WHAT TO EXPECT
Bowen sessions usually take between 40 minutes to an hour. The treatments can be done with the client on a treatment table or seated, depending on the circumstances. Comfort is the priority. This means that people with limited mobility, in a wheelchair or in care settings can also benefit from the therapy.
Bowen can also be given through light, loose clothing.
A full consultation and assessment will be taken and an appropriate treatment plan made for
each individual.
Treatments begin in the midline of the body over the lumbar area. The client will be asked to take a breath and the therapist will make the move as they exhale, the point at which your muscles are at their most relaxed.
The Bowen moves usually come in sets of between 2 and 6, and a very important aspect of the treatment is the spaces that are left in between the sets of moves. There will be a pause of 2 or more minutes to allow the body to receive and process the information. This is an essential aspect of Bowen.
Often the therapist will leave the room during these pauses in order to allow the client to be peaceful and relaxed and to be aware of anything that is going on in their bodies. People sometimes report feelings of warmth, tingling or other sensations as well as a sense of comfortable relaxation and
even sleep.
Due to the holistic nature of the therapy, the therapist will always treat the whole body as well as the affected area in the knowledge that everything in the body is connected. Bowen therapists are trained to be in tune with these connections and so a procedure that realigns the pelvis may also affect a long-standing shoulder problem or fix a sore knee.
Occasionally a short 15 minutes will be all that’s needed. Bowen can also be used in this way for acute and sudden injuries, such as an ankle sprain or to prevent the onset of whiplash.
Another important aspect of the therapy is that the effects of the session will continue to work for a week to 10 days afterwards as the body continues its process of realignment. It’s not uncommon for clients to find that a couple of days after the session the problem has cleared.
It’s possible with Bowen that you may only need one treatment and certainly 2 or 3 is often enough if the problem isn’t overly acute or long-standing. It all depends on the individual and their body’s ability to heal. Nothing is forced.