EP. 300 Add Infants to Your Practice Without the Fear: A Conversation with Craniosacral Therapist Lori Hendrickson

When therapists tell me they’re interested in working with infants, the first thing they usually mention is fear.

They’re afraid of hurting a baby.

They’re afraid they don’t know enough.

They’re afraid they’ll miss something important.

In this episode of The Fully Booked Therapist Podcast, I sat down with craniosacral therapist Lori Hendrickson to talk about what it really looks like to work with infants and why so many therapists are more capable of helping babies than they realize. Lori has spent more than two decades specializing in infant care and teaching professionals how to confidently integrate infant bodywork into their practices.

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Why Are More Infants Experiencing Torticollis, Plagiocephaly, and Reflux?

Limited movement opportunities contribute to many of the challenges therapists are seeing in infants today.

Lori explained that many babies spend significant amounts of time swaddled, placed on their backs, or positioned in containers that restrict natural movement. While these tools can be helpful in certain situations, excessive use may limit opportunities for babies to develop movement patterns and integrate primitive reflexes.

When babies cannot move freely, they often become uncomfortable in their bodies, which can contribute to feeding difficulties, reflux symptoms, plagiocephaly, and torticollis.

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How Can Therapists Help Babies Become More Comfortable?

Improving movement opportunities helps babies develop comfort, coordination, and body awareness.

One of Lori’s primary goals is helping babies experience more freedom of movement. Through gentle bodywork and simple home techniques, parents can help babies become more comfortable on their tummies, improve body awareness, and develop movement patterns that support healthy growth.

As babies gain comfort and confidence in their bodies, parents often notice improvements in feeding, digestion, positioning, and overall contentment.

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What Does Treating the Mother and Infant as a Dyad Mean?

Mother and baby function as a connected system that benefits from being supported together.

One of the most fascinating parts of our conversation was Lori’s approach to treating the mother and infant simultaneously. Rather than viewing them as separate clients, she sees them as a connected pair whose experiences influence one another.

She often works with mothers and babies together during sessions, allowing treatment to support both individuals while respecting the unique journey each family has experienced through pregnancy, birth, feeding, and early development.

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Who Can Learn Infant Bodywork?

Licensed healthcare and bodywork professionals can successfully integrate infant care into their existing practices.

Lori teaches chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, pediatric dentists, craniosacral therapists, and other bodyworkers across North America and internationally.

Her training focuses on practical application, helping professionals integrate infant bodywork techniques into the work they are already doing. Many therapists discover that adding infants to their practice feels far more approachable than they initially expected.

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Why Should Therapists Consider Working with Infants?

Infant bodywork creates opportunities to support entire families during a critical stage of development.

Many therapists are drawn to infant work because the impact extends beyond the baby. Helping a baby become more comfortable often improves sleep, feeding, stress levels, and overall quality of life for the entire family.

As Lori shared, even small improvements can create meaningful changes within the household. Supporting infants early also allows therapists to participate in a child’s development during some of the most formative months of life.

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ABOUT LORI

Lori has practiced Craniosacral Therapy (CST) since 2001, supporting infants and families while training healthcare professionals across the U.S., Canada, and internationally.

She specializes in helping infants with feeding difficulties, oral ties, reflux, torticollis, plagiocephaly, digestive issues, and body tension. Her parent-centered approach includes teaching gentle fascia release techniques families can use at home.

Lori collaborates with IBCLCs, midwives, therapists, chiropractors, and oral release providers worldwide. Her work is focused on individualized, collaborative care that supports better feeding, sleeping, breathing, and long-term outcomes for infants.

Guest Contact

Connect with Lori Hendrickson

Instagram: @lori_hendrickson_cst

Workshops and training information are available through Lori’s Instagram profile, where she regularly shares educational resources for parents and healthcare professionals.

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Ready to Explore Infant Bodywork?

If you’ve been curious about working with infants but haven’t felt confident taking the next step, this episode offers a practical introduction to what infant bodywork can look like in a clinical setting.

Adding infants to your practice doesn’t require perfection. It requires curiosity, education, and a willingness to learn. As Lori demonstrates, small interventions can create meaningful change for babies and their families.

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**This podcast is not medical advice and is not a substitute for consultation with an appropriate medical professional. We make no representations as to any physical, emotional, or mental health benefits that may be derived from listening to our podcast. Likewise, we do not make any representations or guarantees as to any possible income, business growth, additional clients, or any other earnings or growth benefits that may be derived from our podcast. Any testimonials, examples, or other results presented are the experiences of one client. We do not represent or guarantee you will achieve the same or similar results. You understand and agree you are solely responsible for any decisions you make from the information provided.**

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