Time & Cost: Initial visit, 30 minutes, $105; repeat visit, 15 minutes, $80
Cranial Release Technique aims to release the body’s ability to heal and regenerate itself, by balancing cranial bones through stretching. The philosophy is that release of the bones in the skull “initiates a release of all of the tissues and structures associated with the cranium,” including the spine, pelvis, shoulders, hips, knees, and fascia.
There are less than 500 qualified CRT practitioners in the world, and Sanctuary has three of them. I worked with Damian.
Damian began our session by asking me about any injuries. He then did an overall inspection of my body, posture, and stance, noting that my left eye and ear were lower than my right, my right leg was lower than my left and my right hip was much weaker than my left. He then went about doing something that felt like an intense neck stretch while simultaneously doing pressure point work on various parts of my skull. The actual hands-on part of the treatment took 10 minutes.
There are less than 500 qualified CRT practitioners in the world, and Sanctuary has three of them. I worked with Damian.
Afterward, my hips were of equal strength, my legs were of equal length, and my eyes were even.
Damian said that, overall, I was “pretty okay alignment-wise” and that I “must be doing something good,” as I was in better shape than most people he sees. I had just had an Emotional Balancing Treatment at the Waldorf Astoria Spa at the Boulders the day before (read more here: insidersguidetospas.com/reviews/emotional-balancing-at-the-boulders/), as well as Watsu and a massage, so perhaps all of that body and spirit work actually worked!
For more information on CRT, go to cranialrelease.com
Best For: People with chronic aches/pains who want to try another form of treating them, or adventurous spa-goers who want to try something new, or people who don’t have a lot of time and want maximum healing bang for what little time they do have.
Drawbacks: It doesn’t take much time, which didn’t bother me, but some people need to feel that for their money they are getting a lot more attention than what one gets in this treatment. That said, even though it was short, it did work.
Rima Suqi
Contributing Travel Editor Rima Suqi is an avid world traveler who was raised in an international home. She has explored and covered emerging destinations in the Middle East and Africa, far-flung luxury resorts in French Polynesia, as well as those closer to home including the burgeoning arts scene in Marfa, Texas. The Chicago native has traveled to over 40 countries, writing about the trends and tastemakers for leading travel and lifestyle publications, and subjected herself to innumerable spa treatments—sometimes under very odd circumstances—all in the name of journalism. Her work is regularly published in national and international outlets including The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Departures, Architectural Digest and Elle Decor; she has also written, consulted and hosted panels for hospitality brands including Proper Hotels, the Baccarat Hotel, Edition Hotels, St. Regis Hotels, Miraval Resorts, Mii Amo Spa at Enchantment, Grupo Habita and Marriott Hotels. Her last book American Fashion: Designers at Home (Assouline) in partnership with CFDA, sold out three printings.