Bruin Christopher Runyan, Cranial Sacral Therapist

Specialties

My somatic approach is different from other therapeutic practitioners in that I use talk, interactive movement-​based activities, and bodywork. I work with the ways trauma changes your life-​everything from years of childhood abuse to a car accident to a life threatening disease. I also help people unlearn old, bad habits and to gain new skills. One thing that science has discovered recently is that trauma and habits live in your physical body, which means just talking about it often won’t provide you with the practical skills to change your life, your relationships, your career, etc. Somatics can help you communicate more clearly and effectively, set limits that neither push people away nor leave you feeling like a doormat, get to greater intimacy in your relationship, take more risks, and figure out what you want and how to get it.

Cranio Sacral Therapy (CST) is a very light-​touch approach. I work with the tissues surrounding the skull and spinal cord to address the roots of stress, anxiety, tension, and injury. The contact is very gentle, and people often fall asleep during treatment. There are many other approaches that will give you a complete reduction of your symptoms. The trouble is that the reduction often only lasts for a short period of time, and then you have to return for more treatments. Eventually, such approaches make your body dependent on the treatment. CST works with the root cause of the problems. This has the effect of giving lasting relief of symptoms.

Meet the Business Owner

Bruin R.

Business Owner

Bruin moved to Vermont in January of 2014 from Oakland, California, leaving behind year-​round sunshine and a thriving private practice for real seasons and a dream of practicing and living in a smaller, friendlier setting. His practice focuses on somatic and cranial sacral therapy; he has trained with numerous teachers – including Generative Somatics, Staci Haines, Richard Strozzi-​Heckler, Wendy Palmer, Embodiment International, and the McKinnon Institute – over the last six years.

Bruin works with individuals, couples (such as romantic partners and family and friend diads), and groups in his somatics work and with individuals in his cranial sacral work. He has experience working with all kinds of people and couples, including extensive experience in LGBTQ, disability, and organizer/​activist communities.

When Bruin isn’t doing private practice work in Central Vermont, he works at the Center for Integrative Therapy in South Burlington.