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Biography

CranioSacral Therapy Training with the Upledger Institute:

  • Techniques Certified in CranioSacral Therapy
  • CranioSacral Therapy I & II
  • SomatoEmotional Release I & II
  • Advanced CranioSacral Therapy I
  • CranioSacral Therapy for Pediatrics
  • CranioSacral Therapy Application for Conception, Pregnancy & Birthing
  • The Brain Speaks
  • Touching the Brain: Stimulating Self-Correction at the Glial Interface I & II
  • CranioSacral Therapy for the Cranial Nerves
  • CST: Listening to the Second Brain- The Enteric Nervous System
  • CranioSacral Therapy for Ankyloglossia with Infants, Teens and Adults 
  • CST and Working with Chronic Depletion
  • CST and the Immune Response

Certified Teaching Assistant for the Upledger Institute:

  • CranioSacral Therapy I & II
  • SomatoEmotional Release I & II
  • Touching the Brain I & II
  • The Brain Speaks
  • CranioSacral Therapy for the Cranial Nerves
  • CST: Listening to the Second Brain- The Enteric Nervous System

 

Other Modalities Studied & Practiced:

  • Lymphatic Drainage
  • Neuromeningeal Manipulation
  • Visceral Manipulation
  • Therapeutic Massage
  • Shiatsu
  • Reflexology
  • Myofascial Release
  • Trigger Point Therapy

Other training:

  • Lymphatic Drainage I & II, Chickly Institute, 2014-2015
  • Visceral Manipulation I, Barral Institute, 2015
  • Neuromeningeal Manipulation I, Barral Institute, 2015 & 2016
  • Connecticut Center of Massage Therapy, 600 Hour Program, 2011
  • La Leche League Group Leader, 2004-2008
  • Apprenticeship with River Valley Homebirth Midwives, 2000-2001
  • Nippon Daigaku Shiatsu, Master Toshiko Phipps, 2000
  • Dancing Feet Reflexology School, Anya Christa Hricko, 1998
  • ​


Testimonials:

Thank you Emily for changing my life! You came highly recommended from my naturopathic doctor and it was the best advice I took.

When I came to you I had tightness in my chest from trying to keep it all together. The past four years had been filled with taking care of an elderly family member long distance, moving, selling and buying house, starting new jobs, weddings and then just life. I was tired and felt that my energy was stuck. The first session I had I could physically feel the release beginning to happen. It felt so good to begin to let my emotion flow through my body again.

If that wasn’t enough, other things changed as well, like my plantar fasciitis stopped flaring up, I started sleeping better at night and I feel that I have better concentration during the day.

Besides our first session, the other session that stands out in my mind is when I came in with such incredible back pain. I had an 18-hour car trip to take in two days and I was seriously considering changing it because I didn’t think that it would be possible for me to sit even an hour without some sort of pain medication. Luckily I had a session already scheduled and after 90 minutes I had gone from a 10 to a 2 on the pain scale. It was miraculous! I made the trip and within the week my pain was gone.

I am blessed to have found someone who is so knowledgeable, caring and gifted in her field. Thank you for being a part of my journey for better health.

- L.S., special education teacher

Emily Lerner is nothing short of a miracle. My son was having a difficult time with breast feeding. He was unable to latch deeply, even after having his tongue tie clipped. He was not gaining weight sufficiently and I was in extreme pain when feeding him. When my lactation consultant recommended I try CranioSacral Therapy and Emily Lerner specifically, I called right away. Emily was quick to fit us in her schedule. She was great when I needed to bring my older son to the appointment and even offered toys and encouragement for him. I was so impressed with how personable and knowledgeable Emily was. She made us all feel comfortable in her office. Within a few visits, my son was able to master breast feeding. Emily took a very painful breastfeeding experience and helped us to be successful. I can honestly say that paying for CranioSacral Therapy with Emily was the best money I have spent on my son this far. I know that I would have given up on breast feeding my son if it had not been for Emily’s help.

-D.R., mother, teacher

Emily is heart-centered and highly knowledgeable practitioner. I experience an immediate sense of calm and safety when I'm in her presence and always feel aligned and grounded after our sessions.

- K.R., Holistic Practitioner


I can't thank you enough for all the help you have given me with my recuperation from [spinal fusion] surgery. I have had chronic pain for 12 years and I can honestly say that I feel like a new person and find joy each day in being pain free. Your therapy has been a key factor in that.

- P.P., retired


Hi Emily! I just wanted to let you know that I am truly amazed by all the differences and improvements I am already seeing in my son [5 months old].  Even last night I started to notice changes.  His mouth opens much wider for latching.  He is not as stiff when nursing and just in general.  He is sitting more comfortably, talking more and just all around seems to be feeling really good!  Is it possible that he's taller too?! I can't wait for our next session and to continue to watch him blossom.  Thank you so much for helping us!

- S.R., mother of two

I have found the experience of CranioSacral Therapy to be the most connected I have ever felt to both my body and my soul. After trying many different practices to heal my anxiety, I believed there was nothing that could help me. My work with Emily showed me differently. Emily is an amazingly engaged listener that is passionate about CranioSacral Therapy. I believe it would be difficult to find someone as genuine, patient and hardworking as Emily and I feel honored to have had time to work with her. I have completed four sessions with Emily and now feel stronger, more self-reliant and measurably less anxious. I owe a world of gratitude to Emily for her amazing work and optimistic attitude.

- K.M., college student

I have been taking my newborn son to Emily to resolve breastfeeding issues following a tongue and lip tie revision as he has had problems with his neck, jaw, and palate leading to a dysfunctional suck. She is so gentle and calm, and deeply respectful and caring with my baby. She seems very in tune and really knows her stuff! After 2 sessions I have experienced a great deal of improvement not only in my baby's ability to breastfeed, but also in his overall mood, nervous system regulation, and digestive system. I am so relieved to see my baby obviously feeling calm, happy, and physically well. I would recommend Emily to anyone needing CST for their infants and children and plan to take my older son to see her as well!

- S.W., mother

I had a CranioSacral session with Emily today and her presence radiates loving compassion. My sore neck, congested sinuses and upset belly all responded by relaxing and releasing their tension. Thank you so much, Emily!

- K.G., yoga teacher, wellness coach and bodywork therapist

Emily Lerner first performed CranioSacral work on my daughter Clem [named changed to preserve confidentiality] when she was four days old. Clem had been having some trouble latching onto the breast for feedings. She had a small mouth and it seemed difficult for her to draw the nipple back far enough into her mouth. A lactation consultant had raised the question of a posterior tongue tie (ankyloglossitis) but we were able to find one position in which Clem was consistently able to latch and with breast compressions was able to empty the breast. After this first session with Emily, Clem was sleepy and conked out for most of the day. That night she returned to her more frequent feeding schedule and when I was more alert and awake in the morning, the first thing I noticed was that Clem was opening her mouth much wider in order to latch, making it much easier for me to get the whole nipple into her mouth. This was dramatically different from the previous days when I had to try to sneak the nipple into her tiny mouth a number of times before attaining a successful latch. Now she was taking the whole nipple on every attempt!

Emily worked with Clem again on Clem’s 13 day of life. During this session, I was amazed to watch Clem’s response to the therapy. She was extremely peaceful and seemed to sleep through the session but every time Emily finished some CranioSacral work, Clem would immediately stretch her entire body including all four limbs. Except when she was stretching, Clem was completely still. This pattern of alternating stillness and stretching repeated itself three or four times: enough to be unmistakably noted as a pattern. I was struck by the clear effect the work was having on Clem. This time, instead of sleeping after the session, Clem was very alert and the following day spent more hours awake and alert than she had since birth.

Clem received her third treatment from Emily during her third week of life. Again, she remained completely still with eyes closed during portions of the therapy that she had “allowed.” The word “allow” refers to the fact that Emily would not pursue treatment on a body part if Clem gave signs that she wouldn’t welcome this. Such signs included moving the body part away or pushing Emily’s hand away. From what I could observe, the significant work of this session involved the pelvis. Emily placed one hand on Clem’s pelvis while the other supported her spine. After minutes of completely quiet stillness, Clem let out a loud sputtering snorting noise, almost as if she had been holding her breath. When I asked, Emily explained that the dural membrane attachment at her sacrum had been released. I must mention that since birth Clem snored and snorted often and quite audibly. I couldn’t tell if there was some mild obstruction of her airway, maybe her tongue or just small nostrils but in any case this did not seem to cause any oxygen deprivation. After the dural membrane release, Emily attempted to adjust the nose but Clem “declined” and Emily commented that she had wanted to address the snoring but that it was most likely more related to the pelvis than the facial bones. A while after the treatment I noticed that Clem was breathing audibly/ snoring again and I thought no more about this issue until three days later when I realized I had not heard any snoring or snorting in days. I asked my husband if he noticed a change and he couldn’t remember when he last heard her breathing noisily but that it seemed to be less frequent.

Most recently, I brought Clem to Emily for a CranioSacral treatment when she had a fever at eight months of age. She had a runny nose and typical “head cold” symptoms. When she spiked a fever, I called Emily and she saw Clem the next day after we came back from a visit to the pediatrician. Clem had been diagnosed with an ear infection and was given a prescription for antibiotics. After Emily’s treatment, Clem did not become febrile again and we were able to avoid taking the antibiotics.

- C.R., mother of three and family practice doctor

Your work was the necessary catalyst I needed to get into a position where I could and would take the next steps. Your work also helped me to value myself more. Your loving care, consistent kindness and respect for me in all I am and as I am, helped me get started and strive to stay grounded and be more assured. I am grateful and full of appreciation for you coming into my path at such a crisis point.

-anonymous

My daughter is 8 weeks old and after she was born she always had a very serious face and I use to just say she is serious like her mom. She was also a very fussy baby not able to settle down for hours at night and wouldn't let you put her down in any type of chair and didn't like to be placed down on her back. I also noticed a tightness in her legs where I felt like they weren't very flexible. It was very tiring every day to take care of her and My husband and I had not been able to eat together in weeks because someone always had to be holding her. My mom took a seminar and met Emily and suggested I give her a call to see if there was anything she could do. During the first appointment it was amazing to see Emily work with Callie and you could tell that there were changes going on in her body. At the end of the session my mom went to put her in her car seat and Callie went into full extension as if to stretch out her body fully like she hadn't been able to do that since she was born. After the first session I noticed that one of her legs was so much more loose and her whole demeanor was starting to change. We started seeing some smiles and she would play on her playmat for some time. Emily had us come back for another session to work on some more things and during that session Callie found her thumb which I had never seen her do before and once again I could see the changes continue in her. At the end of that session she did the same thing and went into a full extension as if to let the whole process sink in her body. Since then Callie has been a much happier baby; we can spend time playing on the playmat; reaching for things her legs move freely; and she is also okay being put in her swing or bouncer chair and letting my husband and I eat together. She gives us lots of smiles and evenings have become much better where she is able to settle down much quicker and not be fussy all night. It is amazing the work that Emily does and she has really helped Callie to be much more comfortable and an overall happier baby.

- K.B., mother

Your healing work brings me back to the healing wisdom of my body time & time again.

-K.H., pilates instructor

Just being in her presence is calming and comforting. She is kind, gentle and loving. I learned from her how to be patient and non-judgmental. The sessions I received from Emily helped me feel better, but more important than that, she touched my heart.

- A.M., registered nurse and licensed massage therapist

In the News

"It's All Good at downtown New London's Harris Place":

http://www.theday.com/article/20120429/BIZ02/304299997/1044

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