For your baby

Meeting you and your child

My first priority is to establish a trusting relationship with your baby and you in order to address your concerns for him. The overall pace and priorities of the session are set by your child and you. Babies respond best to quiet, gentle touch that follows his rhythms, movement and cues.

During the first year your baby undergoes rapid growth and development. Sessions vary widely. For newborns I provide breastfeeding support and help in resolving difficult birth. Your baby may still have these challenges as the months go on. I help babies when they are quiet or when expressing their distress. We may have playful interactions or mobile tracking for your baby on the move. Your baby leads the session.

Hands on therapies

Depending on your concerns for your baby, our session will begin with either the gentle touch of craniosacral therapy, or with developmental movement therapy. I often find babies can benefit from both, so I will check-in with you when I wonder how related development is coming along, and make suggestions that address your child’s needs holistically.

I explain anatomical and physiological processes in lay terms to parents to provide a context for your baby’s experience. I provide materials specific to babies, anatomical systems, and neuro-development.

Unwinding difficult birth

When a baby feels that he is met, both in his wholeness and in his places of restriction, he will put me to work on unwinding fascia or on opening cranial bones that are misaligned. Babies work very hard to get their bones and fascia in good alignment and ease. Without session work, they may cry inconsolably in either discomfort or to create internal pressure to move their bones.

Craniosacral therapy with fascia unwinding provides effective resolution of many birth trauma problems. Your baby may revisit his birth journey and unwind through movement. He may tell us his birth story through cries and movement. He may tell us how hard it was and perhaps how emotional it was. His healing journey can move along with our willingness to witness and stay with your baby through this difficult experience that are now held within his body. With our loving listening and skillful touch, your baby can find the way to move through and to move on.

Above all I encourage you to trust your baby and yourself as you tune into your baby. If you have had a difficult birth, your baby did too. She may have had a difficult passage, even if your experience was not overwhelming. Your baby may process her birth emotionally, telling her story through crying and movement.

Assessment

Along with your concerns and insights about your baby, you will provide an intake record of pregnancy, birth and your baby’s history. Through touch and observation, I identify areas that your baby needs specific support. Your baby tells us everything about what is going on for her inside through her activities, movement, vocalizations and gestures. During session I give you an ongoing commentary on what I observe for your baby.

Home program

I will give you a simple home program for follow-up care. Your day-to-day support of your baby provides her best care, and increases affordability for your family.

Course of sessions

The initial intake review of your baby’s history, assessment, hands-on support and home program is generally 1:30 hours. Follow-up sessions are usually 1:00 hour, and may vary.

Arrange a session

Contact Catherine to schedule a session. Fill out intake forms and bring them to your first session. Prepaid, discounted therapy packages are also available.

Questions