DISCOVER BOWENWORK

What is Bowenwork®?
Who Benefits from Bowenwork?
My Qualifications & Pricing
What is a Bowenwork session like?
The Body's Response to Bowenwork
Does Bowenwork have any negative effects?
How can the client help integrate the work?
Frequency & Mixing Other Bodywork
Bowenwork and Medications

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What is Bowenwork®?
Bowenwork is a relaxing form of bodywork during which gentle, non-invasive touches with the practitioner’s fingers and thumbs are performed over specific places on the body. These 'moves' set in motion long-lasting, full-body balance by sending a “message” to heal via the fascial network and all throughout the nervous system. In other words, it’s like a gentle “reset button” for your body and mind, and it feels profoundly relaxing.

 

Bowenwork heals from within according to your body’s specific health needs by tapping into the body's own healing capabilities. The practitioner is simply sending the messages – your body is doing all the work! Your body does this work on its own all the time, but sometimes it needs a little "nudge" in the right direction.

 

While a light-touch therapy, you may feel as if you just had a very relaxing massage after a Bowen session. This incredible therapy was developed in Australia by the late Tom Bowen from his deep understanding of structural integrative healing, and has been practiced all over the world since the late 50’s. While it has been more popular in Australia, Canada, and Europe, it is quickly gaining popularity in the United States. Find out more about the origin of Bowenwork here.

 

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Who Benefits from Bowenwork?
Bowenwork is so gentle that it is safe and equally effective for all ages and stages of health - from pregnant women to infants to the elderly, from the fit to the sedentary to the debilitated, to those passing on - and any and all in between. Because it creates minimum stress on the body and is essentially unique to your own physiology, Bowenwork is able to facilitate greater healing capacity in the body exactly where it is needed.

While there are circumstances in which specific moves are contraindicated there are NO contraindications for a Bowenwork session. Bowenwork can be used on recent and chronic injuries, prior to and post-surgery, and during pregnancy. Anyone can truly benefit from Bowenwork at any time in their lives.

I especially urge those who have tried *EVERYTHING* and been told that they must live in pain to try Bowenwork. So many have tried Bowenwork as a last resort and practitioners regularly see significant change and recovery in these clients after successive treatments. Please be aware that every person is different, but to be perfectly honest: the nature of Bowenwork is such that even if you do not notice a change in your condition, it simply does the body good anyway by facilitating communication between your body (fascial network) and mind (nervous system).

Practitioners and clients have witnessed hundreds of conditions respond positively to Bowenwork including:

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• stress, anxiety, and depression (reduced almost immediately by Bowenwork)

• mood swings

• aches, pains, and sore muscles

• recent AND chronic injuries

• inflammation, lymph drainage, and edema reduction

• chronic pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, polymyalgia, and multiple sclerosis

• insomnia, chronic fatigue, and restless leg syndrome

• restricted range of motion

• headaches and migraines

• jaw issues and TMJ

• Bell’s palsy

• deafness and Ménière's disease

• dyslexia

• asthma, shallow breathing, angina, and chest/diaphragm pain

• breast lumps

• hay fever, influenza, and emphysema

• cramps (menstrual and muscular)

• bursitis, tendinitis, and cellulitis

• frozen shoulder, high shoulder, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, carpal tunnel

• kidney issues and liver issues

• indigestion, abdominal pain, and gallbladder pain

• postural issues, scoliosis, back pain

• pelvic tilt or misalignment, groin pain, sacral pain, sciatica, and coccyx pain

• constipation, incontinence

• hormonal conditions and infertility

• hernias

• knee pain, calf pain, shin splints, and heel pain

• bunions, hammer toes, and plantar fasciitis

• neuromas

• colic and bed-wetting

… AND MANY MORE
 

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My Qualifications & Pricing
I am Bowenwork practitioner registered with the American Bowen Academy, trained under instructors of the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia. I regularly maintain and build upon my education with self-study, practice, and by attending both review classes and classes on advanced treatments.

Click here for my other qualifications

A Bowenwork session is $90 and lasts about an hour give or take, depending on the session goals.

 

Click here to learn about my rates and services

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What is a Bowenwork session like?
Much like a massage therapy session, the client and the practitioner will discuss the client’s goals and an appropriate treatment plan to achieve these goals before the actual treatment begins.

Bowenwork can be performed over and around loose clothing (like a tank top and gym shorts), or on bare skin (easiest) – whatever is most comfortable for the client. You will always be professionally and appropriately draped as mandated by the state of Washington.

During a Bowenwork session, the practitioner will make gentle touches over specific muscles, tendons, ligaments, innervations, acupressure points, and meridians in the body, primarily accessing the superficial layer of connective tissue (fascia) beneath the first layer of skin and the specialized nerves, called "proprioceptors", located therein.

With these light touches over these specific points, as opposed to the deeper muscular tissue manipulation you get with massage therapy, the practitioner is able to access (instead of override) these proprioceptors that then relay Bowenwork’s gentle message to the body to move towards cellular homeostasis; which in turn gently releases tension, realigns posture, and promotes well-being all throughout the body.

In order for the body to integrate this message, the practitioner must remove their hands from the body for a period of 2-5 minutes, or more (depending on the individual client and procedure). During this time, the practitioner will step away from the table and out of the client’s space so that the full benefits of Bowenwork may be enjoyed. This is the period where your body is doing the work and you may feel subtle sensations as your body rebalances.

 

Clients report "energy moving", "tension melting", "curious buzzing", "funny twitches", "deeper breathing", and "feeling lighter" or "feeling Bowendrunk" during these waiting periods and after the session. These are the sensations of your body relaying and processing the moves/messages that the therapist just made.

There's a saying in Bowenwork: "Less is more." There are many procedures in Bowenwork therapy, but only a handful will ever be used in a single session to optimize the effects of therapy. If we send too many messages throughout the nervous system, the messages are spread too thin to be as effective as when we just use 1-5 procedures. This is why Bowenwork and massage therapy are rarely combined: massage therapy tends to override the messages Bowenwork is sending through those sensitive nerve proprioceptors. Unless we are working on a specialized treatment plan, I will always include the low back, upper back, neck, and head procedures as these are the core balancing procedures.

The client is encouraged to communicate any questions, and it they want: sensations or feelings they are experiencing, but otherwise they should be focused on relaxed breathing and the feeling of being in their body. The practitioner will speak as little as possible. It is perfectly fine if you fall asleep. At the very end, the client will be given 5-10 minutes to relax and fully soak up the work. After the session, which typically lasts 45-70 minutes (depending on the treatment plan), the practitioner and client will communicate about the session and discuss self-care and future sessions according to the client’s treatment plan
 

 

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The Body's Response to Bowenwork
During the session, clients report feeling relaxed and their breathing becomes noticeably deeper. Rapid heart rates calm and hypersensitivity common to those suffering anxiety, hyperacticvity, overstimulation, and stress melts away. Many clients report achieving a deep meditative state, profound self/body awareness, and even lucid dreaming. I have heard the feeling described as being similar to an isolation tank float, acupuncture, and most intriguing: a mild psychedelic trip. Emotional releases (like crying) are common and often very relieving. Know you are in a safe space and I have boxes and boxes of Kleenex. You never have to apologize for your healing process.

Simply put, every body responds to Bowenwork differently, depending on the individual’s own process of healing. Sometimes Bowenwork brings both tension and sensitive emotional feelings to the surface, but this is the effort to process and releive them. The gentler you are with yourself, the farther this work will go.

Many clients begin to feel effects immediately on the table. Others may not feel it until they start walking around, or even 24-48 hours after the session. Some not until the 3rd or 4th session. The effects (whether you do notice them or not) typically last 3-7 days after the session, but many effects may be long-term, especially with consecutive sessions.

 

Efftects include: tension decrease, pain relief, headache releif, reduced stress and anxiety, calmness, deeper sleep, postural realignments, range of motion increase, feeling more "in" your body, improved atheltic performance, improved meditation, faster healing, and more.

If relief is short-term, the body may need more than one reminder of good health before it can continue to unravel stress and tension, just like with massage therapy treatments. Problems may come back if there is a risk of injury that has not been addressed, muscle weakness, strong repetitive stress patterns, poor home and work ergonomics, etc. There are many factors of illness and many different approaches to healing. Bowenwork is potent, but it is NOT a cure-all. However if the client supports their recovery with doctor-approved stretching, strengthening, cardio, activities that avoids re-injury, nutrition, and hydration; the likelihood of relievable issues returning is usually very low.

The journey to good health can be long, winding, full of pitfalls, and often requires a finely-tuned team of professionals to fully accomplish. But I believe it is possible for you to achieve most, if not all, of your health goals if you and your health care team put in the work - and Bowenwork can help.
 

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Does Bowenwork have any negative effects?
There are no contraindications for Bowenwork. Some moves may not be used in the case of pace makers, other implants, or pregnancies, but Bowenwork therapy is essentially safe for everyone, at any age or any stage of their life.

Due to Bowenwork’s detoxifying release of tension, stress, and structural blockages in the body, there can be some residual soreness or "unscrambling" in the hours or days following a session. This is definitely one of those things that varies from client to client. Some people feel pain on the table that disaapates, some poeple feel pain the day after a treatment that disappates, some people never experience the detoxifying soreness. Just know it is totally normal and I take it as a good sign that the Bowenwork is doing its thing.

It is *very* important to increase your water intake day-of to 3-4 days after a session, as this hydrates your body's tissues and cells and enables the fascial network to be able to effectively communicate with the nervous system. This will basically help keep you from feeling unnecessailry sore after a session. The detox effects of Bowenwork are typically minor and in fact a good indication of healthy cellular activity in the body. However, if you have any concerns about your condition or the way you feel during or following a session, do not hesitate to contact me.
 

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How can the client help integrate the work?
To best integrate the work, it is recommended that the client drinks at least 4-6 8oz glasses of water a day and spends at least 15 minutes walking a day, outside and right after the session if possible. Walking, dancing, swimming, yoga, and other full-body motion exercises help to reinforce the messages of integration and healing we've sent through the nervous system. These kinds of activities and Bowenwork both teach the body and the brain to work together. Eating a diet that makes you feel good and happy doesn't inflame your system also helps (please discuss this with your doctor). Your healthy regimen should be followed for at least 3-7 days - indefinitely if possible! But baby steps at your pace. Depending on the client and their issues, some specific exercises or home care techniques may be suggested. You should ALWAYS discuss exercise and diet changes with your doctor as this is not within my scope of practice.
 

 

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Bowenwork Frequency & Mixing Bodywork
If it is your first Bowenwork session, or your first one in a while, 2-4 sessions 4-7 days apart are recommended to re-balance the body and initiate the healing process. After that, Bowenwork frequency really depends on the client and their goals. Anybody can benefit from a weekly or monthly session, but clients with more specific goals may need more specific treatment plans. We will determine what you need together.

Bowenwork can be used in appropriate sequence with a variety of therapies, with sufficient time allotted in between for Bowenwork to take effect. It is recommended that Bowenwork be given about 4-10 days without additional bodywork input to fully integrate the messages from the Bowen session. This includes massage therapy, chiropractic work, cupping, scraping, etc.

Acupuncture and Reiki however, because they are so gentle and "mesh" well with Bowenwork, can be used freely according to the client’s preference, though I would always personally recommend at least 3 days between therapies to avoid overloading the body or nervous system. Physical Therapy may also be used freely as it facilitates the mind-body connection through purposeful, targeted exercise.

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While I do offer a combination Bowenwork + Massage session, I will always recommend that you do the two therapies seperately. The benefits of Bowenwork cannot be fully experienced if your body is also processing the effects from the massage. It's a bit of an overload on the nervous system.
 

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Bowenwork and Medications
Bowenwork has no negative interactions with medications and there may actually be a reduced need for medication and cortisone shots as a result of Bowenwork.

 

****However always ALWAYS consult with your doctor before reducing or discontinuing any medications, changing your diet plan, or starting a new exercise plan.****

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