Shine ~ A Therapy Office With A Light Touch

About

A thought for today, from me and others, just to bring a smile:

WELCOME TO "SHINE ~ A Therapy Office With A Light Touch" and read on to discover my story, background and practice, and learn a little something about the wonderful world of CranioSacral Therapy.

Greetings, let me begin with good thoughts and well-wishes, and may we all find peace, joy, magic and song in every day. As of Fall 2022, I officially retired from practice.  In June of 2025, I allowed my Techniques Certification to lapse, due to challenges in attending workshops for the required hours.  If you are looking for a qualified CranioSacral Therapist I encourage you to go to the home page of this website and click on "Find a Practitioner" to locate one.  I have heard positive stories about some of the therapists in Bozeman and in Eastern Idaho, although I do not have any direct experience. 

This profile page will remain up and running as the future remains a grand mystery and it is a great way to remain connected.  Thank you and best in health and happiness to all my readers!

Despite my retirement, I continue to encourage you to try the gentle yet powerful techniques of CranioSacral Therapy. CS Therapy works to return balance to the body and central nervous system, release tissue restrictions, and aid in discharging stress, anxiety, and pain. CS Therapy is designed to enhance and accelerate the innate self-healing abilities found within each of us, at any age, and that includes healing for all of our animal companions.  I began working in the healing world of CranioSacral Therapy in 1997, have witnessed its continuing evolution, and I joyfully invite you to discover how the therapy can work for you. Please go to the website mentioned above to find a therapist in your area, but if you would like to reach me directly for a chat or with any questions, you are welcome to call and/or text 831-345-9292.

I will continue to be available for animal companions who serve with our military, veterans, police force, and those who work as a member of an individual's service team, and sessions are always at no charge or by donation.  I also remain available for home and ranch visits for pets and horses. Depending on distance, a fuel/travel fee may apply.

The therapy is a clothes-on modality at a client's home or in a private office, sitting in a favorite chair or laying on a comfortable bed or massage table. Dog clients and therapists simply spend the time on a fluffy dog bed together on the floor. For our horse friends, time at your ranch is the way to go. For all clients, results from the work range from deep relaxation to high energy, and from levels of gentle re-balancing to complex shifts in structural realignment. The results and experience of the work is as unique as the individual's body and its lifetime of work, play and injury.

THERAPIST PROFILE Following an auto accident, my first introduction to CranioSacral Therapy was as a client. I experienced amazing results from the therapy techniques in my recovery and I decided to dedicate my career to the study and practice of pain-relief, energy therapies, the mind-body connection, the emotional-physical relationship, and whole-body self-healing. 

Although retired now, the following is a short synopsis of my history ... I suppose I am not quite ready to push "delete" on my story. :o)  With that said, please read on.  My work arose from a deep understanding and strong foundation in human physiology, structural anatomy, and a wide variety of energy techniques. I expanded my knowledge with advanced training, my own personal healing, and extensive professional experiences. Whether working within the body's energetic core, balancing the central nervous system via tissue and fluid mobilization in the cranial vault, or enhancing the client's innate self-healing abilities by bringing the body into a deep state of relaxation, I offered a gentle yet powerful touch. 

After many years working with the human body, I developed and expanded the techniques for animals, both large and small. Along with the success of the muscle restriction release techniques, I discovered that the therapy aids in the balancing of body fluids and in the calming of the central nervous system as a whole. I strongly suspect that there is also a general contribution to the enhancement and acceleration of the body's self-healing processes for animals who have been traumatized, injured or are recovering from surgery. 

I spent therapy time with service dogs, dog mothers and their litters, show dogs, sled dogs, cats of all kinds, working therapy horses, and athlete horses preparing for competition and rodeo; all with positive results. Also, it has been a true gift to have been with many animals in their "final transition" and seen the therapy bring a level of comfort that I can only believe brought an ease to their experience and passing, and a sense of completion to family members.

My Skills

As mentioned in the opening paragraph, I allowed my Techniques Certification to lapse, but I remain a CranioSacral Therapist (CST, no longer CST-T) and Certified Massage Practitioner (CMP).  I am a graduate of the Energy Healing Programs of Lynette Hunter's "Sacred Energy Medicine" and Richard Gordon's "Quantum-Touch," and am qualified Reiki Level 1. The foundations of CranioSacral 1 and 2, and SomatoEmotional Release 1 and 2, served well in my advanced studies with the Chikly Institute's Brain Curriculum (Brain-1, 2, and 3), an intensive course of study within Bruno Chikly's Lymph Drainage Therapy program (LDTB). 

I completed a workshop in 2021 with Upledger on "Longevity and Aging" and the body's inflammation response, as well as a condensed program with Chikly on "Vocal/Trachea Trauma" and oral injuries.  Also, I participated in a workshop on "Working with Chronic Depletion" and learned about complex systems, global and regional epicenters, and the relationships and integrations of CS therapy influences.  It was exciting to share these new and advanced skills and techniques.  

LDTB/Brain work is designed to facilitate direct release and enhance fluid and structural mobility of the brain and spinal cord; to down-regulate the components of the reticular alarm system within the central nervous system, and to assist in bringing back balance to the body's sympathetic fight/flight/freeze and parasympathetic rest/digest states. LDTB works to enhance nerve communication within the autonomic and voluntary systems, and to address and facilitate release of cellular fear/pain and emotional trauma experiences. 

I worked with a vast range of conditions for a wide variety of clients. This included work with adults, seniors, infants, children, special-needs clients and the wheelchair bound, athletes and surgery patients. A great deal of time was with clients recovering from accidents, acute and sports injuries, chronic syndromes and conditions including migraines, TMJ, Sciatica, Lyme disease, Fibromyalgia, IBS/Colitis and with both women and men who are challenged with hormonal imbalances. I experienced working with children who presented symptoms on the autism spectrum and with adults recovering from cancer treatments. The gentle touch of CS Therapy can be very effective for those who have experiences with post-traumatic challenges, both physical and emotional.

CS Therapy works nicely in conjunction with chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture, dentistry and massage. Clients are always encouraged to consult with their primary healthcare providers when necessary. There are many self-treatment techniques clients, parents and partners can learn which can be used to contribute and enhance the self-healing process. As mentioned above, I had successfully adapted the work to assist our companion animals in their recovery and I continue to add to the many years of experience with dogs, horses and cats, even after retirement. There are also techniques available for continuing care for our animal friends.

Through the years of my practice, I enjoyed the wonderful experience of serving as a Teacher's Aide (TA/Staff) at workshops with the Upledger Institute, and gained a deep respect and joy through my contribution to students learning CranioSacral Therapy. What an inspiring time I have had with new therapists as they came to discover and embrace the world of CST.

Articles & Books Written

A thought for today, from me, by me Lynette M. West, CST, for us all:

"May I understand so that I may change; may I change so that I may understand."      

Professional Associations / Memberships

I remain a "Platinum Member in Good Standing" with the International Association of Healthcare Practitioners - IAHP, and an insured member with Manual Therapy Insurance Plus, NACAMS. 

Contact Information
For details and descriptions of Upledger and/or Chikly Therapy programs and classes that may be of interest to you, or if you are inspired to explore attending a class, please go to www.iahp.com.

Thank you for reading my Therapist Profile. If you would like additional information or have any questions, please contact me at the telephone number listed at the above left. If you prefer to email me, please include mention of CS Therapy and/or this webpage in the subject line to ensure your correspondence avoids the spam filters.  However, direct phone calls are best. You are welcome to contact me for professional referrals in other modalities and therapies, and/or to locate a practitioner in your corner of the world. 

May the discovery of your own healing path be a journey of joy and truth, and thank you for your interest in bringing a new healing touch to the children and animals you love.