing wrong because we don't know, it's not in my scope.

Speaker 1: 55:53

But if you feel it in your gut that there's something not right, you're the best person to know that. You know yourself the best. Even if blood tests are coming out fine and all these things are coming fine, there is someone out there for you. Whether that's someone like Nat Nat in your type of work, or craniosacral therapy or something there is something out there for you to make sure you're getting the help that you need. So trust your gut and keep and just keep going, keep going and finding that right, that right person for you.

Speaker 2: 56:29

Yeah, and that will probably require you to go into the unknown and uncertainty. Like Lisa explained, you know, her mind only had a certain box or a certain parameter that she was going to find her tools in, and to go anything beyond that, it was like no, no, no, it's all in this little parameter. So it takes engaging of going into some unknown and uncertainty and experiencing some new experiences, which is very uncomfortable for the biology. Yet when you have enough pain, that suffering and that pain will prompt you to go into that unknown and uncertainty, and there's a wealth of knowledge and tools that are there. Yet in that it's putting the onus back on you that you are your medicine, you are your healer and that there's some work that you need to do. Like I remind people, I'm like okay, at the beginning of our work it's going to be me that's helping, so it's an I, and then we go into a we and then it goes into a you. So it's that modeling of okay, at first I'm just going to show you and open the space so that you see what's possible and we're going to work together. Yet at a certain point the autonomy is placed back on you that you're going to keep this up and you're going to start honoring your body and listening to the messages.

Speaker 2: 57:51

And it doesn't mean it's a one time. You know, I understand in this age everybody just wants that microwave solution, quick pill, everything is good and there's no. Arriving Like life is traumatic in itself. Being human is traumatic in itself, so we always need modalities that will help us navigate and understand our biology and support it. So I just want to put that disclaimer because I understand my mind also would like to arrive at a place where there's just safety, and I know it all and it's like you know that is an illusion of suffering. It's better to be in the I don't know and be open of curiosity and learning new things. Yet that takes the power of choice and it takes the power of you know, being consistent, of doing the tools and going deeper within yourself to better understand your biology and your experiences. Thank you so much, lisa.

Speaker 2: 58:50

As always, this has been a delightful and playful conversation and for the listeners, I want to let you know everything that lisa has said. It's going to be in the show notes because if you had any inclination where something sparked curiosity or you felt like, oh wait, I can hear my story and what Lisa is saying. Please reach out to her. Do not push away this nudge that is coming to you. There's a frequency and there's something of an opening that Lisa has for you, so follow through with that and, as I said, all of her information will be in the show notes so that it's easily clickable and she will be reached very easily. And, like I said, you know you're a light bringer in this world. You are showing, you know, people a different way to come back into their body and to have wellness and joy and playfulness in their life. So thank you for everything that you do.

Speaker 1: 59:50

Thank you, and thank you for having me and all the work you're doing and this podcast that's helping so many other people. So thank you.

Speaker 2: 59:58

Please remember to be kind to yourself. Hey, you made it all the way here. I appreciate you and your time. If you found value in this conversation, please share it out. If there was somebody that popped into your mind, take action and share it out with them. It possibly may not be them that will benefit. It's that they know somebody that will benefit from listening to this conversation. So please take action and share out the podcast. You can find us on social media on Facebook podcast. You can find us on social media on Facebook, instagram and TikTok under Lift One Self. And if you want to inquire about the work that I do and the services that I provide to people, come over on my website, come into a discovery, call liftoneselfcom. Until next time, please remember to be kind and gentle with yourself. You matter.