Cranial 1 (C1) Training
Experience a transformative healing journey in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Visionary Craniosacral Work® is a soothing, noninvasive, hands-on therapy. Our courses, from the Milne Institute, offer an avocational, in-depth training in the heart of listening, a visionary approach to craniosacral work.
The 4-day classes are recognised by respected professional organisations worldwide, so your training travels with you wherever you practice.
Led by Frances Carrington, longtime assistant to Milne Institute founder Hugh Milne, classes blend subtle touch with personal insight & anatomy. You’ll learn to sense subtle rhythms & support healing from a place of stillness & compassion.
Overview of Cranial 1 (C1):
C1 is a four-day introductory training that establishes the analytical and intuitive foundations of Visionary Craniosacral Work® – a modality sometimes described as Sacred Cranial for its respectful, reverent approach to the head and nervous system.
In C1, you will learn to:
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Work with gentle, non-invasive, presence-based touch
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Listen with your hands to the body’s subtle rhythms
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Understand the anatomy and function of the craniosacral system
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Create safety, trust, and grounded presence in client sessions
You’ll explore key structures including:
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The 22 bones of the skull
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The vertebrae and sacrum
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The brain and central nervous system
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Cerebrospinal fluid dynamics and protective membranes
Curriculum highlights:
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Introduction and history of Visionary Craniosacral Work
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Client empowerment and practitioner evaluations
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Still point and dynamic stillness
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The cranial wave: flexion/extension, inhalation/exhalation phases
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The access channels
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Practitioner preparation and embodied presence
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Listening to the intelligence of the body
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Sensing and guiding the heart to the midline
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Introductory anatomy of the sacrum and cranium
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Techniques for working with the sacrum, occiput, sphenoid, parietal, frontal, zygoma, temporal, maxilla, and mandible
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Opening and closing techniques for each session
C1 provides a comprehensive, experiential foundation for the entire Visionary Craniosacral Work® training pathway.
This class offers 32 NCBTMB-approved CEs and is open to experienced practitioners and those starting out on their healing journey (some healing or bodywork experience is necessary- please contact us for more details)
Wonderful course! I have learned so much in this new approach to energy healing.
Frances is a wonderful, knowledgeable and gentle teacher.
Combining knowledge from art, poetry, science and spirituality to healing…
The class is only as good as its master. Thank you Frances!
Have had CST since 1987. All therapists were superb but Frances has an extraordinary dimension with her clients.
Highest recommendation to receive and learn from her deep soulful work.
The course was very well presented and structured. Good balance between practice, demonstration and information.
Frances held the space beautifully with respect and integrity.
APPLY HERE
The Milne Institute’s Visionary Craniosacral Work® program is a deeply immersive journey, cultivating refined touch, perceptive awareness, and intuitive presence.
Each 4-day module includes 32 hours of hands-on training. Our courses are recognised by leading professional bodies worldwide – including NCBTMB (USA), the Rolf Institute, and CSVD (Europe) – so your training supports you wherever your path leads.
Ready to deepen your presence and transform your touch?
Spaces are limited – apply now to secure your place.
PRICING
Spaces are strictly limited to maintain depth and personal attention.
4-Day (32 hours) C1 Visionary Craniosacral training:
THB 16,500 (approx USD $500)
Each class gives you 32 CEs from the NCTMB
1-Day (8 hours) C1 Review Day:
THB 4,500 (approx USD $140)
Reduced rates are offered for students joining more than one class.
Meeting Frances was a serious deepening of my healing journey.
Her sensitive and intuitive touch was instrumental in helping move some long-term stuck energies, opening access to important parts of my emotional history.
I am particularly grateful to Frances for her generosity of spirit – in teaching, in guidance, and in and in service to my highest healing, directing me to other needed resources. She is healer in the truest sense.
Whether you are beginning your path in bodywork or expanding your professional practice, this training is a profound invitation into conscious touch, embodied awareness, and deep listening.
C1 COURSE DATES
2026 – 2027
2026 Dates
Cranial 1 (C1) – The Foundation Cranial Class.
AUGUST 26 – 29, 2026
Cranial 1 (C1) – Review Day.
SEPTEMBER 2, 2026
Cranial 1 (C1) – The Foundation Cranial Class.
DECEMBER 1 – 4, 2026
Cranial 1 (C1) – Review Day.
DECEMBER 7, 2026
2027 Dates
Cranial 1 (C1) – The Foundation Cranial Class.
FEBRUARY 16 – 19, 2027
Cranial 1 (C1) – Review Day
FEBRUARY 23, 2027
Cranial 1 (C1) – The Foundation Cranial Class.
SEPTEMBER 1 – 4, 2027
Cranial 1 (C1) – Review Day
SEPTEMBER 8, 2027
| Level | Apr | May | Aug | Sep | Oct | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | – | – | 26 – 29 | – | – | 1 – 4 |
| C1 Review | – | – | – | 2 | – | 7 |
| C2 | – | – | – | 3 – 6 | – | 8 – 11 |
| C2 Review | 25 | – | – | – | 4 | – |
| C3 | 26 – 29 | – | – | – | 5 – 8 | – |
| C3 Review | – | 3 | – | – | 12 | – |
| C4 | – | 4 – 7 | – | – | 13 – 16 | – |
MEET THE TEACHER
Frances Carrington has practiced craniosacral work since 2011 and is a certified Visionary Craniosacral Work® practitioner and longtime assistant teacher to founder Hugh Milne, D.O. Known for her intuitive presence, precise touch, and strong anatomical grounding, she brings depth and clarity to her teaching and practice.
Before becoming a therapist, Frances spent 18 years in Dharamsala, in the Indian Himalayas, working with Tibetan refugees, raising two children, and immersing herself in Buddhist teachings and meditation.
She trained in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, Visionary Craniosacral Work®, Chi Nei Tsang, and graduated in Osteopathy (BA, NUMS Madrid), with additional shamanic and consciousness studies. She lives in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where she continues to expand her understanding of the subtle body and support students and clients in a calm, nurturing environment.
Frances creates an atmosphere of both play and depth in her classes. Her encouragement and trust in me have opened new possibilities and gifts in the way I touch.
She offers vast technical and spiritual insight through her work. People feel at ease around her, and learning naturally feels like play.
Who This Training Is For
Visionary Craniosacral Work® is designed for individuals who feel called to develop a sensitive, perceptive, and skillful approach to healing through touch. This training attracts:
Those new to bodywork who feel a genuine pull toward the healing arts and wish to build a grounded, hands-on foundation in presence-based therapeutic work.
Experienced practitioners – including bodyworkers, massage therapists, osteopaths, acupuncturists, physiotherapists, and other hands-on clinicians – who want to refine their palpation skills, broaden their therapeutic toolkit, and deepen their intuitive listening.
Somatic practitioners seeking to integrate subtle-body awareness, stillness, and embodied perception into their teaching or therapeutic practice.
Anyone drawn to conscious touch, inner listening, and the subtler dimensions of healing, who feel called to explore the meeting point of anatomy, presence, and intuition.
If you are called to cultivate attuned touch, embodied awareness, and a more spacious way of supporting others, this training provides a powerful and transformative pathway.
Why You’ll Love This Training
Visionary Craniosacral Work® is more than a therapeutic method – it is a refined way of meeting another human being with gentleness, respect, and attuned presence.
Rooted in what Hugh Milne calls the “heart of listening,” this training helps you perceive not only anatomy and physiology, but also the subtle currents of energy, emotion, and life-force that move within each person.
In this training, you will:
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Learn to listen with your hands and your whole presence
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Support healing through subtle, precise, and responsive contact
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Deepen your intuition and trust in your inner perceptual guidance
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Cultivate a calm, grounded, and reliable therapeutic presence
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Join a warm, supportive community of fellow practitioners and students
This work has the capacity to transform not only your professional practice, but also your perception, your relationships, and the way you inhabit your own life.
The Visionary Craniosacral Work® certification is recognised by:
USA: National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, NCBTMB Provider Number 157866-00
USA: Rolf Institute Approved for Elective Credit for Certified Rolfers
Germany: Craniosacral Verband Deutschland (CSVD)
Austria: Cranio Austria Dachverband für Craniosacrale Körperarbeit
Ireland: Irish Association of Craniosacral Therapists (IACST)
I was very pleasantly surprised how restorative sessions with Frances were. She has a great blend of professionalism and personal warmth, and my nervous system was very receptive to her work.
During sessions I would enter in a deeply relaxed state and would feel the continuing effects of that experience for days.
I’ve done many types of therapeutic modalities and this is my favorite. Healing doesn’t have to be painful!
I really enjoyed the class, and appreciated the efforts Frances made to ensure everyone in the class was seen and encouraged.
I liked the fact she was able to recognize everyone learns differently, and this helped me especially on the last day when we were doing the final session.
Frances is an excellent teacher, with a way that is kind and considerate. But she also takes on the responsibility of teaching this work with the seriousness it needs.
Why Study Craniosacral Therapy in Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai is a center of healing arts in Southeast Asia, known for its gentle pace, warm community, and natural beauty.
This course attracts students from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Europe, Australia, and the USA.
You’ll study in an atmosphere that encourages connection, curiosity, and trust in the body’s natural wisdom.
The courses are held at Ratchapruek Lanna Boutique, in the leafy outskirts of Chiang Mai.
COURSE LOCATION
The courses are held at Ratchapruek Lanna Boutique, a peaceful, garden-filled resort just 20 minutes from Chiang Mai International Airport, Thailand.
Surrounded by nature and close to local landmarks, the calm, nurturing atmosphere is perfect for relaxation and integration throughout your craniosacral training.
The on-site restaurant offers tasty Thai and international dishes.
Well-appointed double and twin rooms are available if you wish to stay at the resort during the course; there are also several other accommodation options nearby.
APPLY HERE
The Milne Institute’s Visionary Craniosacral Work® program is a deeply immersive journey, cultivating refined touch, perceptive awareness, and intuitive presence.
Each 4-day module includes 32 hours of hands-on training. Our courses are recognised by leading professional bodies worldwide – including NCBTMB (USA), the Rolf Institute, and CSVD (Europe) – so your training supports you wherever your path leads.
Ready to deepen your presence and transform your touch?
Spaces are limited – apply now to secure your place.
FRANCES CARRINGTON
Craniosacral Therapist
frances.craniosacral@gmail.com
Hands On Healing
Chiang Mai, Thailand