This acronym is used quite commonly in the birth community, and given my background I have been sharing this for close to a decade! I've really been emphasizing it's expanded use into everyday healthcare settings - to help you better achieve your mind, body, spirit goals. 

How isn't a simple answer! If you're ready to take your first step towards taking back your authority please take a few minutes to read all that you might not have know was available through Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy and my own unique spin on healing arts to help ​You Become The Best You.

I'm Julie Pokorny -  a Registered Craniosacral Therapist, Doula, Reiki Master, and Geologist! I often joke that I had to orient to the earth before I could delve into healing the mind, body, and spirit. I've been into healing arts for almost 10 years now, and I couldn't be more honored and humbled by the hundreds of families I have crossed paths with. 
I'm a little unique in that I specifically seek out education, institutions, and modalities that are outside regulatory western medicine models. I am drawn to, and find greatest healing through eastern, holistic, and energy healing modalities. You can learn more about my background HERE. 
I never want to take classes that emphasize the provider as the authority of knowing and power. It becomes muscle memory, we do what we learn, and I want to have the most holistic training under my belt. It's what drew me towards midwifery, doula work, craniosacral therapy, and now integrative and functional nutrition. 

 Western and traditional American medicine emphasizes a top down power dynamic. This means your provider inevitably gatekeeps the information to health, wellness, and happiness. The focus is on how can the doctor FIX YOU and make a profit. To FIX YOU - they need to identify something that is broken. There is a lot that can be broken in a mind and body - and it absolutely can be useful to receive a diagnosis if that is what helps you feel safer and more understood. The separation between western and holistic healing is YOU do not become your diagnosis label. A diagnosis/label in the western model creates the ailment a provider can now either fix, or explain away their own limited abilities when they can not heal you. In the holistic model a diagnosis/label can be an opening towards collecting resources, tools, understanding, community, and deeper loving compassion for the uniqueness that makes you, YOU. 
In my practice, I see a lot of the "outcasts". The people who Western Medicine can not fix, and therefore disregard as permanently broken and destined for a lifetime of disease. These are the people with PTSD, Ehlers Danlos and hypermobility, fibromyalgia, chronic depression, ADD, unexplained pain, anxiety, endometriosis, PCOS, infertility, birth trauma, the list goes on! The people who are not resigned to taking medications that only band aid the symptoms for the rest of their lives. 
The holistic approach is two fold, we get to the true root cause of your dysfunctions AND create space for you to create a loving understanding Mindshift of what it is to be in your mind and body. 
Science hasn't caught up to a lot. And I say this as a Geochemical and toxicology researcher that worked in a BioGeoChemical Laboratory for 5 years. Doctors outright dismiss things their equipment, technology, and education tell them don't exist. 
The Chakras have been understood for thousands of years, and it wasn't until recently did technology catch up to being able to actually measure these energy centers in the body. Think of how far all technology and tools have evolved since we were kids! Just because we can't quantify something through a device doesn't mean it isn't true. Your perception of the experience is JUST as important as a quantitative value. This is being further addressed in Integrative and Functional Medicine and Nutrition. Providers are now using clinicians and patients experience as a metric of functionality. 

•You already know what you’ve been doing isn’t working
•You want to try something, anything else to feel better
•You want to join the limitless amount of other people who have found true and lasting healing through Craniosacral Therapy
•You want to feel heard, understood, unjudged, helped, and empowered
•You want to be more than a case number
​
Craniosacral Therapy is for almost everyone. Through the years I've narrowed down my focus. My specialties include bellies, birth, babies, and children & mental health and trauma. I have found the two go immensely well together. Often times our own experience in the womb, our birth, our childhoods shape us into the adults we are today. By having the deep knowledge of perinatal and childhood development I am better able to identify when, where, why, and how a particular dysfunction might be manifesting itself. Understanding how the physical endocrine (hormonal) and gut health impacts the psyche - and healing from the inside out. 
All while holding you as the gatekeeper to your own health and happiness. Personally, I find the least amount of healing when I got to a provider, they spend 20 minutes with me without truly listening to understand, prescribe me something (yes even if its a supplement) and send me on my way. I want to know what is going on with my body, and the only way a provider can truly understand who I am, where I am coming from, and how I function is to create a slow, resonate, healing space that trusts me as the authority of my own experience. ​

Intake: focus on feelings and embodiment of experience vs the retelling of a tale. How does your CNS respond to your story?
Table Work In Person or Distance Healing for Virtual Appointments: Fully clothed, positioning as comfortable and able.
•Grounding and settling
•Feeling rhythms and tides of the body
•Identifying imbalances + sources of health
•Negotiated touch and holding
Transformation and Depth
•Access to resourcing
•How can you take the calm stillness with you to build resiliency to the everyday stresses of life
Debrief: your experience over therapists perception
Follow Up: Emails with resources, referrals, education, and empowerment

Craniosacral Sessions at Charm City Craniosacral are hard to describe but I'll do my best! Our technique through CST uses an energetically and anatomically guided touch to balance and heal the bones, fascia, nerves, and well being of the central nervous system. This CNS is the core running of you - your homeostasis, sympathetic response (fight flight freeze fawn), parasympathetic (rest digest heal). In healing the central nervous system it is impossible not to interact with the SomatoEmotional content that the body, mind, and sprit have been holding. This is the emotions, traumas, happinesses, and experiences your CNS holds and utilizes as a guiding core to your physical and emotional health. It is both anatomical and energetic - in that there are particular structures that drive particular forces, that allow optimal functioning of systems. For example your sphenoid bone needs to be able to move in the craniosacral rhythm to allow pumping of the cerbral spinal fluid around the pituitary gland to allow optimal hormone signaling AND how did it get locked down and unable to move in the first place? It isn't enough for a provider to "fix" the problem, the body's score will pull it back to how it was - this is what is has dubbed safe and effective. To truly heal, we need to address the primary force, emotion, and energy that causes the dysfunctions. 

We create this unique space by allowing the mind, body, and spirt to settle into Theta and Delta brain waves. This means touch is slow, perfectly resonant with your boundaries and desires, moves exactly when you feel it needs to, glides and stretches when your body requests it, and allows you the space of loving non-judgement to let whatever come up, release, and heal what needs to. 

All I ask is for you to be open to the possibilities - and witness the magic.  

I am forever in awe of the possible healing accessible through this work. To share some of my own and other's experiences of this work may help open the mind to the possibilities of transformational healing. 

• CST helped me acknowledge out loud that I was done with my marriage and that a good amount of my hormonal and sexual issues were from trying to fit myself into a box I didn't want to be in. 
• I have Ehlers Danlos and never knew when I could push my body or when to stop. I would end up unable to walk almost every night. I now deeply feel that edge and listen when I need to stop - all without also feeling like that little girl who would get in trouble if I wasn't helping. I didn't know I'd need to heal both my inner child and my adult self, and somehow CST with Julie helped me with both. 
• I didn't know my back pain was from my body trying to protect itself. My back pain stopped when we helped my body realize it didn't need protection from my childhood anymore. I've seen so many people and had surgery for this issue, and Julie knew both the medical anatomy and holistic touch. I wish I had started here sooner.
• I'm pretty sure Julie's a witch! They always find and touch exactly where it hurts, and where it makes me feel like I need to cry in a good way. 
• I couldn't stand my children touching me anymore, and felt like a really horrible mom. CST helped me not only calm my body to be touched, but helped me figure out what tools work for me EVERYDAY to keep myself available to my children and voice my boundaries without feeling like I'm harming them. 
• I noticed myself getting really anxious and instead of becoming the anxious person, I realized I was the one who was feeling anxiety - and I used that version of self to notice the feeling and let it pass. Panic Attack Free!

You are the ultimate voice of your mind, body, and spirit.
There is absolutely a time and place for all options of interventions - medicine, therapies, surgeries, treatments, etc. You should feel empowered in all the going ons of you! 
In my early doula career it took me by surprise that many of my clients would listen to whatever their provider said, overriding what they had initially said their desires were. It took a lot of awareness for me to realize that listening and handing over of power was their ultimate authoritative voice. It makes them feel safer, calmer, trusting, held, supported. 

This is the key and secret to unlocking your ultimate authority of self. No one but you can tell you what works for you. 
​
We are not all the same individual and do not all need to experience the same path of life. What works for one may not work for everyone, and may not work for you. Having someone on your side that helps you navigate 

• How to listen
• What are the variations you might hear
• What would it feel like to follow that voice
• How to stand up for yourself when your voice is at odds with others

Personally, I find this is the depth of Craniosacral Therapy that is beyond what I'm able to communicate in a blog, my social media, or in networking with others. How do you share that there is a modality based out of osteopathy that finds, lovingly sees, unbiasedly heals, and offers you the reigns to your own life experience?

If you're ready, let's get started.
In Person - Ellicott City, Maryland
or Virtual Distance Healing 

Part 1 - Basic Information about Tethered Oral Tissues
Part 2 - Whole Body Anatomy and TOT 
Part 3 - Craniosacral Therapy Impacts, Pre & Post Care Information 

Whole Body Anatomy
Of course any tethered oral tissues will affect oral motor capabilities and health - this makes sense the area of tightness is in the mouth, so the mouth would be directly affected. 

A common misconception is that the affects of a tethered oral tissue only remains in the mouth. Here we're really going to focus on tongue ties and how they impact the rest of the body. 
Fascial tissue is a type of connective tissue made primarily from collagen that surrounds and binds body parts together. If you've ever peeled that weird white layer off a chicken breast - that is fascial tissue. It can be thought of as an elastic band- with a certain threshold of stretchability before it starts to pull on other structures, or in some instability cases, breaks. 

One of the ways the whole body is impacted is through the deep front fascial plane, seen in the picture, that goes from the head and tongue all the way down to the toes. 
​
A tight, immobile, frenulum under the tongue can create a fulcrum of tension, immobility, and dysfunction down this entire front line.

Infants
A few key movements are needed for an infant to properly nurse at the breast/chest. 

• Relax whole body into a slight flexion curl against nursing person's body
• Look/tilt head slightly upwards - (a bit why you'll hear baby's nose to nipple!)
• Drop jaw wide enough to take in large portion of areola not just nipple tip
• Create proper seal from cupping of tongue against breast/chest - Babies must be able to form a proper seal so that a pressure change can be created that brings the milk out of the breast. Think drinking through a straw! You can't bring as much, if any, liquid up through your straw if there is a hole in the straw or your lips aren't closed correctly. 
• Coordinate Suck, Swallow, Breathe

Let's put ourselves in our baby's experience:

• Imagine you are having to get to that point of stretching where your body says AH! Stop! We can't go any further! - only to have another person come and without asking  pushes you farther into the stretch. It'd probably make you feel anywhere from unsafe, to pain, sadness, to guarded and wary they're going to do it again. This is part of the dysregulated dynamic that occurs when a baby goes to be with their nursing parent and they already start screaming, won't relax in your arms, won't take your breast/chest, won't settle down.. etc. We've created a dynamic that breaks their trust! They're wary and not at ease, and creating extra guarding patterns to prevent further pain and discomfort. 
• Hold the area under you chin firmly and try to tilt your head even just a little upwards, then try opening your mouth nice and wide. GAH! 
• Ever become frustrated and just give up when you have to suck through a really windy bendy straw or a straw with a hole. It's just not getting the job done! Or then "luckily" your nursing person has a really active letdown and now it's like trying to drink through the straw while someone is tipping the cup at you! 
• And you have to do all of this while you're experiencing all these new sensations all the time like lights, gravity, noise a max volume, peeing, pooping, gas, PARENTS! 

I don't know about you, but even just reading all that gets my heart space a little tighter and activated. And I, as an adult, have logic to try and contend with it all. 
Tethered oral tissues can be such a systemic (affecting the whole body) problem because it sets an uneasy stage for one of the core functions of a baby's life - to eat. 

Adolescents and Adults
Now we add in the functions of having to sit, crawl, walk, run, express oneself, learn, regulate stress - all from a dysregulated foundation. 

The adage " I have a TOT and I turned out FINE" is an easy one to peel away, when we start to realize just how integral and interrelated the body, mind, and spirit are. One of my favorite moments from an interaction at an expo. A dad says just that adage - whilst continually bouncing his leg, rubbing his temples from a headache, shares he has ADHD and Anxiety and Depression. Fine it is <3 We'll all come to a more holistic balance when we're ready. 

Not all TOT are created equal. There are many cases where the presence of a tethered oral tissue does not equal dysfunction and something further throughout the central nervous system is the root fulcrum of dysregulation. 
Continued in PART 3.... 

Part 1 - Basic Information about Tethered Oral Tissues
Part 2 - Whole Body Anatomy and TOT 
Part 3 - Craniosacral Therapy Impacts, Pre & Post Care Information 

Understanding the Common Language
Frenulum: A piece of skin or connective tissue that anchors a semi-mobile body part.  

• There are seven frenulums in the mouth: tongue, upper and lower lip, and four buccal ties in the cheeks

Ankyloglossia aka Tongue Tie: Dysfunction in the lingual frenulum (tissue under tongue) restricting and affecting oral motor function. Ankylo means stiff, fused, or fixed and glossia means tongue. 

Lip Tie: Dysfunction in the maxillary labial frenulum (tissue under upper lip) restricting and affecting flaring of the upper lip. This can often be misdiagnosed as the lip will flare but it will cause blanching (red based tissues turning white) in the frenulum, gumline, or lip itself. Blanching would still be indicative of a restricted tissue that needs further evaluation. 

Buccal Tie: Dysfunction in the buccal frenulums that attach the cheeks to the gum line. These are often what cause those cute dimples! These aren't often treated through a release unless they are severe. 

Class/ Severity Level of Tongue Tie : Primarily, I find most providers use the classification system  from Laurence Kotlow, a pediatric dentist out of New York who is considered an expert in the field and developed the following metrics to determining the severity of a tongue tie. 

• Class 1 - From the base of the tongue, halfway to the salivary duct
• Class 2 - From the back of the salivary duct, halfway to the base of the tongue
• Class 3 - From the salivary duct, halfway to the tip of the tongue
• Class 4 - Halfway from the salivary duct, up to the tip of the tongue 

Types of Tongue Ties :   You might hear providers referring to the type of tie vs the class of tie. Often the are referencing the overall location of the tie. It can be an anterior (front) presenting ties, and/or posterior (back) ties. It is possible to have both. Posterior Tongue  Ties are important to oral motor functioning and often missed or overlooked by release providers. 

Symptoms of Tethered Oral Tissue Dysfunction
Both infants and adults may experience symptoms related to a TOT.
Infants

• Colic
• Feeding Difficulties - at breast and/or bottle. This includes clicking, popping off the breast, choking on milk flow, shallow latch, sore/blistered/cracked nipples, failure to thrive, gas, green bubbly stools, low milk supply. 
• Deep flexion preference - Flexion: curling in towards the feet. Baby experiences tension, unease, or pure inability to lay flat, extend backwards, or do any amount of quality tummy time. 
• Retained Torticollis (crooked neck), with head tilting in flexion. 
• Dysregulated feeding intervals - either too short or too long while feeding and needing more frequent feeds outside of a cluster feeding developmental leap. 
• Lip Blisters - this comes from an incorrect latch and can be from the baby is trying to stay on the breast by grasping with the lips vs maintaining connection with suction from mouth and upper palate. 
• Flat or misshaped head
• Delayed, missing, or dysfunctional developmental milestones 

Adolescents into Adulthood​

• Speech dysfunctions - particularly sounds T, TH, D, Z, R, L, and S
• Poor Oral health - cavities, bad breath, gum disease, even recession of the gums from the teeth
• TMJ Dysfunction 
• Frequent headaches, migraines, jaw, neck, and back pain
• Pelvic Floor dysfunction
• Unusually poor or dysfunctional flexibility
• Sleep Apnea
• Learning disabilities and disorders
• Over sympathetically activated nervous system that can lead to - anxiety, depression, anger, mood swings

Reason's to pay attention to your menstrual cycle,

• fertility awareness method of birth control
• notice mood and wellness patterns 
• easily identify hormone changes and disruptions
• EMPOWERMENT 

Part 1: Mensuration

• Days 0 to 3 - 5 = shedding of uterine lining 
• Low Progesterone 
• Low Estrogen
• Low (97s) Basal Body Temperature
• Bleeding
• Low, soft, open cervix
  

Part 2: Follicular Phase

• Days 5 to ~14 = preparing the body to release an egg 
• Low Progesterone 
• Rising to high Estrogen/ Estradiol
• Low (97s) Basal Body Temperature  
• Increase in fertile cervical fluid = creamy (low fertility) to egg white (most fertile)
  • ​*Any cervical fluid is considered fertile. Cervical fluid is different than vaginal discharge and will remain on fingers/toilet paper whereas vaginal discharge will disappear. *
• ​Medium height, firm to medium softness, closed to slightly open cervix
  

Part 3: Ovulation

• ~ Day 14, 24 hours long = release of the egg from the follicle in the fallopian tube 
• Initiation of rise in Progesterone
• Steep drop in Estrogen
• Slight Basal Body Temperature Drop followed by rise to high (98s) basal body temperature the day or two after ovulation 
• Egg white to watery cervical fluid 
• High, soft, open cervix 
  

Part 4: Luteal Phase 

• Days 15 - 28 = migration of egg into the uterus, body setting up for pregnancy (or lack thereof)
• High Progesterone 
• Low Estrogen
• High (98s) Basal Body Temperature 
• No cervical fluid
• Medium height, firm, closed cervix 
  

neeping track of cycle metrics will help you more easily see and understand the unique patterns of your cycle. There are many apps available through app stores, online, and even paper charts to print. 
Things to look for in a charting app

• ability to create own metrics (acne, mood, alcohol, etc.)
• cervical fluid quality and quantity observations
• basal body temperature record
• NO interpretative predictions = you'll notice some apps will offer pregnancy risk windows these are more often based off of the rhythm method and are not useful when you're learning to chart. 
• security = almost all tracking apps are required by law to share your personal information and potentially share your charting data in any legal process. Given the ongoing abortion legislation in many states, you may not want to use an app if you are in a restrictive state and would seek abortive care in the event of pregnancy.  

Personally, I have used the app Kindara for close to a decade. I appreciate the simplicity, paper like charting features, and mood phase mode! This app also has a statistics page where you can see the patterns that emerge over multiple cycles in an easy to read display. ​

Cycle tracking is an empowering tool to add to your health. It is most useful when you are off any hormonal birth control - but can still be utilized and practiced whilst on hormonal birth control. 

The more you observe, chart, and notice, the easier and more habitual it gets! You'll start to make connections between quality of life and parts of your cycle. For example, my partner knows I NEED the house cleaner whilst I'm on my luteal phase because the luteal phase hormone cocktail allows for one to focus more on the details. It has helped us to move past our monthly argument and find balance in our lives. 

There's a lot to learn and this is just the basics! For further information, especially if planning to use this symptothermal birth control method the following resources and tools will be useful to explore.  
​Clickable Amazon Links 

• Take Charge Of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler : the fertility awareness bible! everything you need to know and everything you never knew you didn't know!
• In The Flo by Alisa Vitti : cycle syncing nutrition 
• Basal Body Thermometer : must be asleep at least 4 hours before taking temperature 
• Tempdrop Basal Body Thermometer (10% off coupon CHARMCITY applied when you follow the link)  : especially helpful for people who find it difficult to take consistent temperatures with thermometer. I have used this for about 6 years and it is well worth the investment, especially whilst nursing or night shifts.