Where will my Bowen session take place? 

Your Bowen session will take place in a warm, comfortable, quiet room.  You will lie on a massage table especially designed for your comfort.

What should I wear? 

You should wear loose, lightweight, comfortable clothing like you might wear to the gym - no jeans or bulky jumpers please.

Do I have to take my clothes off?

No.  Bowen can be done through a layer of clothing - thin cotton pants or shorts and a t-shirt or tank top.  Bowen is useful for all bodies; even "body-shy" clients find that Bowen is comfortable for them.  

What will the Bowen treatment feel like?

Mostly, it will feel like I am touching you lightly on specific points –a short break after a set of moves is designed to allow your body to rest and absorb the touch inputs.  Sometimes, people get very relaxed and even fall asleep.  Sometimes people feel sensations of heat or cold, or fluttering, or even wave-like sensations, and sometimes they feel very little or nothing when the responses occur below the level of physical consciousness.  All of these responses are normal.   At the end, I will help you sit up and get off the table and explain how to best take care of yourself to maximize the benefits of your session.
 

What should I do during the Bowen session?

Prior to the session, feel free to ask me any questions about the technique or the upcoming session. During the session, make yourself comfortable. I will either gently move you or tell you what is needed throughout the session (such as turning your head). Many people just close their eyes and completely relax, communicating if/when they need anything relevant to the session. If you have any questions, you should always feel free to ask them.

How will I feel after the Bowen session? 

Most people feel very relaxed. Some experience freedom from long-term aches and pains.  After an initial period of feeling slowed down, people often experience increased energy, heightened awareness, and greater productivity, and continuing changes in their bodies which can last for days. Since toxins are released from your soft tissues during a session, and since your body is busy rehydrating areas which have been dehydrated, it is recommended you drink water frequently for the week following your session.
 

What are the benefits of Bowen Therapy? 

Bowen Therapy can help release chronic and acute muscular tension and pain, improve lymphatic circulation, increase joint flexibility, reduce mental and physical fatigue and stress, promote faster healing of injured muscular tissue, improve posture, and normalize blood pressure. Bowen Therapy is also known to benefit many specific health conditions, like asthma, bowel dysfunction, and fibromyalgia.  Bowen Therapy is also known to improve people's overall resilience and sense of well-being.
 

How many sessions, how far apart, will I need to feel better?

This depends on what health issues you are dealing with, how long they've existed, and your overall health.  Healthy people with recent injuries can feel better after 1 or 2 sessions, a week apart.  If issues have been around for a longer time, compensatory behaviors have likely developed and created further injury or restrictions, and generally, it might take 3 to 8 weekly sessions to feel better.  If your health is compromised in a more systemic way, say with a neurological, immune system, or overall inflammatory condition, Bowen Therapy may help you feel better and stronger, and you may recover fully, but this can take a much longer time.  It may be advisable to start with weekly sessions and back off to biweekly after a while.  Bowen Therapy sessions, including frequency of sessions, are always tailored to your body's needs and responsiveness.  Since most people will need at least 3 weekly sessions to really appreciate the benefits of their Bowen therapy, I strongly advise booking the first 3 sessions when you start.
 

Can I start Bowen Therapy if I'm already seeing a massage therapist, chiropractor, or other therapist?

The specific stretch, roll, release moves of Bowen Therapy stimulate the skin minimally, and are best received and understood by the body and the brain when the body has not already received a lot of other sensory input. Typically, we ask that you not have any other form of therapy for at least 3 days before your session.  Since Bowen work starts a process of unwinding and re-setting in your body which can take about a week, and sometimes more, to fully integrate, we advise that you have no other bodywork, including heat and ice, for 5-7 days after a session.  If you are currently in treatment with another therapist, it may be best to wait until that course of treatment is complete, or until you are ready to take a break from it, before starting Bowen Therapy.    
 

Are there any medical conditions that would make Bowen Therapy inadvisable? 

Not really.  Bowen Therapy is safe for people of all ages and all conditions.  However, there are some moves that are inadvisable for certain conditions, for example, pregnancy.  In addition, there are some conditions that call for specific Bowen approaches.  In order for the therapy to be most effective for your condition, it's critical that, before you begin your session, we discuss your health history and current situation.  I will ask you to complete a New Client’s form and bring it with you to your first session.   It is very important that you inform me of any health problems or medications you are taking.

Which health funds offer rebates for Bowen?

Most major health funds (including Medibank, BUPA and NIB) and many minor health funds offer rebates for Bowen. Visit http://www.bowen.org.au/health-funds/ for the most up-to-date list.

How long is a treatment?

An initial session will last from 1 hour to 1 1/4 hours. Follow-up treatments usually run from 45 minutes to 1 hour.