Carol McLellan, CST-D, CPO-D, is a highly respected Instructor with Upledger Institute International and a founding member of its Curriculum Oversight Committee. Personally invited by cutting edge medical scientist and holistic innovator Dr. John Upledger, Carol was asked to create the specialized curriculum for CranioSacral Therapy for Conception, Pregnancy, and Birth—a program she continues to guide as Ombudsman. She also serves as Co-Ombudsman for the Pediatric Curriculum, ensuring excellence and integrity in the education of practitioners worldwide.

 

With over 40 years of experience in holistic health education, childbirth education, and body therapy—and more than 36 years dedicated specifically to advancing CranioSacral Therapy (CST)—Carol has touched the lives of tens of thousands of families. Her teaching and clinical practice have spanned five continents, reaching parents, babies, practitioners, and medical professionals alike. Carol is a Life Coach trained by Bob Proctor, certified in Meditation by Fr. James F. Twyman, CFC, a Labyrinth Facilitator, and a Certified Aroma Therapist since 1981.

 

Carol’s contributions go far beyond the classroom. She facilitated Warrior Stress intensives at the Naval Air Station in Lemoore, California, bringing CST into critical care and military health programs. She has collaborated with neonatal doctors in Italy, applying CST to support premature babies in the NICU, and has participated in groundbreaking epigenetic research focused on newborns facing early life challenges.

 

As a certified doula, doula educator, labor coach, and childbirth educator, Carol has supported birthing families in hospitals, clinics, and private practice settings, while also presenting at leading national and international conferences—including the American College of Midwives and the Beyond the Dura Research Conferences. She currently serves as Vice President of Education on the Executive Board of APPPAH (the Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health), continuing her mission to shape the future of prenatal and perinatal care.

 

At the heart of Carol’s work is a simple yet powerful mission: to help all babies experience a peaceful birth—believing that gentle beginnings lay the foundation for a more peaceful world. Known for her accessible humor, master healer wisdom, and heartfelt presence, Carol teaches and practices in a way that makes the profound feel approachable and the complex feel deeply human.

 

When not traveling or teaching, Carol can be found adventuring with her loving family and friends, or sitting still long enough to nurture her creative side— She is now trying to sit still for a moment in order that she may finally finish her books.