Ep370 – Jennifer on Craniosacral TherapyEp370 – Jennifer on Craniosacral Therapy
Untoxicated Podcast
Jennifer talks about how craniosacral therapy, alongside EMDR and TRE, helped her calm a chronically stressed nervous system shaped by alcohol-related trauma and court battles. The conversation highlights the difference between spa treatments and therapeutic body work, plus the importance of emotional safety and aftercare in recovery.
1:14:01•19 Oct 2026
Craniosacral Therapy, Nervous Systems and Life After Alcohol Chaos
Episode Overview
- Craniosacral therapy uses light touch on the head, spine and sacrum to help reconnect people with their bodies and reduce long-held tension.
- There is a big difference between spa-style craniosacral massage and more therapeutic work that includes conversation, full-body focus and nervous system regulation.
- Simple practices like eye-position exercises and throat-vibration sounds (humming or "vooing") can help calm the vagus nerve and support regulation at home.
- TRE and EMDR can complement craniosacral therapy, addressing both stored body tension and unhelpful thinking patterns from traumatic experiences.
- Aftercare and emotional safety are essential: scheduling downtime after sessions and protecting the home environment helps prevent re-triggering the nervous system.
“Trauma doesn't go away without healing effort.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation on the Untoxicated Podcast zooms in on something many in recovery overlook: the nervous system. Matt and Sherry Salis sit down with Jennifer, a self-described "lived-experience" expert, to talk about craniosacral therapy as a gentle but serious option for those carrying long-term stress from alcohol-fuelled chaos and emotional abuse.
Jennifer explains craniosacral therapy as a light-touch form of body work focused on the head, spine and sacrum, contrasting it with deep tissue or sports massage. She shares how years of marital distress, a five‑year custody battle and weaponised therapy left her with chronic tension, random aches and a nervous system stuck on high alert.
Traditional talk therapy and regular massage helped only so far; craniosacral work, combined with an emotionally safe environment, finally addressed the "stored stress" in her body. She walks through the difference between spa-style craniosacral sessions and more therapeutic work that includes conversation, full‑body attention and nervous system regulation. Along the way she describes practical tools she still uses, like eye‑position exercises and throat‑vibration practices such as humming or "vooing" to calm the vagus nerve.
As she puts it, "Trauma doesn't go away without healing effort." The episode also touches on TRE (trauma release exercises), EMDR, and the vital role of aftercare—planning quiet, low‑demand time after sessions rather than heading straight into work, parenting or conflict. Matt and Sherry connect this to writing prompts, body work and the need for emotionally safe home environments, especially for partners affected by alcoholism.
If your body still feels like it’s living in the chaos of addiction even though the drinking has stopped, this chat gives you plenty to think about: is your nervous system finally getting the care it deserves?
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