Headaches are often treated as an isolated problem, something that happens in the head. In my experience, headaches are rarely just about the head itself. They’re about pressure, holding, strain, and a nervous system that hasn’t fully been able to settle.

Many clients I see have tried everything: hydration, supplements, chiropractic care, massage, medications, and lifestyle changes. Sometimes those help, and sometimes they don’t. Often, there’s a deeper layer that hasn’t yet been addressed. The body’s internal tension patterns and the way the nervous system has adapted over time.

Craniosacral therapy works gently with those underlying patterns, offering the body an opportunity to release what it’s been holding and reestablish ease.

Headaches Are Often a Whole Body Experience

Even when pain shows up in the head, it’s rarely originating from just one place.

Common contributors to headaches include:

chronic neck and shoulder tension
jaw clenching or TMJ patterns
stress and nervous system overload
postural strain
old injuries or whiplash
emotional holding or prolonged vigilance
lack of true restorative rest

Over time, the body adapts to stress by tightening, bracing, and compensating. These patterns can subtly restrict circulation, fluid movement, and nerve signaling, all of which can contribute to the recurrence of headaches.

Craniosacral therapy doesn’t chase symptoms. It listens for where the system is stuck and supports the body in unwinding from the inside out.

What Craniosacral Therapy Is and How It Works

Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, hands-on modality that works with the craniosacral system. The membranes, fluid, and connective tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Using a light touch, the practitioner listens to the body’s natural rhythms and areas of restriction. Rather than forcing change, the work creates conditions where the nervous system can downshift, and the tissues can release on their own.

This matters for headaches because the head, neck, and nervous system are deeply interconnected. When the system feels safe enough to soften, headaches often reduce naturally.

How Craniosacral Therapy Specifically Supports Headache Relief

1. Reducing Nervous System Overload

Many headaches are closely tied to stress and nervous system activation, even when we don’t consciously feel stressed.

Craniosacral therapy helps shift the body out of “fight or flight” and into a parasympathetic state, where repair and regulation can occur. As the nervous system settles, headache frequency and intensity often decrease.

2. Releasing Deep Neck and Occipital Tension

The occipital area (where the skull meets the neck) is a common source of headache pain. This region can hold years of tension from posture, stress, and injury.

Gentle craniosacral work in this area can:

ease compression
improve circulation
reduce pulling through the head and temples

Many clients notice relief that feels different from a massage, deeper and longer-lasting.

3. Supporting Fluid and Pressure Balance

Craniosacral therapy works with the subtle movement of cerebrospinal fluid. When this system is restricted, pressure can build and contribute to headache patterns.

By supporting freer fluid movement, the body can rebalance internally, often reducing the “pressure” or “band-like” sensation many people describe.

4. Addressing Jaw, Face, and Cranial Holding

Jaw tension, clenching, and facial holding are common, especially during stress or sleep. These patterns can refer pain into the temples, eyes, and head.

Craniosacral therapy gently addresses these areas without aggressive manipulation, helping the system let go of deeply ingrained holding patterns.

5. Supporting the Body After Injury or Medical Stress

Old concussions, whiplash, dental work, surgeries, or medical stress can leave residual tension in the cranial system long after the event has passed.

Craniosacral therapy offers a non-invasive way to help the body complete healing processes that may have been interrupted, often improving chronic headache patterns over time.

What a Session for Headaches Feels Like

Sessions are quiet and deeply restful. You remain fully clothed, lying comfortably on the table. Touch is light and respectful, and the pace is slow.

Some people feel:

a sense of melting or softening
warmth or gentle movement
emotional release
deep relaxation or sleep

Others simply notice that headaches lessen, become less frequent, or resolve more quickly after sessions.

There’s no right way to experience the work and your body leads the process.

How Many Sessions Are Helpful?

This varies depending on the person and the nature of their headaches.

Some people experience noticeable relief after one session. Others benefit from a short series to help the nervous system establish a new baseline of ease. We move at a pace that feels supportive, not prescriptive.

A Gentle Perspective on Healing Headaches

Headaches are not a failure of your body. They’re often a message, a sign that something has been held for too long without enough support.

Craniosacral therapy offers a way to listen to that message without force. Instead of pushing through or overriding symptoms, we create space for the body to reorganize and restore balance naturally.

An Invitation

If headaches have been part of your life, whether occasional or chronic, craniosacral therapy offers a different kind of support. One that respects your nervous system, works gently with your body, and doesn’t require you to push or endure more.

If you’re curious, you’re welcome to reach out with questions or schedule a session in an open, supportive space for your body to find relief.

With care,
Darcy

How Craniosacral Therapy Helps Relieve Headaches Naturally