Christopher Slate

About Me

I have been practicing CranioSacral Therapy (CST) for 28 years.  I received my Upledger Techniques Certification in 2000 and my Diplomate Certification in 2005.

For much of my time as a therapist, I maintained a private practice in Malibu and West Los Angeles, California.  I also worked for eight years as a CranioSacral practitioner in the Pediatric Pain Program at UCLA.

My early years of training led me to Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California where I took the first four levels of CST training through the Upledger Institute.  From 2000 to 2010, I worked at Esalen training students in CranioSacral Therapy and SomatoEmotional Release (SER) as an Upledger teaching assistant.  In the years following, until 2017, I worked at Esalen as an “Alternative Bodywork Practitioner" combining CranioSacral Therapy and Sound Healing.

My initial exploration of CranioSacral Therapy and Sound Healing was mentored by Dr. John Upledger during Dolphin-Assisted Therapy (DAT) programs in the Bahamas.  Using a didgeridoo in conjunction with CST, I treated Dr. Upledger personally, while he was a patient in the DAT program.  I also assisted Dr. Upledger treating others, by using the didgeridoo under his guidance, in multi-hands CST/SER sessions that followed therapeutic interaction with dolphins.  Dr Upledger’s mentoring propelled me into exploring the synergy of CranioSacral Therapy and Sound Healing — with a subtext of dolphin influence.

My Dolphin-CST-Sound Healing education developed through seven summers enmeshed in Upledger DAT programs in the Bahamas, and further evolved through a six-year relationship with two dolphins on a remote island in the Caribbean. I spent countless hours meditating and exploring sound communication with these dolphins -- learning mysteries of frequency, resonance, entrainment and healing that have thoroughly informed my use of sound in combination with Craniosacral Therapy.

My healing and therapeutic practice continues to unfold at Emergence Healing and Expressive Arts Center and Riverside Hot Springs Retreat, which I own and operate with my lovely wife Jessica in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

My Skills

Blending CranioSacral Therapy with Sound Healing  — Healing frequencies and harmonics are a natural compliment to CST.  Sound works synergistically with the gentle touch of CST to awaken our innate healing intelligence and self-correcting mechanisms, inviting coherency and integration into the body.  My skills in combining CST and Sound Healing have evolved from years of clinical practice, exploration and discovery.

Experience — As a long-time Diplomate-Certified CranioSacral Therapy practitioner, I have put in my 10,000+ hours of study and clinical practice to develop proficiency in CST and SER fundamentals: knowledge of anatomy, palpation skills, mastery of technique, therapeutic presence, therapeutic imagery and dialogue skills -- all essential for effective whole-person treatment.

Knowledge of Anatomy — I have an in-depth working knowledge of the CranioSacral system and whole-body anatomy.  The better a practitioner knows the map of the body, the better equipped they are to facilitate the healing process.

Palpation Skills —  “It’s all in the hands”.  My palpation provides the feel of seasoned and supportive hands steeped in the art of CST basics:  blending and melding touch, evaluation of craniosacral rhythm and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, stillpoint assessment, evaluation of fascial relationships etc.

Mastery of Technique — My knowledge and practice of CST techniques has not only empowered my personal therapy practice, it has enabled me to train and mentor hundreds of developing practitioners.

Therapeutic Presence — I have years of training in mindfulness and energy skills needed to remain deeply grounded and present throughout a therapy session.  As a practitioner, this is key to providing neutral support and connecting with a person’s “Inner Physician" to facilitate their healing journey.

Therapeutic Imagery and Dialogue Skills — In my practice of SomatoEmotional Release, my imagery and dialogue skills emerge from years and countless sessions doing multi-hands CranioSacral Therapy.  I embrace the art of non-invasive, non-leading, open-ended questions to allow a person’s healing process to unfold. 

Professional Associations / Memberships

International Alliance of Healthcare Practitioners (IAHP)

American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)