Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Polarity Therapy Blueprint Resonance Responsive Body Embryo In Us Additional Workshops
Weekly Online Meditation Articles and Handouts Videos Audio Recordings Polyvagal Theory Book Reviews Blog External Resources Scholarships

About Us 

 
 
“Energy is the real substance behind the appearance of matter and forms.”
— Randolph Stone, DO, DC, ND
Our school is located just north of Boulder next to the Twin Lakes (shown here).

Our school is located in Central Boulder - off of Arapahoe & Hwy 119

Founded in 1992, the Colorado School of Energy Studies is a hub for innovative learning in somatic and energy therapies. Our programs teach practical tools for therapists seeking to hone a wholistic approach to mental, emotional and physical wellness. We are passionate about creating safe, inclusive and supportive learning environments for students to not only learn therapeutic skills, but to experience personal growth to inform their therapeutic interactions with clients.

Our programs approach therapy and wellness from a wholistic perspective, highlighting the intersection of neuroscience, physiology, trauma, attachment, mindfulness, energetic fields, psychology and spirituality. While each of our programs has a specific therapeutic focus, all of our programs are designed to offer basic skillsets to any therapeutic modality.

We are a family-run school, founded by husband and wife team, Anna and John Chitty, and managed by Elizabeth Chitty Sandoval and Hector Sandoval. We are also proud to offer additional workshops from cutting-edge leaders in the field of somatic therapy.

What We Teach:

 
 
“At the very center of our being is rhythmic movement, a cyclic expansion and contraction that is both in our body and outside it, that is both in our mind and in our body, that is both in our consciousness and not in it.”
— Andrew Weil, MD

We offer professional training programs in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, Polarity Therapy and Verbal Skills. We also offer continued learning opportunities in Two-Chair Counseling, Pre- and Perinatal Therapy, Embryology and Working with Babies.

Combined, our courses offer students a thorough and revolutionary away to approach healthcare and therapy. All of our programs center around helping students to see the health in themselves and their clients, de-pathologize illness, and create a therapeutic program that facilitates growth from the inside out. Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy teaches hands-on palpation skills to feel the forces of health in the body. Polarity Therapy gives a thorough overview of the human body as a complex energetic system, with skills to intervene on the psychological, emotional and physical levels. Verbal Skills offers verbal skills to work with trauma, attachment, and psychology. These courses combine to give students the skills to work with a host of conditions and to understand the intersection of physical, physiological, emotional and mental pain.

We believe that these alternative approaches offer great insight to therapists and healthcare professionals of any field. The skills we teach are rooted in experiential understanding from the body, allowing students to confidently carry their learning into any field.


Faculty and Staff

 
 
 

Primary Teachers

 

Anna Chitty

In her nearly 50-year career, Anna has focused on understanding how body, emotions, and mind are essentially interdependent and unified in their function. Anna is the director of the Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy 700-hour training program. She has developed a unique approach to teaching that combines experiential and cognitive approaches based on an understanding of the Autonomic Nervous System.

In the 1980s she was the lead teacher and director of the Polarity Therapy and Holistic Health programs at Murrieta Hot Springs, CA. Her responsibilities included curriculum development and teaching staff management for five training tracks, from weekend seminars to months-long professional programs.

She contributed to the creation of the Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Association of North America and served as a teacher liaison to its first Board of Directors. She was also a co-founder of the International Association of Biodynamic Trainings. She has been a keynote speaker and presenter at many professional association conferences.

In addition to directing her own programs at CSES, Anna has collaborated with many other holistic health leaders, including courses relating to birthing, embryology, group dynamics, Autonomic Nervous System, End-of-Life and other topics. She was a co-facilitator of Matrixworks and co-teaches trainings with Ray Castellino. She is also an approved teacher of the Diamond Approach and an ordained Zen Practitioner in the Rinzai Zen Lineage.

She has been a guest teacher in many places around the country including Santa Barbara, Ojai, Los Angeles, Portland and Asheville.

LIZ CHITTY SANDOVAL

Liz is a co-teacher with Anna in the Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy and Polarity Therapy programs at CSES. Raised putting together mailing lists for CSES and playing with disarticulated skulls while her parents finished weekend workshop, Liz has been active in CSES for nearly her whole life.

Liz’s appreciation for the innate intelligence of the human body was sparked through her study of dance. She began her therapeutic training while dancing professionally in San Francisco. She received her BCST and RPP certifications in courses from CSES, and completed advanced study in trauma resolution and energy work with Anna Chitty & Ray Castellino. She has also studied at the San Francisco School of Massage, the Doctor Ida Rolf Institute and Responsive Body with Holly Johnston.

Liz has been teaching with Anna at CSES since 2019 and became an Approved Teacher with the Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy Association in 2023. She runs a private practice at biodynamicsinmotion.co and is otherwise busy as a mother of 3 boys.

 
 

Adjunct Faculty

Franklyn Sills
Craniosacral Biodynamics

Franklyn-Sills-1.jpg

Franklyn is the author of Foundations in Craniosacral Biodynamics and has presented at CSES periodically since 1998. He is Founder/Director of Karuna Institute in Devon, England. His books are a primary resource guiding the CSES Craniosacral Therapy course curriculum. Sills is also author of Polarity Process, our primary reference for Polarity Therapy theory, and Being and Becoming, which integrates psychology with Buddhist principles. More at craniosacral-biodynamics.org

Jaap van der Wal
Embryology

Jaap has presented seminars on embryology at CSES every other year, since 2002. He is senior lecturer in the Department of Anatomy and Embryology of the University of Maastricht. His work may be viewed at embryo.nl. An 8-disk DVD course of his three-day program, filmed at CSES in 2005, is available in our bookstore.

JOHN CHITTY
CO-FOUNDER

John co-founded CSES with Anna in 1992 and was active as a teacher, therapist and administrator until his death in 2019.

John was author of Dancing with Yin and Yang: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Psychotherapy and Randolph Stone’s Polarity Therapy. He also co-authored Energy Exercises: Easy Exercises for Health and Vitality Based on Randolph Stone’s Polarity Therapy. He produced educational materials for the CSES YouTube channel, and written numerous articles for various publications. He served five terms as President of the American Polarity Therapy Association and also served on the Boards of Directors for associations including Polarity, Biodynamic Craniosacral and Peter Levine’s Foundation for Human Enrichment (the organization for Somatic Experiencing®). He was a guest teacher at energy therapy schools in various locations such as Zurich, Austin, Santa Fe and Minneapolis.

Anna and John met in college and married in 1973. They shared an interest in holistic health from the beginning.

Ray Castellino
Pre- and Perinatal Therapy

ProfesoresRay-336x331.jpg

Ray draws on over four decades of experience as a natural health care practitioner, consultant and teacher. His current practice focuses on the resolution of prenatal, birth and other early trauma and stress. He has been practicing and teaching prenatal and birth therapy since 1993. More at castellinotraining.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Staff

LG4A2369.jpg
IMG_4692.jpg
 

Elizabeth Chitty Sandoval
CO-Director

Elizabeth started editing videos for CSES in 2008 and has slowly worked her way into being an integral part of the CSES team. Certified as a Biodynamic Craniosacral and Polarity Therapist, she is passionate about continuing her parents’ vision and legacy as Director of CSES.

biodynamicsinmotion.com

Hector Sandoval
CO-Director

Hector joined CSES in 2018 to help bolster administrative capacity. He is a Certified Rolfer®, Somatic Coach, Life Coach, Polarity Therapist, and Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist. He is the founder of Alignment In Motion which fuses together all of his education, experience, and therapies. He is passionate about being a source of support for his clients of all backgrounds and ethnicities, especially marginalized peoples and immigrant communities.

aimrolfing.com

AZUL SANDOVAL
OXYTOCIN DIRECTOR

Azul joined the team in 2018! His job includes making special appearances to stimulate the flow of oxytocin and accentuate the social nervous systems in class. He is a master!

What Students Say:

 

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy

“I am in deep gratitude. This class has blown my mind open so far; I couldn’t have comprehended how much I would have learned or how deep I would have gone into the experience of being connected with everything around me. The sense of spirituality I’ve gained from the basic concept (maybe not so basic actually) of “the field” is something I’m excited to keep exploring, and I’m excited to explore everything we’ve touched on in this class. It seems like the tip of the iceberg.”
— Group Q - 2016
“This course was a jaw dropping, life changing, health restoring, amazingly nourishing initiation into new world of work supporting the growth and healing. The pacing, while at times is repetitive and very slow, works! I don’t believe that I would be where I am in my practice if there had not been ample time for the material to unfold, and a process that holds technique, anatomy, personal trauma stories, and experiential learning the way that this course does. I also really appreciated the emphasis on self-care, permission to be met wherever we were at emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually in each module.”
— Group Q - 2016
“One of my favorite things about this course has been the way that ‘esoteric’ philosophy combines so skillfully with human anatomy. I now have a deep understanding (intellectually as well as experientially) about energy as the underpinning of matter, and I see it as a dynamic and interrelated system, no longer two different things. Words are hard to do this course justice. I’m grateful, humbled and inspired.”
— BCST Group Q - 2016
“I feel like I have moved from a place of unknowing to a place of understanding in who I am and why I am here. The class was profoundly moving, insightful, educational, exciting, wondrous, empowering and hard for me. First and foremost I have learned about myself, I understand much more about my nervous system and how and why it reacts as it does. I have found great appreciation for the underlying intelligence and because of that have ease in letting go and knowing there is something greater at work within me. My nervous system has settled and my eyes have opened up to a world of deep beauty and joy. My curiosity is piqued and I want to learn more, know more, but first, I want to practice and use what I have learned. I have found my life’s work here in BCST and I am thankful I can fall into the hands of the intelligence of the system and continue my learning.”
— BCST Group Q- 2016
“John’s capacity to present the most esoteric and sublime concepts and marry them so beautifully with the fundamentals of Biodynamic Craniosacral not only far exceeded my expectations but has lit a fire of desire and passion of know more!”
— BCST Intro Student - 2014
“I deeply appreciate the kindness and care that goes into understanding the pace conducive to genuine learning. This along with your individual brilliance and passion and commitment to the topic makes the learning environment. And thank you for appreciating the differences between us in the group – how we learn uniquely, our individual base knowledge, and also our unique ways of self-expression in how we share – that there is compassion for sharing that comes from the blueprint and at times from the imprint. I am grateful for the patience of the space for each of us to clarify gradually.”
— BCST Group P - 2015
“I appreciate the order of somatic learning first and theory second. More than anything, I’m grateful from the opportunity to develop my personal resiliency! I’m changing and it’s exciting. As always, I am delighted to be in community with everyone. I feel very motivated to study and learn anatomy!”
— BCST Group P - 2015
“I love the content and structure of the material. I love how we’re working our body, mind and spirit all at once! I love how relevant the material is to the rest of my life and how it’s all integrating together. It’s so amazing to feel the deepening in each module and the more we work with a person the more interesting it is.”
— BCST Group P - 2015
“You provided a masterful orchestration of the theoretical and experiential learning process. I enjoyed it, without stress and overwhelm. You kept the depth and breadth of your knowledge focused in the present moment of the learning process.”
— BCST Intro - 2014
“This class is changing my life in a real and graceful manner… The best teaching I have ever experienced: stimulating, knowledgeable, compassionate teaching with amazing ease.”
— Austin, TX BCST Training
“I particularly appreciated the hands-on augmentation and guidance from Anna and the teaching assistants… I enjoyed the mix of visual, verbal, hands-on instruction… The sequential nature of the material presented coupled with the deepening of the therapeutic relationship is brilliant and necessary… The practice sessions are the best way for me to integrate the material. This is changing my perceptions on so many levels. The hands-on support with a teaching assistant putting hands over mine during practice was very helpful.”
— BCST Group K

Polarity Therapy

“So superb, interactive, dynamic, soft, sincere, humorous, full of potency, leaving me always satisfied and wanting more! This is the class I’ve been looking for 7 years. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
— Polarity Therapy Intro Student
“Good balance of theory & practice, good pacing, request for more instruction about blending verbal [Polarity Counseling] and hands-on… Thanks for your light-heartedness and rebellious streak… I appreciated the wider, more holistic view of Polarity and Three Principles in all aspects of life… I have a new understanding of Polarity and many more possibilities of how to use it.”
— Polarity Therapy Level 1 Student
“I especially appreciated your vast knowledge of not only the foundation of Craniosacral Therapy/Polarity Therapy but of the most cutting edge science and medicine and what we still don’t know. Enjoyed your pedestrian nature and emphasizing this in the work.”
— Polarity Therapy Level 1 Student
“I’ve been giving a lot of sessions, frequently combining Polarity with Craniosacral, and it is going very well. I have so many more options now. The Craniosacral work has deepened and become even more wonderful. I’m in love with all of it!”
— Polarity Therapy Level 1 Student

Additional Workshops

“Learning how to give and receive support in this community has improved my relationships both with my Self and others. I have deepened my connections with my family and friends and discovered healthy ways to disagree. I was help spaciously and comfortably in a safe container by Ray and Anna and the assistants. I appreciated their clarity, intelligence, playfulness and compassion. I love having sound and movement as learning essentials.”
— Body into Being Student
“What was most effective for me in this class was the oscillation between the more esoteric concepts and the anatomical concepts… Teaching got straight to the point, then allowed time and space to process the information… I appreciated the weaving of the spiritual with the scientific.”
— Triune Autonomic Nervous System seminar Student
“Wow, what an experience!!! Thank you so much for all your attention, preparation, thoughtfulness, knowledge and patience this past 4 days. It was an extraordinary experience not to be missed… I have given a few sessions incorporating the material and have had very good results. One client says it has dramatically changed her life– she had early separation trauma (adopted) and was never quite settled in her body– so that’s quite amazing…”
— Exploring Brain Areas Student