Cranial Base Course

  • September 19, 2025
  • September 21, 2025
  • University Place Hotel & Conference Center, 310 SW Lincoln St., Portland, OR 97201

Registration

Register






Cranial Base Course

Portland, Oregon

September 19-21, 2025

Tuition: $1,650


NOTE: Course pre-requisites are two 40-Hour Introductory Courses.


This course will equip you with palpatory confidence and precision techniques to engage intraosseous, articular, fluid, membranous, and ligamentous restrictions in the cranium, cervical, and sacral areas.


For many types of pain, post-concussion symptoms, vertigo, tinnitus, hormonal imbalances, and persistent cranial restrictions—what happens when medications, physical therapy, and surgery aren’t enough?


As a healthcare provider, you need more than just symptom management. You need tools that restore function and improve quality of life.


Osteopathic cranial base techniques provide a profound, hands-on approach to accessing deep patterns of dysfunction that contribute to many different conditions.


Course Goals 


The course will explore more specific techniques for treating the cranial base, beyond what is taught in the Introductory Course:

  • A review of the anatomy, physiology, and development of the cranial base and related CNS structures.
  • Effects of core link on the cranial base. Specific sutural techniques -- osseous detail. Treating the temporal bone -- in detail.
  • Specific treatment of SBS compression
  • Treatment of intraosseous strains.

The Course will presents a variety of approaches to treatment:

  • Specific bony articular techniques.
  • Balanced membranous tension and balanced ligamentous tension -- approaches emphasizing the forces within fascia and membranes. Approaches that utilize forces within the fluid matrix.
  • Treating through the fluid.
  • Approaches based on an understanding of the embryonic patterns of development.

Ample table training to guide students to a better understanding of their role in assisting the inherent forces of health within the Primary Respiratory Mechanism. 


Prerequisites

Successful completion of two (2) Osteopathic Cranial Academy Approved 40-hour Courses.

PLEASE NOTE: If you register for this course and do not meet the eligibility requirements for it, your tuition payment will be refunded. If you have any questions about your eligibility, please contact the OCA office before registering.

CME

The Osteopathic Cranial Academy is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association to provide osteopathic continuing medical education for physicians. The Osteopathic Cranial Academy has designated this activity for 22.50 AOA Category 1-A credits, commensurate with the extent of the physician’s participation in this activity.

Tuition Assistance

The OCA Foundation will be providing a limited number of grant support providing up to 50% in Tuition Assistance for eligible students, residents, and young physicians. 

Applications should be submitted directly to the Foundation. It is your responsibility to make sure your grant application is complete with the OCAF.

If you apply for tuition  support before registering for this course, you can use the coupon code CRANIAL2026 on check-out to just pay the $825 remainder of the registration that the Grant won't cover. If you are not awarded a grant by the OCAF, you will have the option of paying the additional $825 to take the class, or we will offer you a full refund of the $825 that you already paid.   You must register and pay a minimum of $825 to hold a spot in the course.

Thank you to OCAF for its generous support!


Cancellation policy

Registration Deadline is Monday, September 8, 2025.

All Cancellation must be received in writing and are subject to administrative fee of 15% of the total registration fee if received at the office of The Osteopathic Cranial Academy on or before 90 days prior to the first day of the course. Cancellations received between 90 and 15 days prior to the course are subject to an administrative fee of 25% of the total registration fee, provided that the spot is filled. The entire registration fee will be forfeited for cancellations received 14 days or less prior to the first day of the course or for failure to attend.

Liability Release

Participation in this program will involve physical activity, including contact by and with instructors and other participants. This, and particularly activity involving physical diagnostics and manual therapeutics, could possibly entail risks for participants of new injury or aggravation of pre-existing conditions.

By applying to participate, the applicant acknowledges and assumes the risk associated with participating in the laboratory sessions and agrees to hold The Osteopathic Cranial Academy and fellow participants harmless indemnify, defend and free of liability from and against any damage or personal injury that might occur during or as a result of participation in this program. Furthermore, the applicant covenants to hold harmless, indemnify, and defend The Osteopathic Cranial Academy from and against any use or misuse that applicant may make at any time of any knowledge or information that applicant derives from participation in this program. The applicant should carry adequate liability insurance which would be activated in the instance of the use or misuse of this knowledge or information. Participants in the course are examined and treated by instructors following the course in case any problems arise from treatment by fellow students.

Location of Course

University Place Hotel & Conference Center, 310 SW Lincoln St., Portland, OR 97201.

Registration fee includes all instruction, materials, lunch on Friday and Saturday, and breaks each day.

Hotel Accommodations

University Place Hotel & Conference Center, 310 SW Lincoln St., Portland, OR 97201

Participants may stay at the hotel where the course is offered. To reserve a room call  1-866-845-4647 and choose option 1 for reservations.  Rooms are $107 per night plus tax. 

Course Schedule

The Cranial Base September 19-21, 2025.pdf

Friday, September 19

  • 8:00-8:30am Introduction
  • 8:30-9:30am Lab: Palpation (60min P)
  • 9:30-9:45am Lecture: Core Link and Cranial Base (15 min L)
  • 9:45-10:05am Discussions in Small Groups
  • 10:05-11:05am Lab: Sacrum/Core Link (60 min P)
  • 11:05-11:25am Lecture: Craniocervical Junction (30 min L)
  • 11:25-12:10pm Lab: Craniocervical Junction I: Posterior Fossa Dura (45 min P)
  • 12:10-1:10pm Lunch
  • 1:10-1:30pm Faculty Q&A at the Tables
  • 1:30-2:15pm Lab: Craniocervical Junction II: Occiput/Atlas/Axis (45 min P)
  • 2:15-2:30pm Lecture: Temporal Bone: Sutural Anatomy (15 min L)
  • 2:30-3:00pm Lab: Temporal Bone: Bone Lab (30 min P)
  • 3:00-3:20pm Discussions in Small Groups
  • 3:20-4:20pm Lab: Temporal/Occipital Articulations (60 min P)
  • 4:20-5:20pm Lab: Temporosphenoidal Articulations (60 min P)
  • 5:20-5:40pm Lab: Balancing Lab
  • 5:40-6:00pm Faculty Q&A at the Tables
  • 6:00pm Adjourn/Faculty Meeting

Saturday, September 20

  • 8:00-8:20am Review/Questions
  • 8:20-8:40am Lecture: Working WITH the Mechanism (20 min L)
  • 8:40-9:20am Lab: Observation, Attention, and Intention (40 min P)
  • 9:20-9:40am Lecture: Embryology of the Cranial Base (20 min L)
  • 9:40-10:00am Discussions in Small Groups
  • 10:00-10:20am Lecture: Strain Patterns of the Cranial Base (20 min L)
  • 10:20-11:20am Lab: Treatment of the Cranial Base with BMT (60 min P)
  • 11:20-12:00pm Faculty Q&A at the Tables
  • 12:00-1:00pm Lunch
  • 1:00-1:15pm Lecture: Treatment of Sphenobasilar Compression (15 min L)
  • 1:15-2:00pm Lab: Treatment of Sphenobasilar Compression (45 min P)
  • 2:00-2:15pm Lecture: Occiput: Intraosseous Strains (15 min L)
  • 2:15-3:00pm Lab: Occiput: Intraosseous Strains (45 min P)
  • 3:00-3:20pm Discussions in Small Groups
  • 3:20-3:35pm Lecture: Temporal Bone: Intraosseous Strains (15 min L)
  • 3:35-4:20pm Lab: Temporal Bone: Intraosseous Strains (45 min P)
  • 4:20-4:35pm Lecture: Sphenoid Bone: Intraosseous Strains (15 min L)
  • 4:35-5:20pm Lab: Sphenoid Bone: Intraosseous Strains (45 min P)
  • 5:20-5:40pm Lab: Balancing Lab
  • 5:40-6:00pm Faculty Q&A at the Tables
  • 6:00pm Adjourn/Faculty Meeting

Sunday, September 21

  • 8:00-8:20am Review/Questions
  • 8:20-8:40am Lecture: Diagnosis and Treatment of the Dorsum Sellae (20 min L)
  • 8:40-9:20am Lab: Treatment of the Dorsum Sellae (40 min P)
  • 9:20-9:40am Discussions in Small Groups
  • 9:40-9:50am Group Photo
  • 9:50-10:10am Lecture: Accessing the Anterior Base through the Face (20 min L)
  • 10:10-10:50am Lab: Diagnosis and Treatment of the Anterior Base (40 min P)
  • 10:50-11:20am Faculty Q&A Roundtable
  • 11:20-12:30pm Final Head Check
  • 12:30pm Adjourn