Oren Dotan's intergrative cranio-sacral therapy

Mr. Oren Dotan D.O is a licensed osteopath and the developer of the integrative craniosacral method. Mr.  Dotan holds training courses for therapists worldwide.
He will be holding a workshop here on Phangan from April 28 till May 7.
Welcome everyone!!

During the last decade, he has studied with the world’s best osteopaths and has studied the fields of osteopathy and craniosacral therapy. Today, he uses the method that he has developed for treatment in his clinics, in Israel and Europe he holds international workshops and courses for training therapists. In addition, he serves as a craniosacral therapy lecturer at the School of Osteopathy in Israel.

As an osteopath, I have learned to think and act according to the philosophy of Dr. Still, the founder of osteopathy.

Therefore, when I was requested to teach therapists who are not osteopaths craniosacral therapy, I could not separate the system from osteopathic theory and techniques. They are interwoven and affect each other. In this course I have chosen to combine the key strength of osteopathy – an orderly diagnostic method that allows for choosing of the most suitable therapy technique and then assess its effect on the rest of the body. Because the cranial system is connected to the fascia system of the body and serves as a kind of central axis for the body, any change that will be made in the cranial system will affect other places through fasciae.

The guiding principle of the integrative craniosacral method is based on Sutherland’s understanding that craniosacral therapy originates from osteopathy and is not a standalone therapeutic method. This understanding and the shortage that I have felt in diagnostic and therapeutic tools for the cranial method led me to seek solutions that will allow me to treat patients in a structured, effective manner. Within the search process, I tried to combine the various treatment methods that I learned (cranial, visceral and structural) to form a single method, which would allow the therapist to trace the source of problems in the cranial system to the tissue level, in the spirit of osteopathy.

Following in depth learning of the philosophy of osteopathy, studying at many prominent osteopaths in the world and based on clinical experience and profound clinical thinking, during which I examined the cranial systems and the various contexts that it maintains, through anatomic, physiological and mechanical lenses, I started to form the integrative craniosacral approach. The guideline of the approach, which is based on the osteopathic principle whereby the structure dictates that character of therapy, holds that cranial therapy is the starting point for diagnosing and treating all kinds of physical disorders – whether they originate from the cranial system or other systems that affect it. However, in order to treat using it, the contexts that it maintains with the other parts of the body must be understood and therapy tools from the visceral and mechanical world, which directly affect cranial dysfunctions, must also be acquired.

Because cranial therapy is, as mentioned, very delicate, most therapists whom I met until then tended to press each area for examination in the same manner, and therefore effectively worked on the same tissue all the time. In the spirit of osteopathy, I looked for a way that would allow for the assessment of the cranial system with great precision. After a long process of trial and error, I adopted in my therapy process the principle of the four kinds of contact, according to the four layers constituting the cranial system. This manner of contact allowed me to distinguish the different layers, identify the source of disorders (whether in the cranial system or another system that affects it) and decide in which way to treat them.

Over time, I have also developed tools that allow for immediate feedback to be obtained (tissue indicator) and showing of evidence of change that occurs in the body, in order to confirm the choice of the type of treatment and its success. For this purpose, I combined in therapy techniques from the osteopathy world in the process and formed a range of exact tests. The integration of osteopathic theories and techniques, the cranial approach and the set of new diagnosis and treatment tools has allowed me to relate to each treatment as a kind of exploration. Equipped with full understanding of the body and of the various contexts that occur in it, I have been able to assess and treat the cranial system with maximum precision, while getting an immediate response to every procedure that I have performed.

Today I train therapists for treatment using the integrative approach. In the spirit of osteopathy, studies encourage participants to think independently and act based on a combination of comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the body, alongside true attention to the statements and needs of therapists. The purpose of the training process is to allow therapists to work creatively, like artists, and develop additional techniques and contexts, according to the therapeutic tradition to which they belong.

What is integrative craniosacral therapy?

Integrative craniosacral therapy is an advanced diagnostic method whose purpose is to identify the hidden origin of the disorder from which the patient suffers. The method, which was developed by Oren Dotan, DO, uses the spirit of osteopathy and is based on the understanding that the cranial system has interrelations with the various systems of the body (mechanical and visceral).
In the spirit of this understanding, the system allows for the identification of the source of disorders in all systems of the body, through assessment of the cranial system. This is the root of the problem and its treatment leads to an immediate change in the condition of the patient and the disappearance of secondary disorders. One of the key innovations that the method presents is the formation of four different types of touch, in accordance with  the four layers constituting the cranial system (muscle, bone, dura mater and fluids), which allow for exact diagnosis of the source of the disorder down to the tissue level. The combination of osteopathy theories that are rich with anatomic-mechanical knowledge, a technique of treating the cranial system and systems that affect it and advanced diagnostic tools using touch, make integrative craniosacral therapy a diagnostic method of exceptional effectiveness. Moreover, the method entourages therapists to think independently and act as artists – to explore the body and treat it through understanding the different relations that occur in it and develop additional contexts and techniques based on the therapeutic schools in which they specialize.

So you're curing the illness, not just the symptoms?

Does the method teach how to treat the diagnosed disorders?

Certainly. The method features a logical, practical approach. Within this approach, the studies include providing of practical therapeutic techniques for each of the four layers of the cranial system and all of the layers that interact with them. In addition to this, participants refine their touch technique and learn to diagnose with great precision by palpating the cranium. The maximum precision and treatment of the cranial system and all of its physical contexts ensure high therapeutic effectiveness and prevent the recurrence of disorders. Another key property of the method is getting immediate feedback concerning the effectiveness of the therapy, through a series of objective tests that allow the therapist to know with certain ty whether the therapeutic line he has chosen is correct.

For whom are the courses intended?

For all types of therapists using touch, including physiotherapists, acupuncture therapists and masseurs, who are interested in acquiring a new, precision diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Use of the method is suitable for all types of patients and provides techniques for treating of tissues, to which therapists have not been afforded access until now.

Are the courses also intended for persons who have studied craniosacral therapy in another setting?

Yes. Studying the method allows one to understand better the information that is taught; the method adds more tiers of information and provides a new perspective of the cranial system. The studies significantly improve cranial diagnosis and treatment, through focusing on the four layers constituting the system. The participants in the courses will acquire not only additional techniques for treating the cranial system itself, but also structural visceral techniques from the world of osteopathy, which affect other tissues that act directly on the cranial system. In addition, the method teaches an exclusive diagnostic set that has been developed by Oren and osteopathic theories. This combination gives caregivers a full picture of the cranial system and the network of relations that it maintains, refines the understanding of the information that has been taught previously and allows the therapist to treat more effectively.

Is it possible to combine the principles of the method with my current school of therapy?

Yes. It is possible to integrate the cranial diagnostic and therapeutic tools in any therapy method, to get precise feedback on its success.
Caregivers of any school can use the method in all stages of the therapeutic process:
1. Before performing the treatment, as a diagnostic tool
2. During therapy – combining cranial techniques in addition to their own existing ones
3. After therapy – as a precise measure of the effectiveness of care, even if it was performed using their current technique
Are all of the courses conveyed by Oren Dotan?
Yes. Oren holds courses and workshops worldwide, within which he personally teaches the method that he has developed.
What is the length of the fundamentals course?
60 academic hours.

Where are the courses held?

Worldwide, subject to ordering a course and having a minimal number of participants.

For further details and to order courses, please write to us.

Overview of the course

The integrative craniosacral method is based on the understanding that the cranial system serves as a medium for diagnosis of disorders in all systems of the body. The purpose of studying the method is to develop independent therapeutic thinking that allows for advanced diagnosis and treatment of the skeleton system, through the cranial system. The combination of comprehensive anatomic-mechanical knowledge and refined touch and palpation abilities allow therapists to identify the source of disorders, whether in the cranial system itself or another system affecting it. The syllabus combines osteopathic theories, techniques for treating the cranial systems and the systems that it interacts with and four methods of touch, which are adapted to the four layers constituting the cranial system. The studies cover five courses, which provide all of the knowledge and tools required for assessments and treatments using the integrative method. Each course relies on the knowledge accumulated in the preceding courses and adds a new dimension to understanding of the cranial systems and the manners of diagnosing and treating it.

Stage 1: fundamentals

The fundamentals course is based on the osteopathic principle, whereby the body’s structure controls its function. Within the course, we shall learn how the structure of the joints in the cranium affects the cranial system. The course will focus on providing an integrative manner of thinking and development of touch ability. During the course, we shall study the integrative system and cranial system in depth (including the relations that the cranial system maintains with other systems of the body), we shall acquire the diagnostic basis using the method (including fascial, mechanical and cranial tests), we shall study and practice techniques for treating the cranial system (at the muscular and osseous level) and we shall develop the sensory ability  and sensitivity of the fingers, which are vital for diagnosis and treatments. We shall also study how to treat the upper neck and lower back, as a precondition to cranial therapy. Based on the knowledge and practice gained in the course, we shall start to perform basic assessments, which will constitute a basis for learning additional assessments in the following courses. The tools that will be acquired in the foundations course constitute the basis for diagnosis and treatment of any disorder, using any technique and school. Within the more advanced courses, tools for diagnosis and treatment of more specific disorders will be added to the base.
• Development of precise diagnostic ability through palpation and sensing
• Diagnostic technique through palpation of the cranium
• The cranial theory – the structure and principle of operation of the system
• Osteopathic philosophy
• Cranial anatomy using a clinical approach
• Range of assessment types – cranial, face, skeletal system, sanding and questioning
• Therapeutic techniques for the neck and lower back, based on the integrative approach
• Familiarization with the chain of muscles that must be treated in preparation for cranial therapy
• Cranial therapy – assessment and treatment at the muscle and joint level (sutures)
• Diagnosis and treatment of eight dysfunctions in the central (spino-basilar) cranial axis

Stage 2: membranes – dura mater

A direct follow on to the foundations course, which is based on the osteopathic principle, whereby all parts of the body are interconnected and affect one another.  One of the key emphases in the course is the integrative recognition of the dura mater being part of the fascial system, and that the two interact with each other. This recognition constitutes the basis for formation of advanced assessments that will be taught in the course, which allow for determination of the source of cranial dysfunctions in the tensions of different fasciae. During the course, we shall study the nature of the relationship between the cranial system and the spine and internal organs (including study of theories of the spine and the manner in which the vertebrae affect each other), we shall acquire effective techniques for treatment of vertebrae and internal organs using a cranial approach, we shall study the and practice additional tests for the tissues of the neck and lower back and cranial therapy techniques in additional regions in the body, and combine osteopathic theories, cranial therapy and the principles of the integrative approach.
• The anatomy of the meninges and the cranial nerves
• Clinical contexts with disciplines at the dura level
• Assessment of the cranial system at the dura level
• Differentiation of disorders in the dura mater from visceral dysfunction
• Techniques for treating the spine using the cranial approach
• Central tendon theory
• Visceral techniques for treating the peritoneum and pleura
• Cranial therapy of the sutures at the dura level
• The diaphragm – psoas – C3 muscle chain

Stage 3: fluids

The course is based on the osteopathic principle, whereby the normal flow of fluids is the way of the body to cure itself and a critical foundation in its process of recovering from diseases and other disorders. The fluids that affect the cranial system (CSF, blood vessels, lymphatic system) constitute a vital element in the diagnostic process using the integrative method. Through examination of the changes occurring in them during therapy, it may be known whether we are working in the right direction. Within the course, we shall learn all of the fluids and the visceral and muscular contexts that affect them, and shall acquire tools for their diagnosis and treatment. One of the key subject with which we shall deal is the relationship between the fluid system and the spinal column, with emphasis on the effect of its position on their normal movement in the body. In this framework, we shall study how to treat the four diaphragms. In addition, we shall learn how to treat fluids in other parts of the body, combining mechanical techniques (for the clavicle), visceral techniques (lung, intestine, etc.) in order to remove barriers that face the fluids in the body. The specialization in the field of fluids provides the participants in the two previous courses an additional therapeutic level that allows them to increase their diagnosis and treatment abilities. Moreover, the course allows participants to treat disorders that they have not treated before, by providing tools that directly affect the immune system, the drainage system (inflammations) and the body’s healing power.
• Anatomy of the sinuses of the cranium, lymphatic flow and blood flow
• Clinical contexts
• Cranial therapy using the sinus system
• Treatment of the cervical fascia and the arterial system
• Lymphatic treatment in the cranial context
• Assessment and treatment of four diaphragms, for ensuring a good flow of fluids
• Assessment and mechanical treatment of the clavicle
• Treatment according to Gordon Zink’s theory
• Change in the CSF rhythm
• Visceral treatment of the lung and small intestine

Stage 4: the facial and oral bones

An advance course based on the osteopathic principle of movement being life. Within the course, we shall integrate all the components of the cranial system and learn about their connection points and the way they affect each other. The course will focus on familiarity with the anatomy of the facial bones and the acquisition of tools for treating them, based on recognition of the great effect of dysfunctions in this region on the cranial system and on the remaining parts of the body. Within this setting, we shall learn the pathologies and common restrictions of movement and their effects. We shall also focus on treating the temporomandibular joint, while studying its importance for the correct functioning of the neck and of the cranial system. The course participants will specialize in the overall anatomy of the body and bones, while focusing on the relationship that the cranial system maintains with the other systems of the body, which will allow them to treat all common physical disorders in the most effective manner possible.
• Anatomy of the facial bones
• The effect of the facial bones on the remaining parts of the cranial system
• Cynical contexts of common pathologies
• Treatment of common cranial pathologies (sinusitis, ear disorders, allergies and more)
• Intraoral treatment and assessment
• TMJ assessment and treatment

Stage 5: infants

A course that constitutes the peak of integrative craniosacral therapy studies. This course requires full understanding of the method and mastery of its implementation, due to the exceptionally delicate care required for treating the craniums of infants. The studies focus on the unique anatomy of the cranial bones of infants (great flexibility that leads to vulnerability alongside high adaptation and healing ability) and the way in which it affects the formation of common disorders in infants (difficulty in suckling, reflux and more). Within the course, we shall acquire cranial tools for assessment and treatment of abnormal tensions that may form in the infant’s cranium, following long or unnatural births, and of the skeletal system (pelvis, femurs and other bones) and internal organs. At the end of the course, a practical internship will be held to ensure that the material studied has been properly learned and to provide the participants the confidence required for treating infants.
• The anatomy of the cranial bones
• Clinical anatomy and cranial contexts
• The delivery process
• Pathophysiology of common disorders in infants in the context of cranial therapy
• Assessment and treatment of the cranial bones and fontanels
• Assessment and treatment of the skeletal system
• Visceral therapy (lung, liver, stomach, intestine)
• Treatment of common disorders (colic, suckling disorders, reflux and more)
 

Call Oren Dotan for further information or signing up for his worksho: 0614627205