BOwenwork™

Balance. Align. Release.

Bowenwork is a therapy that implements a sequences of small moves at varying pressures, each at a specific site on the body, to stimulate healing mechanisms. Rolling over soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments releases tension and restores balance to the body by stimulating the circulation of energy and lymphatic drainage.

what is Bowenwork?

This gentle form of bodywork that involves stretching the fascia that covers your muscles and organs in order to promote pain relief. These gentle manipulations stimulate the nerve endings that regulate muscle tension, thereby signaling the muscles to rebalance and relax. Bowen helps to remove blockages that prevent the free flow of energy in the body. When the body’s nervous system and energetic system are in balance, physical, emotional and mental functions are able to return to a healthy state.

Going Deeper

Bowenwork treats the causes of long term problems in the body such as chronic pain rather than simply their symptoms. The holistic approach goes beyond surface level relief and works to restore balance to the autonomic nervous system which controls over 80% of the body’s functions.

The autonomic nervous system is divided into two parts the sympathetic which is responsible for the flight or fight response and the para-sympathtic which controls rest and repair. Bowenwork stimulates the para sympathetic nervous system to relax the sympathetic nervous system, so the body is able to enter into rest and repair mode. The overall calming release of energy allows the body to then heal imbalances throughout that are causing stress and pain.works

what to expect

In a Bowenwork session, clients can expect a gentle, hands-on approach to address pain and promote relaxation. The practitioner will use light, precise moves on specific areas of the body, often around muscles, tendons, and nerves. Each move is followed by a short pause, allowing the body to respond and initiate its natural healing process. The experience is deeply relaxing, with many clients feeling a soothing, almost meditative state during the treatment.

reccomended frequency

Bowenwork is gentle and noninvasive, but the body will continue to feel the affects of a single session days after. Therefore, it is important to schedule Bowenwork sessions at least a week apart.

For pain relief the reccomended frequency is one session per week for three weeks, and additional sessions can be scheduled after the three weeks if pain persists.

BENEFITS OF bowenworks

Bowenwork FAQs

What happens during treatment?

Bowenwork consists of several series of gentle moves through light-weight clothing while the client lies on a massage table. Several minutes are allowed between moves to give the body time to respond.

How long is the session?

The length of a session varies and depends primarily on what your body needs that day and what it can handle that day. When the body has absorbed about as much as it can handle for the session, there is no use in going beyond that point. Generally 45 minutes to a bit over 1 hour is needed. In some cases, sessions as short as 10 minutes is used for a “quick fix” or as long as 90 minutes or more may be needed to properly address what is happening in your body. The shorter the treatment time, the more specific and direct the Releases are to address a very particular issue to focus all of all the available resources of the body to a specific area or problem. A longer session doesn’t necessarily give better therapeutic results.

How many sessions are needed?

This is very dependent on the type of problem(s) you have. We recommend that you try to attend at least 2-3 sessions to feel the full benefits. Some people find relief after just one session however some problems that have been longstanding can take longer to address. Some people with chronic conditions use regular treatments to manage their symptoms. Many clients also carry on and have top up treatments as a kind of maintenance to help prevent problems recurring.

Is Bowenwork safe?

Bowenwork is completely safe and appropriate for everyone from newborns to the very elderly and frail. Highly trained athletes and pregnant women benefit equally, each according to need.

What should I wear during treatment?

Soft comfortable clothing is best.

How often should I receive treatment?

Bowen treatments are generally spaced on average 5-7 days apart unless there has been a re-injury or a completely new problem that needs addressing. The reason for this gap between treatments is that Bowen work carries on affecting the body over a number of days so it is important to give the body a chance to heal.

Will I see immediate results?

In most cases, some level of relief occurs during or within a few short hours after a session. Results can come within the first week after the session. Again, 3-5 sessions spaced about a week apart are sufficient for most issues. These few visits are still a fraction of the number of visits that people do while undergoing many other forms of care, and in the end there is a huge saving of both time and money. Bowen has a long and successful track record helping people with an incredibly vast assortment of problems and conditions.

What are the after effects?

Each individual’s response is different, however post – treatment reactions are not uncommon and can include tiredness, thirst, an increase in original symptoms, flu-like symptoms, stiffness, headaches. These reactions tend to be caused by the body initiating a healing response and are nothing to be worried about, it is important to drink plenty of water, do little walks every half hour as advised in the aftercare sheet, and return for treatment.

Can Bowen be combined with other forms of therapy?

We advise that you should not have any other treatments i.e massage, acupuncture, chiropractic at least 5 days before and after your treatment, as this can affect the efficacy of the Bowen.

Are there any contraindications?

There are very few. They include:

Performing the Coccyx (tailbone) Release on a pregnant woman, as there may be the possibility of triggering premature labor – all other procedures are safe to apply during pregnancy
Performing the Breast Release on those individuals with breast implants; even though the breast tissue is slightly moved during this procedure to address the underlying tissue and the implant is not touched or contacted during this procedure, students and practitioners are taught that it is best to refrain from performing the Breast Release on individuals with implants
Performing the TMJ Release on someone who has had surgery for TMJ where bone was shaved or added to realign the bite.

April Joy R.

I have been a massage therapist and reiki practitioner for years and I am happy to have found Liza. I'm glad that my first Bowen experience was with her and I look forward to that next post-session relaxation. It's a very different relaxed feeling than a massage; for me it was a deeper relaxation- one that was more than just the muscular level. I encourage everyone to try it with an open mind.

SGCL.

I've experienced both immediate short-term relief during painful recovery (knee surgery, spine issues, shoulder tear) and longer-term improvement in stress levels and general well-being. Always feel better after my time on the table.

Josette C.

Wow I can't believe it. I came in for a Bowen treatment with an extremely painful knee problem, limping badly and having trouble walking. After my treatment I felt so much better but my knee was still very sore. The amazing thing is as the day progressed I got better and better and I could walk really well, normally and hardly feel any soreness in my knee.