College of Cranio-Sacral Therapy Reviews 

The CCST Training has been a truly transformative experience, both professionally and personally.

It deepened my understanding of the body’s innate ability to heal and taught me the importance of presence, listening, and working with health rather than focusing only on symptoms.

The tutors created a supportive and inspiring learning environment, and learning alongside people from different backgrounds made the experience even richer.

One thing I found a little disappointing was that we were not allowed to record the practical demonstrations. In all the other trainings I have took at other schools, we were allowed to record them, and these videos became a precious resource to look back on and review after the training. I would have really appreciated having this possibility with CCST as well, especially because we no longer have access to the online course materials after graduation. Being able to revisit the practical demonstrations through video would have been very valuable for reviewing and deepening our learning after completing the training.

This training has changed the way I practice and strengthened my confidence as a practitioner. I am deeply grateful to the tutors and my fellow students for their guidance and support throughout this journey.

The learning resources for this course, ie Thomas's books are quite exceptional to get a real handle on what we need to know at foundation level and beyond. I haven't come across any other consolidated book on the subject that offer clear structure and instruction of the what's and how's. The books anchored me into the physical realm, which I very much appreciated and needed.

The structure of the course was excellent. I appreciated the space the 2 year course allowed me for regular integration and for processing what came up for me.

The variety of tutors was great and having someone in more specialised for the pregnancy/childbirth (Carolyn and a mid-wife) was fab. Having a mentor throughout to talk through was a great support to have even though I could have made the more use of it.

I wish I'd had more treatments with CCST tutors as I do feel when I have been able to, they have been great learning experiences and interesting/inspiring/healing.

My personal journey has been full of ups and downs which at the time had me questioning why I was even embarking on this journey as it's not always easy to see the bigger picture. Thankfully I’m in a good place with that currently, which makes it easier to practise CST with more clarity and ease.

Grounding, embodiment, and confidence have been my main challenges throughout the course and I have made good progress in these areas. I have learned a lot on the side through personal development things which are obviously an ongoing thing, and being on the course has re-engaged me in my healing journey which paused after having my son

Although teaching and learning genuinely takes place at this college I could not recommend it to anyone. Mine is a cautionary tale - if you are mature (I’m in my 50s) with valuable life experience and you do not want your self development journey to be patronised and told that any boundaries you choose to hold are worthless, then please look for a more authentic experience. I live in the South West and (without specifying who) I found a much more authentic college nearer to me, after I secured a partial refund and left CCST after completing over half the 1 year course.

The college feels like a highly commercial, money making operation. I had some really positive experiences - e.g. the student clinics which were genuinely brilliant (practising with fellow students and experienced therapists) and over 6 months I developed massively in craniosacral which is an astonishing and wonderful therapy. However this was not the college for me. Not only do you practice with fellow students they, naturally, practise on you. I had several bad experiences lying on the couch, e.g. with a student falling asleep on me, leaving bright red marks on my face that lasted for some time. The college dismiss every “difficulty” like this as being one’s own trauma emerging, they repeat this endlessly without really taking any notice of what is going on (and none of them are trained in counselling). Intakes on the 1 year course are merged creating huge classes of some 50 students, a chaotic atmosphere and some awful approaches to partner transition. Note that no interviews are conducted pre admission - they let pretty much anyone on to this course.

I am a survivor of amputation, breast cancer and healed my thyroid naturally over the course of my life, however all my life experience was dismissed and when I tried to hold a boundary regarding who placed their hands on me (there were only a handful of students out of 50 that I had negative experiences with), I was told by the course leaders that I wasn’t calm and composed enough and wouldn’t make a good therapist if I wanted to be selective about who gave me therapy!
This is counter to everything the experienced therapists at the clinics fed back to me - they all said I was progressing very well. It is also counter to cranio-sacral therapy guidelines about treatment.

Other students I spoke to had similar very negative experiences but many told me they were frightened to speak up because they knew the tutors had the power to pass or fail them. So they preferred to pretend everything was fine despite many of them experiencing some really awful adverse side effects.

There are better ways to learn craniosacral than this - the new college I found have the loveliest ethos and utmost respect for partner transition. They do not belittle boundaries or authentic experiences and work with you to evolve rather than admonishing and patronising.

Whoever is reading this I wish you all the best for your craniosacral journey - learning this therapy it is the most wonderful thing - but please be very careful who you decide to train with.

Doing the 2-year course at CCST has been a life-changing experience and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. The two-year format gave me the time to process and integrate the knowledge. I am so grateful this teaching exists. I only wish it was better known and I had come across it earlier. I came to cranio-sacral therapy from a place of being ill and the whole process of learning, practicing and receiving treatments has been profoundly transformative. I look forward to integrating this fully and starting a new chapter of my life as a practitioner.

Training with the CCST has been an absolute pleasure! The course is well structured and delivered in a very logical way. Giving us as students, just enough of what we need at the exactly the right time. I have felt fully supported through-out by extremely knowledgeable, friendly and welcoming tutors all of whom have brought their individual expertise to the course. It has given me a thorough and solid foundation in Cranio-Sacral Integration which I cannot wait to build upon. Through the guidance given by the tutors, I feel confident going out into the world to practice CST. Thank you!

The CCST Training has been a truly life-changing experience for me.  I began the course thinking that CST was something that I could learn to "do", and over the two years of the course I have come to the realisation that it's actually something that I have learnt to "be".  The course has taught me the meaning of mindfulness and the value of being in the moment, and actually, just being.  The emphasis on practical work has been wonderful and it's been a great privilege to have been taught by so many highly gifted tutors, each with their own unique style and perspectives.  The teaching clinics have been invaluable in gaining real world experience of treating clients and in gaining confidence.  An unexpected bonus has been the opportunity to examine my own reactions to different situations, and this has contributed greatly to my self-development.  The training has been a challenging, rewarding and incredibly satisfying experience for me, and although I'm sad that the two years is almost at an end, I'm excited for the beginning of what's to come next!  Thank you to everyone at the College - you are all amazing!

My experience of the CCST craniosacral training has certainly been positive and deeply transformative. I only found out about craniosacral therapy a few days before the introductory day, thanks to a friend. By the end of that day, I decided that cranio sacral therapy was the path I wanted to take, even though I had never tried it before.
The first year was a joyful discovery of this discipline. Our group of more than twenty people provided a very stimulating environment. Furthermore, the tutors, who were very friendly yet highly knowledgeable, contributed to my spiritual growth. I received craniosacral therapy from the same therapist throughout the first year because I felt the need for a point of reference. I worked extensively on the body and unconscious dynamics, particularly on body tensions, letting go and grounding. By the end of the first year, I felt much more confident in general and also regarding the skills I had acquired in relation to craniosacral therapy.
My initial twelve teaching clinic sessions allowed me to have new and deeply transformative experiences, gaining hands-on experience of what I will be doing in my future career as a therapist, and it has been simply a fantastic and fulfilling feeling.
During the second year, I was going through a very stressful period in my life. Health issues overlapped with everyday problems and the recurrence of old patterns linked to my childhood.
There was a time when I thought I wouldn’t be able to balance my studies with work and my inner work, but then, thanks to some craniosacral therapy and hypnosis sessions, I managed to see the light again. I recognise that the inner work is the most difficult challenge, but it is also the most important thing, especially for a future therapist. Healing ourselves allows us to help others even better.
In the second year, I really enjoyed the module on pregnancy and newborns, and also the final section on the viscera. I believe these parts of the course allowed me to do further, deeper work on myself, helping me to let go of old patterns and allowing me to blossom.
Now, that I’ve reached the end of this course, I feel I have learnt so many new things, rediscovered a part of myself and, above all, realised that I don’t want to control but just go with the flow.
I would like to thank everyone who has been with me on this journey, all my classmates and my teachers. A heartfelt thank you to everyone for supporting me and walking alongside me in the past two years.

Training at the College of Cranio-Sacral Therapy has been a truly life-changing journey for me. From the very first weekend, I felt a deep sense of belonging and purpose. The teaching is not only thorough and professional, but also heartfelt, with a real emphasis on presence, sensitivity, and connection. I was immediately drawn to the way CCST combines classical cranial osteopathy with a more biodynamic and holistic approach, honouring the body’s innate wisdom and inner healing potential.



A significant part of what makes the College so unique and inspiring is the values of its founder, Thomas Atlee. His work and deep dedication to the field have laid the foundation for a training programme that goes far beyond teaching technique. Thomas has instilled in his team a profound respect for the subtle intelligence of the body, a commitment to deep listening, and a belief in the importance of presence and therapeutic support. These values are reflected in every aspect of the teaching and held by each tutor with integrity and care.



What I particularly respect about Thomas is his ability to bring together a team of tutors who not only have a wealth of knowledge and experience but who also embody the principles they teach. Their approach is grounded, humble, and compassionate, qualities that create a safe, respectful, and deeply nourishing learning environment. They meet each student where they are, supporting both personal and professional growth with patience and insight.



Throughout the course, I have grown not just in skill and confidence but also as a person. I’ve learned to listen more deeply, trust my intuition, and be fully present with others in a way that feels both natural and profound. This journey has awakened a new level of awareness in me, not only as a practitioner but as a human being. I’m so grateful for everything I’ve received from the college, from the knowledge shared, to the heartfelt support offered along the way. I carry with me a deep appreciation for the ethos that Thomas Attlee has cultivated at CCST, and I feel excited and honoured to carry this work forward into my own practice. Thank you again, Heather

I have found the CCST cranio-sacral therapy training amazing. I have learned more about functional neuroscience on this course than in 8 years studying it to PhD level. I love how there is no gatekeeping, we were encouraged to try the practical aspect straight away and understand that it is possible for anyone to develop these skills with practice and awareness. I feel like I have been able to embody the learnings through the strong practical aspect of the in-person course, plus the requirement for regularly practising with friends/family and course mates, through teaching clinics, and through receiving professional treatments. I have found it a powerful transformation, something that a lot of courses promise and do not deliver.

I am certainly a different person to the one who began training in the autumn of 2023. I am more sensitive in general, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and all of the ways. I pay attention to my well being more closely, as I feel the need to be the best version of myself to carry out this life-changing work. The training is quite genius the way it is structured. I would get to a point where I thought I could not go on, I did not have enough knowledge or confidence, and I considered deferring the training at one point. Then, without fail, the next module would entice me back in with all of the beautiful reasons that I want to complete the training so that my life will be one where CST is who I am, and it is a central part of my being. Some of the journey to get here has been delightful, and other parts have been more challenging. The nature of this work stirs things up and life will never be the same again. Not only for myself, but it has a ripple effect on those around me. Always for the greater good, even though sometimes you have to just keep the faith. It really is magic! Thomas and the wonderful tutors have really held space for all of us students and been our cheerleaders at all times. The training course is very thorough and I love how any and all questions and opinions are welcome. Sometimes leading to very interesting conversations! It is such a special environment at the college, like being in a very sacred, safe space. The training has been life changing in all of the best ways!
Thank you.

I was a theatre artist before I came to the UK, working as a performer, director, researcher, and trainer. Since arriving in the UK, I have been working for the Hong Kong community, supporting Hong Kong migrants to integrate into their new environment.



My Craniosacral Therapy training has been a deeply transformative journey, combining rigorous theoretical and practical training, powerful professional treatments given by tutors, and profound inner reflection and personal development. Through intensive lessons in the 6 stages, multi-hand and individual teaching clinics, online and in-person tutorials, professional treatment sessions, home study and regular practices with classmates, I gained immense new understanding about the human body and the matrix within which it exists. I also developed the sensitivity and ability to listen deeply to the body’s subtle rhythms, motions, qualities, asymmetry and emotional expressions which are truly amazing. I never imagined I would be able to do that! In the beginning of the training, I thought Thomas and the tutors simply had super power, and I could not imagine how it would be possible for me to become capable of treating people craniosacrally after one year. But the truth is I am indeed able to treat people craniosacrally, and my clients have experienced very positive results.



Through the training I have learned that in order to be a good craniosacral therapist, I need to find my own inner safety, calm quiet presence, groundedness and spaciousness. I practised hard but initially I was not satisfied with my progress, so I decided to have more regular professional treatments with my tutors to clear my own system. Then I began to feel the difference. My tutor Shelly helped me heal my personal trauma which supported me tremendously to find my inner safety and to hold respectful and safe space for my clients’ healing processes.



One of the most valuable lessons in Craniosacral Therapy training was learning to stay grounded in my practitioner’s fulcrum, and maintaining my spaciousness even when clients express strong emotions that resonate with my own personal traumas or violent physical responses that seem too intense for my physical body to hold. I managed to maintain my calm quiet presence in these scenarios and I naturally found safe and gentle way to support these clients. I witnessed how powerful gentleness is, and how it could bring significant shifts not only in physical symptoms but also in long-held trauma and emotional pain. The training helped me understand the interconnectedness of the body, mind, emotions, our ancestors, the energy field, the matrix, time, and the universe. The training has not only equipped me with therapeutic skills, but also fostered deep personal growth, emotional awareness, more spacious perspective about life, and a renewed sense of compassion - both for others and for myself. I feel privileged to have received this training. I am grateful that I am able to support and witness clients’ deep and empowering healing processes.

Thank you again

Yin Krissy Lam

As a midwife, I have found the course to be all immersing in all areas of my life. The fundamental changes that have occurred during the training have been transformative and with that my practice has changed and progressed. I found challenges and insight into these along the way, but I have loved learning again and developing a new skill that I am passionate about.

The teaching through the year has been exceptional, complex topics taught with such clarity and structure it made learning easier. The support of the tutors and college throughout the year also ensured that I felt supported and had a good structure to hold my learning. I particularly appreciated attending the stages in six-day sections, allowing you to immerse yourself in learning, and with this it allows a bond and safety within the group.

Every aspect of this intense learning has been intricately designed to support and enhance the learning and practical aspect of the course. I am sad to end the course, but have valued every part of it and will take it forward with me. A year I will never forget. Thank you from me to all the team, it is a wonderful and such a holistic way to learn.

The CCST training has been the most transformative year of my life. I honestly don’t have the words to do it justice.

Having spent most of my life fighting with myself, talk therapy helped, yet, for a long time I still didn’t understand what therapists meant when they spoke about truly knowing oneself. I thought I was aware, but I was still full of angst and tension. I never felt fully relaxed.

Through Craniosacral Therapy, I’ve been able to feel my emotions on such deep levels, in a space where I felt completely safe, supported, and held by fellow students and tutors. That safety allowed me to truly go ‘there’, and in doing so, I found that the things I feared weren’t so scary after all. That’s where the transformation began. There’s a new calmness in me. Boundaries now come with ease and not through resistance, but from a deeper self-respect.

Throughout this training, I’ve learned that what I thought would happen is rarely what actually does and that’s the beauty of it. Life isn’t in our control, and learning to love that truth is powerful. When I began this training in March 2024, I had no idea how deeply it would change me, even if I never became a therapist. There were moments when I felt that even if I didn’t finish or qualify, the journey would still have been worth it, because I’d already received more than I ever expected.

One of the most valuable things I’ve learned this year is that not all the pain is mine. So much of the anxiety, self-doubt, and fear I carry is ancestral. Knowing this doesn’t excuse or erase the weight, but it offers clarity. It gives me a choice. I can meet those patterns, love them, and choose a new path.

Thank you so much for everything.

I feel deeply grateful to have encountered the CCST Cranio-Sacral Therapy course on multiple levels. On a professional level, Cranio-Sacral Therapy has brought my understanding of “being with” to a much deeper level. It offered me the experience of being fully present with a patient using minimal words.



Having arrived in the UK from Hong Kong, this experience has enriched my professional practice as a psychotherapist, and will continue to do so. I am now more aware not only of my tone of voice and the pace of my speech, but also of how to expand my awareness of all my senses and the energetic space I hold for the client. I have learned to observe clients’ breathing patterns and sense their energetic field - deepening my understanding of their inner experience through subtle cues.



Furthermore, what I have gained from this course is an integrated perspective, treating physical symptoms and emotional factors as interconnected and mutually influential. This approach addresses the individual while also recognising the broader social and environmental contexts we live in.



On a personal level, the learning has deepened my own journey of growth. Having previously engaged in psychotherapy, I had already developed a habit of self-reflection to release tension, restrictions, and blind spots. Cranio-Sacral Therapy supported this further by helping me understand how daily struggles are stored in the body, often outside our awareness.



Through receiving treatments, I was able to release deeply rooted emotional patterns and tensions. This process was deeply cathartic. I became more attuned to my body. These emotions were no longer stuck. I also experienced how physical injuries stored in tissues could be healed together with the emotions intertwined with them. Both could be acknowledged, seen, and released simultaneously.



I noticed immediate and lasting changes, especially in my relationships with my family. I became more aware of bodily sensations and emotions emerging. I now have more tools to regulate these moments: noticing what’s happening, connecting with my breath, and grounding myself. These were tools I had known intellectually before, but through the course - its emphasis on practice and the powerful treatments I received - they became lived experiences. I feel more connected to my body. Rather than reacting impulsively, I now have more capacity to pause and respond.



Regarding the learning process, the teachers and tutors are not only highly knowledgeable, but also genuinely gifted educators. They explain abstract concepts in clear and encouraging ways. The step-by-step structure of the course builds understanding progressively - from simple, manageable foundations to more sophisticated applications. This thoughtful design helped me to form a comprehensive picture of the therapeutic approach. Whenever challenges arose, the tutors were approachable and supportive.



The textbook is also incredibly rich. Each time I revisit it, I discover new insights. The clinical practice sessions offered valuable opportunities to work with real patients - starting with observation and gradually progressing to handling cases independently. These experiences reflected the course’s careful, well-considered structure.



Learning alongside people from different parts of the world and from diverse professional backgrounds was also a gift. We learned from one another and expanded our awareness of the world we live in, as well as the wide variety of patients we may encounter.



Overall, this learning journey has been deeply positive and unexpectedly transformative for me - both personally and professionally.

Thank you so much

Kar Po Cheung

When I booked this course, I did not know a lot about Cranio-Sacral therapy, and I did not know what to expect from the course. The past 2 years have at times been very challenging. I never expected to learn so much, to go through so much, and to change so much. To me Cranio-Sacral therapy feels like it removes the pain that has been stuck in our system from traumas for years and years.

I feel that this course is so well planned, and it takes you back all the way where all started. It helps you to deal with your demons, traumas, and anything else you need to so you could become a therapist and be able to help others. The course is life changing. I am so grateful to Thomas and to all the tutors and other members of the college as I could see how much my life has changed. I could see how much I changed. So much pain has been released, so many of my traumas I feel that they are lighter now and do not affect me as before. My nervous system is stronger, and I act differently. In my opinion everyone should have Cranio-Sacral therapy.

To say thank you is not enough to describe my gratitude to Thomas and everyone else. With their support, understanding and kindness, they helped me to become the real me, to understand patterns, to become aware of things I don’t like and do not serve me, to see myself with compassion and start loving me for who I am. A big thank you for showing me that I deserve the best and I am worthy. The healing process never stops, but I see me and life and others with different eyes now, with love and understanding and not fear and anger. Thank you, thank you, thank you to my Cranio-Sacral family for helping me change my life. With lots of love and gratitude, Christina

The 1 Year CCST Training has been life changing. The skills I have learned here have not only provided me with a new, fulfilling way to make a living but with a new outlook on life. Through the process of getting to know myself better, I feel I better understand other people. Through the in person stages, the teaching clinics, private treatments with tutors, practice sessions with fellow students and studying, I really have seen such significant changes in myself. I feel I have more access to stillness, acceptance, confidence and joy. I am using my creativity in new ways and making meaning from the traumas of my past. I have more awareness and understanding of how to care for myself and I have learned new ways to receive care from others. The tutors on this course are kind, encouraging and nurturing. They lead by example and, among many things, have taught me how to be compassionate without taking on other people’s emotions. I have seen first hand what collective healing can be and I have learned so much from my fellow students. I have a much clearer connection to the structures of the human body and learning this through the lens of Craniosacral Therapy has been a holistic process that has facilitated a lot of healing. I feel more grounded, like I’ve learned how to come home to myself. Thank you to Thomas, the tutors, my fellow students and everyone that makes this course possible.

Having been completely burnt-out by a long, intensive, corporate career, I started to look at options that would allow me to reduce the demands on my body and offer me a new direction.

I decided to start the 1 Year Diploma Course at CCST and genuinely thought I would just be learning a new skill that could potentially become a new career, I had absolutely no idea how that decision would totally change every aspect of my life.

Having come from a corporate world and never having done any type of bodywork or been particularly spiritual, it’s hard to put into words the impact the course has had on my health, my mindset and my future. I also hadn’t realised that empowering myself would ‘filter down’ and have such a positive effect on my friends and family.

From the very beginning, Thomas and his excellent tutors, created a space of learning, safety and nurture, not only teaching all the necessary anatomy and theory that the course requires, but the much deeper, spiritual side of genuine healing, love and support.

Although I knew I had been through lots of trauma in my life, I had no appreciation of how much damage it had done to my mind and body. Slowly and safely, layer-by-layer, my own traumas were released and I began to feel like a completely different person.

As someone with no clinical experience, or previous training in trauma management, the gift of real-life, hands-on experience, both with other students and latterly at the Teaching Clinics, has been priceless. As I approach my final exams, I feel a level of confidence in my abilities that I never really felt during my whole corporate career.

Have I had a solid grounding in cranio-sacral therapy? Absolutely.

Is there more to learn? Without a doubt, probably for the rest of my life, but I’m good with that.

Was it tough? Definitely.

Was it worth it? Completely.

Would I do it all again? In a heartbeat.

I give my heartfelt gratitude to Thomas, Shelly, Miranda, Michael, Magda, Guy and Andrea for their generosity of time, knowledge, support and care over the past year. You have changed my life and I will be forever grateful, thank you.

This course with CCST was completely life changing for me and I can't recommend it enough. After qualifying in 2019 and also navigating the pandemic, I was able to set up a a very successful full Cranio-Sacral Therapy practice and gave up my former career in PR by the end of 2020. I now run a very busy full time clinic alongside a dedicated children's clinic too and enjoy a deeply fulfilling career where I get to help people navigate their way through emotional and physical trauma, overcome anxiety and generally live happier and healthier lives. Cranio-Sacral Therapy is a profound and transformative therapy and I feel so lucky to have found my life's purpose. If you re considering training- do it! You won't regret it.

I approached my Craniosacral Integration training as a therapist, determined to understand and learn to use and benefit from the strange feelings I experienced in my body and in my fingertips when giving body treatment... And I learnt a magical way of healing body, mind and spirit. More than that, I started my metamorphosis into someone I love to be, someone well rooted on Earth and well connected to living being. More than an incredible training, it is a transformative journey.