The Overview
What is your approach to teaching CST?
I teach assessment skills, treatment skills and release signs rather than memorized recipe-driven protocols. I draw from both biodynamic and biomechanical CST models.
What is different about your CST classes?
My classes are intentionally small. I take a maximum of six students. I get to know my students and their individual learning styles. I aim to be the best teacher I can be for each one of them. My goal is to help people confidently learn skilled bodywork.
My students form strong bonds with each other. They are all dedicated to the success of their fellow classmates. This fosters clear communication about how it feels to exchange treatments.
A certain amount of class time is discussion-based. My students come from a variety of professional backgrounds. This is an important part of a rich learning experience. Every question gets asked and answered.
I am approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education approved provider.
How long have you been doing this?
I have been practicing CST for over 35 years. In my private practice I treat people of all ages. I love the variety. I specialize in treating infants and children plus pregnant and postpartum people.
I have been teaching CST independently for over 19 years. I served my community as a homebirth midwife for 12 years and for over 35 years as a birth doula.
Getting Started
How do I get started?
Everyone starts with Subtle Hands-On Skills, the required prerequisite for all class sequences. It's where I teach the gentle osteopathic manual therapy assessment and treatment tools that form the foundation for my other classes.
Do I need a license to study CST with you?
No. I will train anyone who wants to learn. However, you may need a license or certification to practice professionally in your jurisdiction.
Where are classes held?
All in-person non-virtual classes are taught in Portland Oregon, USA.
Class enrollment is limited to six students. The small
group format provides students with individual guidance
and substantial supervised hands-on practice.
Prerequisites vary by class. Subtle Hands-On Skills begins
the class sequences. CST – The Basics and CST for Infants
require Subtle Hands-On Skills with Carol Gray.
For many hands-on CST classes, students must be licensed,
certified or student health professionals, otherwise legally
entitled to practice touch therapy, or have instructor
approval.
Infant Craniosacral Therapy Training
Tell me about CST for Infants
CST for Infants is a six-day craniosacral therapy training focused on infants from newborns through early crawlers. Students may take this class after completing Subtle Hands-On Skills. CST for Infants includes lectures, demonstrations and supervised hands-on practice with babies. Each student treats four babies during the class. All student treatments are case-reviewed by the group.
The curriculum includes instruction in infant anatomy, physiology, pathology, motor skills, social/emotional development, feeding issues, postural development, reflexes, the effects of fetal constraint, the birth process and much more. Students learn how to conduct parent/caregiver interviews and how to teach parents/caregivers therapeutic activities for home.
Graduates of CST for Infants are eligible for CST for Infants - Virtual Case Reviews, CST for Infants – Advanced Clinical Skills and Free Infant CST Community Clinics in Portland.
Tell me about CST for Infants - Advanced Clinical Skills
This three-day class is a prerequisite for Infant CST Certification. I give four baby demonstration treatments and my students each treat four babies. As a group, we review all of the treatments provided during the class.
How do I get certified in Infant CST?
After completing Subtle Hands-On Skills, CST for Infants, CST for Infants - Advanced Clinical Skills and Professional Ethics for Bodyworkers, students may enroll in the self-paced Infant CST Certification program.
Graduates of CST for Infants are eligible for CST for
Infants – Virtual Case Reviews, CST for Infants –
Advanced Clinical Skills and Free Infant CST Community
Clinics in Portland.
General Craniosacral Therapy Training
Tell me about CST - The Basics
CST – The Basics is a three-day general craniosacral therapy class. It's one possible next step after Subtle Hands-On Skills. It focuses on assessment and treatment tools for adult clients/patients. The emphasis is on adult craniosacral system anatomy plus treatment techniques for the cranial vault and base.
Tell me about CST - Beyond The Basics
CST – Beyond The Basics is the advanced general craniosacral therapy class that follows CST – The Basics. Students continue to develop their assessment and treatment skills while they integrate more technical skills for treating the cranial base, facial bones and the oral cavity.
CST – Beyond The Basics is a prerequisite for General CST Certification and also CST for Pregnancy Birth & Postpartum.
How do I get certified in General CST?
After completing Subtle Hands-On Skills, CST - The Basics, CST - Beyond The Basics and Professional Ethics for Bodyworkers, students may enroll in the self-paced General CST Certification program.
Pregnancy Birth & Postpartum Craniosacral Therapy Training
Tell me about CST for Pregnancy Birth & Postpartum
After completing Subtle Hands-On Skills, CST - The Basics and CST - Beyond The Basics, students may enroll in this five-day class. I'm a former homebirth midwife. This is one of my passions. The class is focused on the specialized needs of people who are in all stages of pregnancy, birth and postpartum recovery. Students treat two pregnant people and two postpartum people during the clinical portions of the class. All treatments are case-reviewed by the group.
How do I get certified in Pregnancy Birth & Postpartum CST?
After completing Subtle Hands-On Skills, CST - The Basics, CST - Beyond The Basics, CST for Pregnancy Birth & Postpartum and Professional Ethics for Bodyworkers, students may enroll in the self-paced Pregnancy Birth & Postpartum CST Certification Program.
Learn More About Pregnancy Birth & Postpartum CST Certification
Craniosacral Therapy Certification
Do I need to be certified to practice CST?
In general, the answer is no. Although, it depends on your jurisdiction. Some people must have a professional license. Other's don't need one. In some cases, certification allows people to practice unlicensed in a jurisdiction that usually requires licensing. Oregon is one of those places. There are others. The rules shift and change over time.
It is the individual craniosacral therapist’s responsibility to insure they meet all of the criteria to practice legally within their jurisdiction.
What CST certification programs do you offer?
I offer four separate certification programs. After completing required coursework, students may enroll in a self-paced certification program.
Upon successful completion of the certification requirements you will be entitled to use the appropriate CST designation (depending upon which certification you compete) and say that you have been certified by The Carol Gray Center for CST Studies. This journey is a collaborative growth experience. There is no time limit to complete any certification process.
Learn More About All CST Certification Programs
Learn More About General CST Certification
Learn More Abut Infant CST Certification
Learn More About Pregnancy Birth & Postpartum CST Certification
Learn More About General and Pregnancy Birth & Postpartum Dual CST Certification
CST – Beyond The Basics is the advanced general CST class
that follows CST – The Basics. It develops more technical
skills and teaches students to integrate those skills
with intuition and intention.
CST – Beyond The Basics is also a prerequisite for
General CST Certificat
The Carol Gray Center offers General CST Certification,
Infant CST Certification, Pregnancy Birth & Postpartum CST
Certification, and a General and Pregnancy Birth &
Postpartum Dual CST Certification.
Online Classes and Continuing Education
Do you offer online classes?
CST for Infants - Virtual Case Reviews is a monthly live online two-hour class open to anyone who has completed CST for Infants. It's free.
I teach Professional Ethics for Bodyworkers, a four-hour live online class, four times each year. This class meets continuing education requirements for Oregon, Washington and many other LMTs.
What other classes do you offer?
Current continuing education classes include:
Somato Emotional Release: I co-teach this class with Amy Eastman. It's amazing!
Somato Emotional Release Toolbox: This is a guided three-hour once-a-month gathering. It's free and only open to people who have completed Somato Emotional Release with me.
Understanding Infants: Reflexes, Skills and Temperament: This class is taught by Dr. Emily Spaeth, DPT, IBCLC, TIPDPT at least once a year. We try to schedule it right before CST for Infants - Advanced Clinical Skills. That way, students can take the classes back to back and immediately apply what they learn with Emily to their clinical practice. It's a fabulous class for anyone who works with infants and their families. It's open to parents, too!
Stay tuned for details about future offerings including embryology, working with toddlers and more.
Learn More About Somato Emotional Release
Learn More About Somato Emotional Release Toolbox
Learn More About Understanding Infants - Reflexes, Skills and Temperament
The Center provides continuing education opportunities,
including certificates of completion for CST for Infants –
Virtual Case Reviews. That class is approved by NCBTMB
for continuing education credit, including in New York.
The Center’s Code of Ethics requires certified or trained
Craniosacral Therapists to accurately represent their
education, training, licenses, certifications and experience,
understand the scope and limitations of CST, recognize
contraindications, refer appropriately and serve only
clients for whom they are trained or certified.
Price Information
What are the costs?
All class and certification program costs are listed in the class descriptions and certification program descriptions.
Do you offer scholarships?
Yes. I offer BIPOC (Black Indigenous, People of Color) Scholarships. Scholarships are granted to those who demonstrate the ability to address racial and social justice in their work as CST practitioners.
Do you offer payment plans?
Students pay in full at the time of registration.
More Questions? Contact Me