Sample Questions for Craniosacral Certification Exam

At the turn of the 20th century, reporter William Garner Sutherland became fascinated by the drug-free pain treatment advocated by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, who pioneered the self-healing discipline of osteopathy. Sutherland adapted the osteopath’s skills to a new practice. Craniosacral therapy concentrates on the head and neck region, releasing the tension that contributes to headache, backache and other disorders. Today, craniosacral therapists work throughout the United States. Professionals complete classroom training, applied practice and a national certifying exam.

Background

• Craniosacral therapists are included in the same regulatory classification as massage therapists and therapeutic bodywork specialists. To that end, the therapy requires licensure based on a certifying exam. Besides serving as a stand-alone practice, craniosacral therapy can be included as a treatment option by medical doctors, osteopaths, chiropractors and other allied healthcare providers as part of their current licenses.

Governing Body

• The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork is the regulating body for craniosacral therapy in the United States. The organization’s national certification exam was accredited in 1993 by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, which indicates the exam is conducted under federal standards for compliance and fairness. Test-takers complete the same exam whether they are seeking certification for craniosacral therapy, massage therapy or another allied practice.

Exam Overview

• The NCBTMB exam does not cover one specific method of therapy. Instead, about 160 multiple-choice questions cover four basic areas of the bodywork discipline, each weighted differently. Human Anatomy, Physiology & Kinesiology accounts for 27 percent of the exam, and includes questions on Western and non-Western practices. Clinical Pathology & Recognition of Various Conditions, weighted at 20 percent, tests the applicant’s aptitude for recognizing the physical or emotional states that can lead to a body disorder. Massage Therapy and Bodywork: Theory, Assessment, and Application, which accounts for 40 percent of the grade, assesses knowledge of hands-on treatment in both academic and practical applications. Finally, Professional Standards, Ethics, and Business Practices, weighted at 12 percent, evaluates the applicant’s knowledge of client confidentiality, basic accounting and record-keeping, among other skills.

Sample Questions

• Each question on the NCBTMB exam sets up one question for four multiple-choice answers. The October 2004 edition of the test was summarized in the organization’s handbook and offered several sample questions. “For which of the following conditions is massage contraindicated?” is a pathology questions that allows the choice of strain, sprain, hematoma or facial paralysis as answers. An anatomy question, “Which muscles attach to the coracoid process?,” was joined by other questions relating to the large intestine, the hip flexor and lymph capillaries. Issues about client specifications were covered by such questions as, “Which of the following disciplines is appropriate for a client who requests non-invasive bodywork?”

Other Details

• As of 2011, 38 U.S. states used or recognized NCBTMB exam certification. Beyond the exam, the governing body requires at least 500 hours of recognized instruction and a demonstrated mastery of the skills required of craniosacral therapy.