Part 1.  Understanding  & Assessing the Cranial Mechanism                

This course is the first of our new Cranial Series.  

It contains thirty two demonstration videos across eight chapters and is self paced, allowing you watch the videos as many times as you want and review the course material at your own pace. There are hands-on practice assignments to be completed at the end of each chapter.

You can enroll now and start learning immediately, and progress through each chapter at the speed that suits you.  For instance, if you complete one chapter per week, including the weekly practice sessions for each chapter and the weekly homework assignments, you can complete this course in eight weeks.  If you have more free time or need to complete this course as a pre-requisite for one of our more advanced courses, then you can progress more quickly and submit all of your practice homework assignments at the end to achieve Certification.  Each chapter contains instructional theory and videos, and homework assignments with are due at the end of the course in order to achieve a 30 hour Certificate of Completion.  You get access to the downloadable and printable Workbook immediately upon enrollment, as well as access to the Introductory chapters to help you get organized before starting this course.


In Part 1 of this series, you will learn the important Anatomy, Physiology, and Biomechanics of the Cranial Mechanism.  You will begin to develop your palpation skills to locate each bone, suture, and whether each bone in the Cranial Mechanism has full Amplitude, and how to correct Restricted range of motion . An emphasis on Hand Placement and refining your palpation skills is taught through many instructional videos.  You will come away from this course having a solid foundation for understanding and assessing the various aspects of the Cranial Mechanism, to prepare you for future courses in this series, or other ICEO courses where cranial techniques are part of the treatment protocols.

Please scroll down to read the course curriculum for detailed information.

Certificates of  Completion

Certificates of  Completion are awarded to Participants who complete the course.  Certificates can be submitted to their respective associations for CPDs / CEUs or can be displayed in their clinics.

This course will entitle you to 30 continuing education hours, with the breakdown of ten theory hours and fifteen practice hours clearly stated on your Certificate.


Who this course is for:

This is the first  introductory course in this series, suitable for  all Manual Osteopathic Therapists with an interest in learning the basics and incorporating A BIOMECHANICAL APPROACH to Cranial manual therapy  into their practice.  

If you have never studied the tangible, BIOMECHANICAL MODEL of Cranial  Manual therapy, and wish to take a more structured, anatomical approach to understanding the Cranial Mechanism and your clinical assessments, this course is also for you.  Practitioners who had only a cursory or brief overview of Cranial Osteopathy during their training would also benefit from taking this course  series.

For those Practitioners who have experience with the more energetic forms of CranioSacral Treatment, such as Uppledger's CranioSacral or the Biodynamic Model are beneficial when seeking a more diffuse and energetic approach to healing, but when you encounter specific conditions such as Congestion Headaches, Vertigo, Sinusitis, Trigeminal Neuralgia, or Upper Cervical Misalignments related to dysfunctions within the anatomical functioning of the Cranial Mechanism, learning how to treat the Cranium from a more concrete biomechanical perspective will provide more tangible and predictable results within your treatments.  Students who have trained and even mastered these more energetic approaches will benefit greatly from this course, as it will round out and complete your education and understanding of the Cranium.

This course is a pre-requisite for:

This course is a pre-requisite for students who do not have a minimum of 30 classroom hours of training in a biomechanical model of Cranial Osteopathy who wish to enroll in  the following online courses:   

Pediatric Osteopathy Certification Program

Manual Osteopathic Therapy for Every Trimester of PRegnancy 

If you are unsure if your prior training exempts you from taking this pre-lease review the course curriculum below.

What you will learn:

Through this course, you will learn to identify & treat all the major components of the Cranial Mechanism.  You will learn the outline and relative positioning of each cranial bone, the location of each suture, how the cranial mechanism works, how the venous sinus system drains, and more.  You will learn how to treat and correct the cranial mechanism,  how to balance its rhythms in order to be able to provide relief for your patient using a very tangible, scientific, anatomically based approach 

Although this is Part I and designed to give the anatomical and functional basics, you will come away with sufficient knowledge to treat basic conditions such as congestion headaches, fatigue, and includes cranial osteopathy into your treatments where full body alignments is crucial for symptom relief.  

What this course contains:

Each chapter contains audio explanations with images as well as video demonstrations of the concepts and palpation techniques for each chapter, as well as homework practice assignments.  The course in total is awarded twenty course hours, which include both online theory learning as well as your own practice time and homework submissions.

Unique Assessment Sheets and Clinical Practice Sheets for beginners, all designed by the Instructor are included, and more.  These tools help you learn how to palpate for and diagnose each component of the Cranial Mechanism in a step by step manner that takes the guesswork out of palpation and diagnosis.  This learning approach was designed by Maureen Hannah Maher, the course Instructor, and Cranial Osteopath for over fifteen years. 

 Maureen is also the author and instructor of Cranial Osteopathy Part 2 Continuing Fundamentals, which will be available online in 2023, and the complete Advanced Cranial Pathologies series that she teaches in live seminars and workshops to learners who wish to build on the fundamentals of this course and go on to effectively treatment more complex but common cranial pathologies.  But to do this, one needs to start with the fundamentals, which you will acquire in this course.

What you will need:

Access to a printer to print the Workbook and Worksheets for practice

Order a practice doll like the one you see in the video below.

What you get:

A download able and printable version of the Workbook is available immediately  upon enrollment as well as the Introductory chapter.

Certificates of  Completion are awarded to Participants who complete the course.  Certificates can be submitted to their respective associations for CPDs / CEUs or can be displayed in their clinics. 

Join us online and learn how Cranial Manual therapy can be incorporated into your Bodywork practice today!

Have a question about this course ?  Did you read the course curriculum?  If you still have a question, please feel free to email the Instructor at [email protected] 

Here is what some students are saying about this course:

"I learned alot!  My clients are really loving the results I am giving them.  They often say they feel very relaxed.  I only wish I could treat myself!"

Lucia, Toronto, Canada

"This course so far has given me really clear plans on how to assess and treat specific areas."

Carly, UK

Course Curriculum

  • 1

    Introduction & Overview with your Instructor

  • 2

    The Workbook & Buying a Practice Skull

    • Buying a Practice Skull

    • Download & Print the Workbook
  • 3

    Chapter 1: The Fundamental Concepts of Cranial Osteopathy

    • Meet the Father of Cranial Osteopathy William Garner Sutherland, D.O.

    • How this Discovery Happened and Why its Important

    • How Cranial Osteopathy relates to the History of CranioSacral Therapy

    • How "form determines function" applies to Cranial Osteopathy

    • Quiz - Learning History & Concepts
  • 4

    Chapter 2. The Cranial Bones

    • Introduction to this Chapter

    • Using the Practice Chart

    • Video Demonstration - Overview of the Cranial Bones

    • Video Demonstration - The Occiput

    • Video Demonstration - The Frontal Bone

    • Video Demonstration - The Sphenoid

    • Video Demonstration - The Temporal Bones

    • Video Demonstration - The Parietal Bones

    • Locating the Frontal Bone on your Model

    • Locating the Sphenoid Bone on your Model

    • Grasping the Temporal Bones on your Model

    • Contacting the Occiput on your Model

    • Instructions how to complete homework

    • DOWNLOAD: Practice Chart Anatomy of the Cranial Bones

    • DOWNLOAD: The Cranial Bones

    • Quiz - Learning about Cranial Bones

    • Have you completed the homework assignment for this chapter?
  • 5

    Chapter 3: The Cranial Sutures

    • Is a Suture a Joint?

    • Why are sutures so important anyway?

    • Cranial Suture Anatomy

    • What's in an Name? Locating and Naming the Suture

    • Upper View of the Cranial Sutures

    • Posterior View of the Cranial Sutures

    • Common examples of suture pathology & their role in Cranial Dysfunctions

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: locating the sutures

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: locating the Occipito-Temporal Suture

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: locating the sutures - posterior view

    • Instructions for Treating Suture Compaction with the V Spread Technique

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION Treating Suture Compaction with the V-Spread Technique

    • Instructions how to complete homework

    • HOMEWORK & DOWNLOAD: Practicing Suture Anatomy

    • HOMEWORK & DOWNLOAD: Instructions for Treating Suture Compaction

    • Quiz - Learning about Sutures

    • Have you completed the homework assignment for this chapter?
  • 6

    Chapter 4: The Cranial Meninges

    • Meninges ? Another word for Cranial Connective Tissue

    • The Structure of the Cranial Meninges

    • What do they do? Functional Anatomy of Cranial Meninges

    • The Inter-Dependent Role of Meninges from an Osteopathic Perspective

    • The Role of Meninges in the Cranio-Sacral System

    • The Concept of Reciprocal Tension Membranes

    • The Falx Cerebri and the Tentorium Cerebelli

    • The Vault Hold and Treating the Cranial Meninges

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Global Vault Hold in Treating the Cranial Meninges

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Superior Vault Hold to Treat the Parietal Region

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION - Occipital Vault Hold to Release the Tentorium Cerebelli & Brainstem

    • Instructions how to complete homework

    • HOMEWORK & DOWNLOAD: Practicing the Vault Hold Procedures in Treating Cranial Meninges

    • Quiz - Learning about Cranial Connective Tissue

    • Have you completed the homework assignment for this chapter?
  • 7

    Chapter 5: The Primary Respiratory Mechanism

    • The Primary Respiratory Mechanism according to Sutherland

    • What purpose does the CerebroSpinal Fluid serve ?

    • Why is the discovery of the Primary Respiratory Mechanism important for Osteopathy?

    • What is the Cranial Rhythmic Impulse ?

    • How the Primary Respiratory Mechanism Works

    • What is the Sphenobasilar Symphysis ?

    • What happens during Flexion ?

    • What happens during Extension ?

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION Global Movement of the SSB in Flexion and Extension

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION - Palpation & Hand Placement of Occiput & Sphenoid in Flexion and Extension (SSB)

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION - Palpation & Hand Placement of Frontal in Flexion and Extension

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION - Palpation & Hand Placement of Temporals in Flexion and Extension (Side View)

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION - Palpation & Hand Placement of Temporals in Flexion and Extension ( Top View)

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION - Palpation & Hand Placement of PARIETALS in Flexion and Extension

    • HOMEWORK & DOWNLOAD: Practicing Palpating for the Cranial Rhythmic Movement

    • Quiz - Learning about the Primary Respiratory Mechanism

    • Have you completed the homework assignment for this chapter?
  • 8

    Chapter 6. Learning to Assess the Amplitude of Cranial Rhythms

    • What is Amplitude of the Cranial Rhythm?

    • Other Aspects of the Cranial Rhythm

    • What does Full Amplitude of the SSB feel like ?

    • What is Restricted Range of Motion?

    • Learning what Restricted Range of Motion feels like

    • Video Demonstration - Step 1. Palpate for Amplitude of the Sphenoid

    • Video Demonstration - Step 2. Palpate for Amplitude of the Sphenoid & Occiput

    • Video Demonstration - Step 3. Palpate for Amplitude of the Frontal & Occiput

    • Video Demonstration - Step 4. Palpate for Amplitude of the Temporals

    • Video Demonstration - Step 5. Palpate for Amplitude of the Parietals

    • VIDEO - Introduction with your Instructor

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION Overall Palpation Assessment on a Live Model

    • HOMEWORK: Learning to Palpate the Cranium Rhythm Phases of Flexion & Extension & Restricted Amplitude

    • Quiz - Learning to Assess the Primary Respiratory Mechanism

    • Have you completed the homework assignment for this chapter?
  • 9

    Chapter 7: The Cranial Venous Sinus System (CVSS)

    • What is a Cranial Sinus and why are they Important to Cranial Osteopathy?

    • What is a Cranial Sinus and why are they important to Cranial Osteopathy?

    • A Flowing System: the Structure of Venous Sinuses

    • What's a Ventricle? Locating the Ventricles of the Brain

    • A Summary of the 3rd and 4th ventricles Role in Intra-Cranial Congestion

    • Lets review the Main areas of Drainage of the Cranial Venous Sinus System

    • Examples of Functional Pathologies of the Venous Sinus System

    • Health Benefits of CV4 Technique

    • Palpation Protocol for Dysfunctions of the Venous Sinus System

    • VIDEO - Introduction with your Instructor

    • VIDEO DEMONSTRATION Palpating for Dysfunctions of the Venous Sinus System & using the CV4 Technique

    • HOMEWORK & DOWNLOAD: Practice Protocol to for Identifying Dysfunctions the Cranial Venous Sinus System on a Patient

    • Quiz - Learning about the Cranial Venous Sinus System

    • Have you completed the homework assignment for this chapter?
  • 10

    Chapter 8: The Cranial Osteopathy Assessment Chart & Your Homework

    • The Cranial Osteopathy Assessment Chart & the Advantages of Using a Charting Method in your Practice

    • Using the Cranial Diagram

    • Charting the SphenoBasilary Symphesis - Optional Chart

    • Homework & What Your Goals Should Be

    • Homework Formats Available for Download

    • Homework #1: Anatomy of the Cranial Bones

    • Homework #2: Name the Suture

    • HOMEWORK 3: Treating Suture Compaction

    • Homework chapter #3: Treating Suture Compaction

    • HOMEWORK #4: Practicing the Vault Hold Procedures in Treating Cranial Meninges

    • HOMEWORK #5: Practicing Palpating for the Cranial Rhythmic Movement

    • HOMEWORK #6: Learning to Palpate the Cranium Rhythm Phases of Flexion & Extension & Restricted Amplitude

    • HOMEWORK #7: Practice Protocol to for Identifying Dysfunctions the Cranial Venous Sinus System on a Patient

    • HOMEWORK & DOWNLOAD: Using the Chart to Assess the Spheno-Basilary Symphesis

    • Checklist before submitting your Homework

    • Where & How to Submit your Homework
  • 11

    About your Instructor

    • Maureen Norah Maher, BA, DO(Qc), DO(MP) Osteopath Practitioner and Educator

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About the instructor

Educational Director & Instructor

Maureen Hannah Maher

Since Maureen began teaching, she found that not only does she have a natural gift for it (her parents were both teachers, so let hear it for genetics!), she found that she also holds a great desire to give back to the community and a profession that has been so fulfilling to her, and share over twenty years of acquired experience and knowledge.   Maureen brings extensive knowledge in Osteopathy  to her educational seminars.  Throughout her career which began in Montreal in 2003, Maureen has been an accredited member in good standing in several provinces across Canada, including the CPMDQ (Quebec), OsteopathyBC (British Columbia), OFOP (Ontario) and SCMMAC (Quebec). Like many classically trained Manual Osteopaths in Canada, Maureen wrote a thesis as part of her Osteopathy training. Hers was within the field of Cranial Osteopathy, on the Prevalence of Muscle and Myofascial Chain Link Dysfunctions and the Temporal Bone. Maureen was also an Associate Overseas member of the Australian Osteopathic Association (AOA) from 2008 to 2011.  After undergoing accreditation evaluation for foreign trained Osteopaths in Perth, Western Australia, Maureen was offered a position in one of Singapore's leading Osteopathic Clinics, giving her the distinction of having been the first Canadian trained Osteopath to be approved to practice  in South East Asia.   Right before the worldwide economic collapse in 2010, Maureen was offered a position in Shanghai China, which required accreditation with the GOSC, UK, which she began, but as prevailing economic conditions worsened, the position was put on hold, and Maureen decided instead to settled in Toronto, Canada, where after reluctantly accepting a poorly paid teaching contract, her students began asking her to design courses in more specialized subjects within Osteopathy, including Women's Health and Pediatrics.  It was not long after that Maureen founded the Center for Continuing Education of Osteopathy & Manual Therapy where she continued to innovate every day! Today, Maureen still teaches continuing education courses in specialized fields of Osteopathic Manual Therapy. Her students say that Maureen's teaching style is animated, engaging, but most importantly, informative.  Her gift lies in communicating complex theories in simple terms and analogies.  Her students come away with a clear grasp of Osteopathic concepts for treatment, and practical knowledge of how to apply them.  In more recent years, Maureen has created online versions of some of her most popular courses, and it is thanks to this new era of online learning that Osteopaths throughout Canada and throughout the world have been able to use Maureen's teachings and treatment protocols to help women, infants, and the general public find relief from the bodily dysfunctions that are so amenable to osteopathic manual treatments. Practitioners who enroll in any of our continuing education courses can contact Maureen at any time by email or pre-arranged phone call with clinical questions.  As a result, many Osteopaths worldwide still consult with her today regarding challenging Osteopathy cases.