Patients with complex conditions can be helped many times with understanding how the craniosacral fascial system works.
A woman presented with an odd pain that began from inside her right elbow, down her right ribcage, into her right hip, onto her right groin, through her right adductor muscle, and ending on the inside of her right knee.
She had seen countless doctors and therapists who could not solve her problem. But if one looked at her history through our viewpoint, it all made perfect sense.
At birth, she had an umbilical hernia and colic due to birth trauma. The seeds of fascial tightness were sown then.
During childhood, she fell off her bike and had nine stitches in her head. The seeds of cranial tightness were sown then.
While playing touch football in high school, her back snapped when she fell. Years later, doctors said there had been a bone fracture.
She also had an injury to her right hamstring insertion point. While doing a spilt for her niece around age 35, she heard a loud pop.
She walked with pain in that area for almost two weeks. That injury may have contributed to the ball-like tightness in her right hip, which penetrated into her iliotibial band.
A young body can absorb a lot of trauma, but at some point, an additional trauma can take anyone over the edge into chronic pain. The craniosacral fascial system is only so forgiving.
At 38, she fell off an aerobic step and badly twisted her right ankle. Soon after that, her right leg became numb, which started this current pain scenario of 23 years.
Interestingly, during the history taking, she forgot to tell me about that ankle twist, which I found on examination. I hypothesize that the problem started at the ankle and worked its way up the body over time, with twelve years of groin pain and eight years of elbow pain.
I started therapy with her right ankle twist and connected the dots during the session up to her right elbow. Her body released well, especially the right ankle.
After conception, the fascial web can also hold all emotional traumas. Six years ago, she lost her year-older brother from suicide. Four years ago, she lost her father after a horrific abusive nursing home experience where the family watched him die a slow painful death.
She started having stomach issues, which have still not gone away. When she gets upset, she always feels it in her stomach. She has developed superficial stomach ulcers, which have been diagnosed as gastritis.
The Patient Responds
“After my first session with Barry, I felt relief around my right knee and my right groin area was not as tight yet still feeling some discomfort. I did not feel any change in my right hip.
“After my second session, I woke up feeling a bit sore and achy from my neck to my hips. My neck has felt a bit stiff the last couple of days, the tingling in my right shoulder blade seems to be noticeable where I haven’t had that sensation in a long time, and my right hip still feels like there is a knot in there.
Dr. Barry Gillespie Responds
This patient is gradually peeling the layers of her traumatic onion. I expect genuine healing as her body releases her old traumas during future visits.
Gillespie Approach Training is a must for healthcare professionals.
Sign up for Gillespie Approach Training Opportunities
Foundation Trainings
Gillespie Approach Foundation Training is designed for students to work with children and adults.
2026 Dates:
- January 22–24 | Melbourne, FL
- March 19–21 | Greenville, SC
- May 14–16 | Westfield, IN
- June 25–27 | Bozeman, MT
- August 6–8 | Boise, ID
- October 1–3 | Olathe, KS
- November 9–11 | Newtown Square, PA
- November 12–14 | Newtown Square, PA
Infant Trainings
Gillespie Approach Infant Training is designed for students to work with infants.
2026 Dates:
- January 25–27 | Melbourne, FL
- March 22–24 | Greenville, SC
- May 17–19 | Westfield, IN
- June 28–30 | Bozeman, MT
- August 9–11 | Boise, ID
- October 4–6 | Olathe, KS
- November 15–17 | Newtown Square, PA
New to Gillespie Approach–Craniosacral Fascial Therapy?
Read a collection of articles handpicked by Dr. Barry Gillespie to help you grasp core information and understand training and treatment options.
Make a Gillespie Approach Appointment to Get the Help You Need
Talk About the Gillespie Approach With Our Community on the Gillespie Approach Forum
Catch Every Story! Get a Free E-book and Infographic With Your Email Newsletter Subscription
Explore Gillespie Approach–Craniosacral Fascial Therapy Articles Based on Hundreds of Health Conditions and Anatomical Regions
Enjoy Many Powerful Testimonials for Babies, Children and Adults
From fussy babies experiencing breakthroughs and children excelling in school to adults emerging triumphant over mystery health conditions, get inspired by these heartwarming and soul-stirring testimonials.
