I first went to Melissa seeking massage as part of an overall healing program for overcoming migraine headaches and generalized anxiety. Immediately I found relief, safety, support and peace as she worked with me over a period of several weeks. It was not just the physical release of pain as her sure hands unknotted my muscles, but the spiritual calming that took place in her presence and environment. Melissa pays great attention to the atmosphere of her beautiful studio, and that is met instantly in the enchanting sights, colors, scents, and light of the whole place...

I have continued to work with Melissa periodically over several years, when I need a reminder to focus inward and care for myself. Recently I have sought her wisdom for some deep energy work and guided meditation. The imagery, focus, intuitive direction and LOVE that I experienced is something that helped me greatly, both in the moment and afterward as I carried her guidance with me.

Melissa is a gifted, loving, passionate and dedicated woman to her craft. It is a blessing to know her, and to reap the soul-benefits of her wonderful work!

Sincerely and in deep gratitude,
~Laura Ritchie
Durham NH

"Melissa is an incredibly gifted healer; her intuition and insight extends far beyond her years in age. I have been coming to her now for massage, energy work and spiritual guidance for many years. For Melissa, her dedication to her clients extends beyond the one hour session that they are in her treatment room. Melissa has a strong dedication to healing and to helping her clients get what they need from their sessions." -Karen Lacharite, Certified Firewalk Instructor, owner of Ancient Fire, Northwood, NH

You are a great creative inspiration Goddess!!

Blessings, Love ya!

Debby Boyce
Milton, NH

As the owner of Crescent Moon Herbals and an active participant in Melissa's Goddess Workshops, I find her instruction to be not only informative but inspiring for me and for my highest good. Each workshop has allowed me to become more in tune with my deepest thoughts and emotions. She is a wonderful instructor, passionate about her work and creative beyond belief!

Mary Lavoie
Crescent Moon Herbals
Lebanon, Maine

"You looked beautiful tonight" said a sister Goddess, as the evening unwound from yet another splendid Melissa Potter event. Then I thought back and realized each of the Women was especially radiant that evening, filled with anticipation, excitement, curiosity, and an opportunity to face our fears and let them go. Who knew what adventure was ahead for our Goddess Souls.

Even though I came into the series midway, I felt as though I was a special part of the group. I learned and experienced a lot. Each of the sessions I attended seemed to be appropriately timed for what I was working on in my own personal journey. Thank you for doing what you do Melissa. Your energy, creativity, and enthusiasm really make the sessions healing and inspirational!
Dee Hassen
Madbury, NH


Hello Melissa,

I really wasn't sure what to expect from last night. It was truly wonderful. I have a renewed energy today...so much so my body is like: hey, slow down!
Very cool!
Thank you so very much for such a fascinating night!
I'll look forward to seeing you hopefully at next months Goddess workshop, if not sooner.

Brightest Blessings to you,
Lynn Walton
Sanford, ME

Melissa is one of the most amazingly gifted healers I have met in my lifetime. She did in fifteen minutes what couldn't be done in over a year of other treatments. I was suffering from neck pain and had been to chiropractors, massage therapists, and occupational therapists for years with no relief. Melissa was visiting me one day and offered to do some massage on my neck for a few minutes. Not only did she locate the pain, but she was able to do some release work combined with coaching me to bring to surface what was subconsciously causing this pain. When she was done, I was dumbfounded. The pain was gone for the first time in years.
Not only is Melissa gifted in this way, but she is truly a wise woman who works with archetypal energy, chakra clearings, and shadow work. She shakes and clears the energy in whatever way spirit moves her to do. She is a priestess, a healer, a medicine woman in the truest sense of the word, and she is down to earth, human and someone I cherish and am honored to know.
~Oceana, owner of Kali Ma Healing Arts, Western, MA

Melissa ~

I really didn't have a clue how much different I would feel! ~EXPANSIVE~ is a good word. I feel like I have made a great discovery on a new frontier! Yet it feels internal & eternal. I know I have to do more - I am at the doorway & the view is quite ~EXPANSIVE! ~the word of the day!
T.F.
Stratham, NH

As a Massage Therapist, Melissa is phenomenal. She really puts all of herself into the treatment and is very much in tune with her hands and her keen intuition. Melissa has a very strong presence as a healer and has tremendous wisdom. I am most grateful she is a part of our community! ~Holly M. Brown, Shamballa and Reiki Master/Teacher, Dover, NH

An Integrative Approach to Healing

Craniosacral Therapy

What is CranioSacral Therapy?

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system.

The craniosacral system maintains the environment in which the central nervous system functions. It consists of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord, extending from the bones of the skull, face and mouth (which make up the cranium) down to the tailbone area.

The role of this system in the development and performance of the brain and spinal cord is so essential that an imbalance or dysfunction in it can cause sensory, motor and/or neurological disabilities.

Craniosacral Therapy works by helping the body's natural healing force release the negative effects of stress on the central nervous system. Using a soft touch, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve the functioning of the central nervous system.

Dr. William Sutherland, Cranial Osteopath, wrote:
"Within the cerebrospinal fluid there is an invisible element that I refer to as the Breath of Life. I want you to visualize this Breath of Life as a fluid within the fluid, something that has potency as the thing which makes it move. Visualize a potency, an intelligent potency, that is more intelligent than your human mentality. It is something you can depend on to do the work for you."

While Craniosacral Therapy focuses on helping the cranial rhythm flow freely through the head, spine and pelvis, it is effective in relieving painful or restricted conditions anywhere in the body and is used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease.

�Only after the cerebrospinal fluid current is established, is there a beneficial reaction to any application of therapy�.It is the energy current which does the healing.�

-Dr. Randolph Stone, founder of Polarity Therapy

The deeply relaxed feeling that many people experience when receiving a craniosacral treatment provides the perfect opportunity for them to access clarity and a sense of well-being within themselves. This deep connection to ones self empowers people to move into their life in a new way, in a clear and hopeful way, a stress-free and relaxed way.

In simple terms, if the cranial bones are not in their proper position, then the brain and central nervous system cannot be in their proper position. The hormonal system cannot perform optimally. Even though the cranial bones move only half the thickness of a sheet of writing paper, the human head is so delicate and so suffused with vital nerve pathways, that even slight deformations of a bone�s movement or position can produce physical or psychological symptoms, and often both.

When the cranial wave is distorted it also consumes or diverts a disproportionate amount of energy, lowers the strength of the immune system, and increases the likelihood of chronic states like depression becoming intractable. When the cranial rhythm or wave is optimized, we feel whole, we feel wonderful.

In addition, this core place within your body is a place where your soul can be heard and responded to. Having a Craniosacral Therapy session with a skilled practitioner is a gently facilitated inner journey to the deeper, often mysterious realms of your self, the home deep within you. The session can become a place where you, the client, are honored, deeply respected and heard ~ by yourself as well as by the practitioner. By connecting to your deepest heart, your soul will remember itself and fill you with a new vitality. This creates healing.

While your central nervous system does its job of releasing stress, and your spine is bathed in a healing ocean of craniosacral fluid, you are reconnected to your divinity. Connecting to this part of ourselves in everyday life is the most sacred gift we can give our self. This is a journey into the body where we listen to its story, its wisdom, and bring back the messages from our deepest self to integrate and heal on a physical and emotional level.

How does CranioSacral Therapy work?

Like the pulse of the seasons, the oceans' tide, our breath, our deepest heart, the craniosacral system has a rhythm that can be felt throughout the body. Using a very gentle touch, a skilled practitioner can monitor and evaluate this rhythm at key �listening stations� in the body to discover the source of a restriction in the system. Once a source has been determined, they can assist the natural movement of the fluid and related soft tissue to help the body self-correct. This simple action is often all it takes to remove a restriction.

What conditions can CranioSacral Therapy help?

Because of its influence on the functioning of the central nervous system, CranioSacral Therapy benefits the body in a number of ways. It strengthens overall health and resistance to disease and alleviates a wide range of specific physical, mental and emotional conditions.

Among Craniosacral Therapy�s� largest patient groups are those suffering chronic symptoms that haven't been aided by other approaches. In particular, those with head, neck or back injuries have found great relief. The extremely light touch involved in the application of this therapy makes it a safe approach, as well, for children, infants and newborns with early traumas, including birth trauma. They especially can benefit from the timely identification and release of restrictions in the craniofacial system, thereby preventing future difficulties such as learning disabilities or hyperactivity.

Another area of principal effectiveness is with stress-related dysfunctions:

Insomnia
Fatigue
Headaches
Poor digestion
Anxiety
Temperomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)

Other conditions for which Craniosacral Therapy has shown to be effective are sensory disorders such as:

Autism
Eye-motor coordination problems
Dyslexia
Tinnitus
Vertigo
Sciatica
Loss of taste or smell

Craniosacral Therapy is a valuable way of treating Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and is highly effective in assisting the return of mental clarity and vital energy after a life-crisis.

It is also sought out by those who are perfectly healthy as a meditative and calming experience.

Breathwork & Somato Emotional Release

During a session, you would lie comfortably on the massage table with specially chosen music playing softly in the background. I, the craniosacral therapist would then use a variety of palpation and other skills to determine where the physical blocks in the body and where the energy cysts in the body, are located . I then (to very much simplify it) simply follow the "healing track" of your own body's wisdom to release these energy cysts, fascial restrictions and the like. Oftentimes there are emotions that are stored in the tissue and cells of the body from past trauma - physical or emotional trauma. For example, you could have deep terror stored in your neck as a result of a serious car accident you had when you were five or twelve. Somato-emotional release is simply put, emotions releasing from the soma ~ the body. It is a natural extension of Craniosacral Therapy.
"Practitioners of CranioSacral Therapy have recognized that physical and/or emotional traumas that were too much for the body to dissipate at the time (of the trauma) can become isolated so that a sort of 'energy cyst' is formed. Somato-Emotional Release locates these energy cysts and gently facilitates the release and resolution of these old traumas that are stored in the body (Soma). Suppressed emotions and traumas are a key factor in the development of muscular tension, high blood pressure, heart disease, immune weakness and disease in general. Real healing begins when these energy cysts are released, vital body energy is freed up and many chronic illnesses and problems are resolved. A safe, caring environment, gentle techniques to release physical tensions, therapeutic imagery and dialogue are all combined to facilitate the expression and release of suppressed emotion and trauma. Somato-Emotional Release has been described as a way for patients to reconnect with their own inner wisdom and healing ability."

Breathwork: Breathwork is an excellent way to obtain health on many levels. I personally use breathwork to help me to release deep emotions that are stored in the tissues of my body. It is deeply relaxing & healing in many ways. My clients lie on the massage table and I teach them the rythmic and wave-like breathing technique that brings them deeply into themselves. The breath brings us to the emotions that need to be released. My attitude is that whatever needs to release, will release! It is a process of trusting ones own inner wisdom! Breathwork can be incorporated into the craniosacral session as well. Here are some of the benefits of doing breathwork.

Increased Physical Well-Being
Increases oxygenation throughout the body
Improves energy levels
Stimulates circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid
Balances the flow of energy throughout the body
Improves well being for many conditions and ailments such as stress-related illnesses, headaches, chronic pain, and many others.
Improved Mental, Emotional and Spiritual States
Reduces worry and anxiety
Enhances the awareness of self-sabotaging patterns
Clears past traumas and dramas
Increases life enjoyment
Relieves depressive and negative emotions
Improves self-esteem
Provides Spiritual Expansion
Deepens meditation
Strengthens the connection with the Divine
Expands awareness
Allows fuller expression of love and joy
Deepens the connection to ones self and that leads to many wonderful joys!

Personalized Ritual & Ceremony

Please call or email me if you would like to experience a personal ritual to honor, to bring healing, to celebrate, to release....