CERTIFIED CRANIOSACRAL THERAPIST LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST
Catherine Whelan, BS, LMT, CST
Catherine is an advanced level CranioSacral Therapist with her techniques level certification who joined Alchemy in 2017. She is Upledger trained and has excellent touch and communication skills.
Twelve years of experience accompany Catherine to Alchemy, she started with a Kinesiology degree, followed that with some of the best training available at Boulder College of Massage, and she has continued her education at the highest levels in CranioSacral Therapy as well as Visceral Manipulation. Catherine is also a frequent teaching assistant and study group leader.
Health is a lifelong journey with an ebb and flow; the more gentle mindfulness we can bring to the journey, the more likely we are to succeed. Catherine understands the challenges and obstacles life can present and wants to help you succeed on your journey of conscious health and wellness.
Catherine is an advanced level CranioSacral Therapist with her techniques level certification who joined Alchemy in 2017. She is Upledger trained and has excellent touch and communication skills.
Twelve years of experience accompany Catherine to Alchemy, she started with a Kinesiology degree, followed that with some of the best training available at Boulder College of Massage, and she has continued her education at the highest levels in CranioSacral Therapy as well as Visceral Manipulation. Catherine is also a frequent teaching assistant and study group leader.
Health is a lifelong journey with an ebb and flow; the more gentle mindfulness we can bring to the journey, the more likely we are to succeed. Catherine understands the challenges and obstacles life can present and wants to help you succeed on your journey of conscious health and wellness.
" As humans we are body-mind-spirit intertwined. It is impossible to discern where one stops and the next starts.
"Over the years, I think, we have lost or given up our ability to communicate between body-mind-spirit in everyday life. It seems we no longer know how to listen and understand the depth of our own human experience.
"CranioSacral Therapy along with other mindful practices and healing modalities encourage the rejuvenation of the communication lines between body-mind-spirit."
"Over the years, I think, we have lost or given up our ability to communicate between body-mind-spirit in everyday life. It seems we no longer know how to listen and understand the depth of our own human experience.
"CranioSacral Therapy along with other mindful practices and healing modalities encourage the rejuvenation of the communication lines between body-mind-spirit."
- CATHERINE WHELAN
Catherine's Modalities
CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY
CST is a gentle, light touch bodywork that can improve the function of the central nervous system and in turn promote the body’s own self healing mechanisms. Through listening and working with the cerebrospinal fluid and the supporting structures a profound change can begin to take place in the body’s neurological patterning. CST creates a container by which the body’s natural healing processes is supported and encouraged. This can be used preventively, and is an effective aid for many concerns.
CranioSacral Therapy has facilitated relief from migraines, chronic low back pain, physical and emotional trauma, sinus problems, chronic pain and long-term unresolved health concerns for adult clients. Catherine has a great deal of skill and experience working with clients who present with more complex issues. Whether is it long-term illness or injury, a chronic condition, or a significant recent challenge, she finds these challenges rewarding and has worked with many clients to achieve results they were not able to find with other therapies. Learn more about CranioSacral Therapy PEDIATRIC CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY
Our young ones are much closer and connected to their inner wisdom. For pediatric clients, it can facilitate relief from birth trauma and nursing problems, learning challenges, depression, behavior concerns, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder. Parents report a significant improvement in behaviors and temperament after their children receive CranioSacral Therapy.
Children of all ages can benefit from CranioSacral Therapy, Catherine has a special affinity and many successes with school aged children. Learn more about Pediatric CranioSacral Therapy STUDY GROUP LEADER
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MULTI-THERAPIST SESSIONS
When clients are experiencing more complex challenges, their progress during sessions isn't holding, multiple compensation patterns are apparent, or the client wants to speed up treatment are good opportunities for multi-hands sessions with two or more therapists.
With a foundation in CranioSacral Therapy, the multi-hands work brings a broader attention, increased energy, more security, and a great deal of experience to the client. Multi-hands work is effective for three main reasons. The first is structurally more therapists are going to be able to hold the entire compensation pattern. Second, more people mean more energy and often this correlates with added security, and less resistance which creates more efficient sessions. Finally, multiple therapists equal more skills and tools to best resource the client’s inner wisdom. Generally, the client's primary therapist at Alchemy will make the recommendation and suggest the additional therapist(s). Learn more about Multi-Hands Sessions SOMATOEMOTIONAL RELEASE
SomatoEmotional Release (SER) is a treatment approach that arises organically during a session when a client has emotions, stories, patterns or belief systems enmeshed in tissue from injuries and/or traumas. A global whole body reorganization often takes place when these memories and or emotions are re-experienced and resolved by the client during a session.
SomatoEmotional Release is not a technique that is done by a therapist. When it arises, the process needs to start with permission; this is given by both the safe, supportive touch of the therapist and answered by the client’s system, their inner wisdom. It is also important to note that SER is not talk therapy and sessions are not scheduled specifically for this work, as how and when it arises is not something that can be planned for, it is an organic process. INTEGRATED MODALITIES
Combining all of these skills and a desire to find a more direct path for her clients drew Catherine to CranioSacral Therapy, giving her the opportunity to combine her style of integrative training and bodywork with CranioSacral therapy and Visceral Manipulation.
She has achieved her CST Techniques Level Certification (no small feat) and she is currently continuing her studies in CranioSacral Therapy at an advanced level. Catherine is also training in many parallel and supportive curricula and taking many of the really fascinating new classes offered by the Upledger Institute such as Brain Speaks, The Glial Interface, The Gut Brain Connection - The Enteric Nervous System, and Clinical Application trainings. This education in CranioSacral Therapy and all these supportive therapies have been the missing link for Catherine in being able to address the whole person. |
"Wellness is always present in a person as long as they are alive. As a CranioSacral therapist I believe in that wholeness and in ability of my client’s inner wisdom to heal, even if I do not fully understand what the definition of 'heal' may be for a particular client."
- CATHERINE WHELAN
About Catherine
Catherine Whelan is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. She chose a degree in kinesiology because of her lifelong interest in anatomy and the way the body works. After finishing her undergraduate degree, she became a Certified Health and Fitness Specialist through American College of Sports Medicine. With the desire to achieve a more encompassing understanding of the body, Catherine attended Boulder College of Massage Therapy and became a registered Massage Therapist. She began her career with the combination of an extensive understanding of anatomy and movement with hands-on technique.
Catherine has been working as a wellness professional for over twelve years, learning from each client and medical professional she meets. Her background in kinesiology, personal training, craniosacral therapy, and massage therapy enables her to work in concert with osteopaths, MDs, chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, and other wellness professionals. Catherine has spent years working in medical settings that focus on chronic pain with an emphasis on fibromyalgia. Compounding massage therapy and kinesiology gives Catherine a unique therapeutic approach when dealing with injury and disease. She uses both passive soft tissue manipulations and active therapies during her sessions, focusing on education, and encourages personalized home exercises to help speed recovery and attain goals. Her curiosity and desire to learn enables her to tailor each session to the both client’s long-term and immediate needs.
Combining all of these skills and a desire to find a more direct path for her clients drew Catherine to CranioSacral Therapy, giving her the opportunity to combine her style of integrative training and bodywork with craniosacral therapy and visceral manipulation. She has achieved her Techniques Level Certification (no small feat) and she is currently continuing her studies in CranioSacral Therapy at an advanced level. Catherine is also training in many parallel and supportive curriculums such as Visceral Manipulation, and taking many of the really fascinating new classes offered by the Upledger Institute such as Brain Speaks, Glial certifications in both craniosacral therapy and visceral manipulation through the Upledger Institute and Barral Institute. The education in craniosacral therapy and visceral manipulation has been the missing link for Catherine in being able to address the whole person.
Catherine sees clients Tuesday to Friday, with late afternoon and evening hours on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and one Saturdays a month. The focus of her practice is CranioSacral Therapy, and she will integrate her other specialties into sessions as needed. Catherine's rate is $125 per hour.
Catherine has been working as a wellness professional for over twelve years, learning from each client and medical professional she meets. Her background in kinesiology, personal training, craniosacral therapy, and massage therapy enables her to work in concert with osteopaths, MDs, chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, and other wellness professionals. Catherine has spent years working in medical settings that focus on chronic pain with an emphasis on fibromyalgia. Compounding massage therapy and kinesiology gives Catherine a unique therapeutic approach when dealing with injury and disease. She uses both passive soft tissue manipulations and active therapies during her sessions, focusing on education, and encourages personalized home exercises to help speed recovery and attain goals. Her curiosity and desire to learn enables her to tailor each session to the both client’s long-term and immediate needs.
Combining all of these skills and a desire to find a more direct path for her clients drew Catherine to CranioSacral Therapy, giving her the opportunity to combine her style of integrative training and bodywork with craniosacral therapy and visceral manipulation. She has achieved her Techniques Level Certification (no small feat) and she is currently continuing her studies in CranioSacral Therapy at an advanced level. Catherine is also training in many parallel and supportive curriculums such as Visceral Manipulation, and taking many of the really fascinating new classes offered by the Upledger Institute such as Brain Speaks, Glial certifications in both craniosacral therapy and visceral manipulation through the Upledger Institute and Barral Institute. The education in craniosacral therapy and visceral manipulation has been the missing link for Catherine in being able to address the whole person.
Catherine sees clients Tuesday to Friday, with late afternoon and evening hours on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and one Saturdays a month. The focus of her practice is CranioSacral Therapy, and she will integrate her other specialties into sessions as needed. Catherine's rate is $125 per hour.
