Biodynamic Cranial Touch (BCT) is a body-oriented, meditative form of touch. The practitioner provides still hand-contact on a person's body. The ankles, low back, shoulders, and head are examples of hand contact placements. This non-directive form of touch, allows time for deep relaxation, healing and body-felt-sensing. Within the stillness, inherent to this modality, is an invitation to embody awareness (e.g. feel sensations). 

​While BCT is for anyone, it may be particularly helpful for individuals with persistent pain and/or sensitivity. Persistent pain differs from acute pain in that it has more meaning (interpretation) and 'memory' surrounding it, making it more complex to alleviate. Gentle, still touch can assist with 'taking a step back' to feel sensations as separate from interpretation of them. BCT has helped Jeannene increase her resilience and desensitize a highly alerted nervous system after an illness and car accident. 

BCT, as taught by Charles Ridley, founder of the Dynamic Stillness School, follows from the insights of the osteopathic doctors William Sutherland, Rollin Becker and James Jealous. The short video clip on this page of Charles Ridley, comes from a longer, more in-depth interview about Biodynamic Cranial Touch. What he says is an important reminder of the importance of appreciating the bio-pyscho-social model of health and disease. We humans are complex creatures!

There are many health conditions that don't have easy answers or quick fixes. As humbling as it may be for a manual therapist to 'not know', allowing for this, while offering attentive touch, can take pressure off and create space for healing. As Charles Ridley says, "just touch, not to do anything or to fix anything" allows for the unique experience of feeling the body and health. There is much beauty, science and mystery in how humans develop and heal, especially in the presence of touch. ​