Alex Mart, CMT
The Knowing Body
Craniosacral Therapy & Gentle Bodywork
Alex Mart, CMT
The Knowing Body
Craniosacral Therapy & Gentle Bodywork
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About My Practice
Craniosacral Therapy uses gentle, light, attuned, non-force touch to meet your body and whole self right where you are. We ask and listen to what you really need, and give the body and nervous system nurturing touch to help you relax and release the core roots of stress, tension, pain, and holding. I tend to employ gentle compression, rocking, specific holds, and subtle touch, and all sessions are tailored to each whole person.
Craniosacral therapy offers a therapeutic dose of nervous system "rest and digest medicine" to promote deep unwinding, relief, and relaxation in the nervous system, supporting your whole body and mind to function more optimally—from more relaxed muscle tone and range of motion, to more clear thought and grounded emotionality.
My practice is informed by current clinical pain neuroscience and Polyvagal Theory. Go here to learn more and see resources.
Some key foundational principles:
- Your nervous system sets the "mood lighting and music" for your body, mind, and life—how you breathe, how you move, whether you perceive the world as safe or threatening, your resilience to stress, or your tendency to take it all on.
- Pain protects us and promotes healing (ouch, that hurts, give me a break!)
- Persistent pain overprotects us and prevents recovery (our nervous system learns to be internally hypervigilant in the face of chronic pain, and ramps up its pain-sensing and seeking)
- Many factors influence pain: stress, diet and nutrition, relaxation, activity levels, sleep, relationships, etc.
- There are many ways to reduce pain and slowly recover and retrain the pain system back to normal, protective settings.
Craniosacral therapy is one effective modality for reducing pain and retraining the pain system back to healthy levels. It promotes deep relaxation and relief, and restores movement, fluidity and capacity in the body and nervous system. Our bodies know how to relax and heal, we just need to give them the right support, inputs, and environment. Pain is part of life, persistent pain (for months or years) does not have to be.
When we know, both in body and mind, how to identify our different nervous system activation levels, how to effectively access and embody relaxation and release stress (rather than hold and accumulate it), we hold the keys to healing chronic conditions such as pain and anxiety, and to live a more empowered, healthy, vital life.
My specialties include:
- Chronic and acute pain and tension relief
- Neck, back and shoulder issues
- Nervous system TLC
- Stress and anxiety relief without having to process mentally/verbally (holding safe, grounded space for emotions)
- Injury, accident, trauma, and surgery recovery (release protective holding to help restore full, pain-free range of motion)
- TMJ disorders and intra-oral work (inside the mouth—minimum two 90-minute sessions, contact me to inquire)
I have trauma-informed training and love working with Highly Sensitive People and people on a healing journey.
Sessions are scheduled with plenty of buffer to avoid creating feelings of rush, both for clients and myself, and to give me plenty of time to center and refresh. I take my own self-care seriously, in service to my clients, myself, and a better, more balanced world :)
Hi, I'm Alex (aka Alexa)
As someone who has been on a healing journey with chronic pain and tension myself and identifies as highly sensitive, my intention is to create healing space and therapeutic touch to help people feel better in their bodies. I know first hand what a difference the right care and approach can make.
I'm a total body-mind and personal growth geek, fascinated by the ways in which our life experience, stresses, personalities and habits manifest in our physical bodies. I love working with highly sensitive people, and supporting those on layered healing journey.
I started my bodywork practice in 2019, resourced from 10+ years of trainings, personal and professional work. I am a Certified Massage Therapist, CACMT #81617, focusing the core of my studies in Craniosacral Therapy and trauma-informed techniques, and also hold certifications in Holistic Health and Transformational Coaching, and Anusara Yoga.
I also have large wells of experience working with diet and emotional eating, meditation and mindfulness, ritual, consciousness and parts work, embodiment, and nervous system regulation.
I welcome people of all shapes, colors and identities. I use she/her pronouns.
Learn more:
Living Stillness Retreat
Thurs. November 14 (5pm) - Sun. November 17, 2024 (2pm) : 3 nights
Land of Medicine Buddha, Soquel, CA (Santa Cruz mountain area)
- Sitting & walking meditation
- Yoga & gentle movement
- Journaling, group reflection, dharma talks, Q/A
- Delicious vegetarian meals
- Sauna
- Hiking trails in a tranquil, redwood forest
- Option for Craniosacral Therapy w/Alex
Open to new and experienced practitioners of meditation and mindfulness. Includes both free and structured time. Private and shared rooms available.
5270 College Ave #200, Oakland, CA || © 2024 Alexandra Mart