FAQ - Access Bars

Bowen therapy is a soft tissue manual therapy that speaks directly to the nervous system through gentle stretching and manipulation of the fascia. Gentle rolling movements are completed in specific locations on the body and may be completed over muscles, tendons, ligaments or nerve bundles to generate the required release and healing. These gentle rolling movements instigate the body's innate ability to heal by bringing hydration and healing back to the fascia.

Bowen Therapy has been used to treat and manage a large range of issues including: · Skeletal misalignment · Back, neck and shoulder pain · Pelvic tilt and uneven leg length · PMS and menstrual imbalance · Fertility · Sciatica and pelvic pain · Hay fever and respiratory complaints · Migraines/Headaches · Insomnia · Fibromyalgia · Carpal Tunnel Syndrome · RSI and tennis elbow · Scoliosis · Arthritic pain · Stress, anxiety and depression · Incontinence/Bed-wetting · Chronic fatigue · Digestive upsets · Pain of unknown origin · Sports and other traumatic injuries

If an injury or repetitive strain occurs, the fascia in that area can become damaged, cutting off hydration and will then tighten. Bowen Therapy works by bringing hydration back to these damaged areas so that the fascia can release, and the body is able to return to its natural blueprint. The fact that the fascia is so deeply entwined with the nervous system means that we are not only able to re-balance and relieve chronic and acute pains in the body, but also treat the body on an emotional level, easing stress, depression and anxiety.

During your treatment, your therapist with complete a series of moves on your body and then leave the space and allow your body to wait for at least 2 minutes before moving on to the next procedure. These wait times are very important to allow the nervous system to begin responding and integrating the information provided so that healing can take place to an optimum level.

The fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds and holds in place every muscle, nerve, internal organ, blood vessel and bone. If an injury or repetitive strain occurs, the fascia in that area can become damaged and dehydrated and will then tighten.

The fascia is the amazing connective tissue that surrounds and intricately holds in place every muscle, nerve, internal organ, blood vessel and bone. Due to this, its major role in the body is muscle coordination, postural alignment and the overall structural and functional integrity of the body. If an injury or repetitive strain occurs, the fascia in that area can become damaged and dehydrated and will then tighten or contract. This shrinking and pulling of the fascia will then cause imbalance underneath in the bones and muscles causing imbalance and pain. By treating the fascia through Bowen Therapy, we can bring release, hydration and healing back to the fascia, therefore allowing the body to return to a state of balance.

The most common side effect of Bowen Therapy is deep relaxation, pain relief and mental clarity! There are times when you may feel tingling or warm flushes within an area of your body (generally through a session). You may also experience an opening or a slight weakness in an area being treated. In these cases, your therapist will be able to guide you on appropriate aftercare and exercises to ensure your body stabilizes and gains strength in its aligned position.

Bowen Therapy is such a beautifully relaxing and gently healing modality that is can be utilized from the newborn babe to the very elderly. A squishy new tiny human can be treated in the loving arms of mum or dad, eliminating any need for separation for treatment. Each session can also be modified to treat even the very elderly in either a comfortable lying or seated position.

This is a BIG YES! Bowen Therapy is hugely beneficial for children of all ages and there is no such thing as being too young. In fact, many midwives are learning the modality to use on bub as soon as they enter the world and to assist mums through labour! Bowen Therapy is a wonderful modality for children as it is very gentle and non-invasive. Treatments for babies and young children can be completed in the safe arms of mum or dad and as they grow with the need to be mobile, moves can be completed between dashes for freedom. Benefits for babies include: Colic, latch and feeding issues, misalignment, mobility issues, sleep issues, unsettled or distressed baby and reflux. Benefits for children include: Treatment for bed-wetting, sleep issues, falls, digestive complaints, misalignment, teeth crowding, behavioural issues, learning complications, anxiety, hormonal complications, ADD/ADHD, sports or other traumatic injuries.

A Baby Bowen session is recommended for children from 0 through to 4-year-olds. A Children’s Bowen session is recommended for children 5 to 12. Children 13 and up are recommended to receive a standard hour-long Bowen Therapy session for best results.

A Bowen Therapy session generally lasts 45-60 minutes. Though it is generally recommended to allow a little longer for initial appointments. A babies session will generally last no longer than 20-30 minutes and a children’s 30-45mins … depending on wriggling

As we are speaking directly to your nervous system, Bowen Therapy works best when performed directly on the skin. Due to this, sessions are generally completed with the client wearing comfortable undergarments. You will be draped at all times with large comfy towels or linens and only the small areas of the body requiring the moves will be briefly exposed. Your therapist will communicate with you prior to and during the session to ensure you are always at ease. If this is not a comfortable option for you, please wear loose light fitting clothes, cotton or linen is best for your treatment.

Bowen sessions are generally completed on a therapy table, beginning lying on your front and then rolling over to rest on your back about halfway through the session. However, if required the session can be completed lying on your side, sitting or even standing. Every effort is taken to provide you with a relaxing and comfortable environment, so you can let go and receive the healing you need when you need it most. Initial consult: At your initial consultation, we will spend a short time discussing your medical history, any current concerns or complications and your goals or desired outcomes from our sessions together. Depending on your reason for consultation, you may be asked to do some simple movements so a range of motion can be noted for future reference. Once this has been recorded, we are then ready for your first session. Follow-up appointments: I will always check in with you at the beginning of your follow-up appointments to see how you have been doing since the last time you were treated. Check if there have been any changes to medical details and if relevant take a range of motions to gauge progress towards goals. Once we have had a quick chat your session will follow a similar process as previous sessions, but with different movements and procedures to obtain the desired outcomes.

After your Bowen session, your therapist will provide you with aftercare to follow to receive optimum results from your treatment. This may include gentle stretches or exercises, however, the best care you can provide for yourself post-treatment is the 3 W’s. Walk: Gentle movement throughout each day to activate your body and keep your systems flowing. Water: Bowen Therapy triggers a healing process in your body which generally includes a gentle lymphatic detox. Increasing your daily water intake will assist your body to rid itself of unwanted toxins, ward against headaches as well as assist in bringing hydration back to the tissues treated during the session. Wait: The resonate effects and healing of Bowen Therapy may be continued to be felt over the next few days and up to a week following your treatment. It is advised to avoid other manual therapies in the 5 days following treatment so that optimum results from Bowen Therapy may be achieved. And don’t forget to follow up! Don’t wait to experience pain to benefit from Bowen Therapy, make a follow-up appointment to keep your body working at its optimum level.

If you are experiencing a range of pain, stress, hormonal complications, digestive complaints, headaches, migraines, misalignment, RSI, earache, tinnitus, TMJ problems, hay fever or respiratory problems, sports or other traumatic injuries, then now is the right time to book! If you have had a recent fall or other injuries it is best to treat the area as soon as possible to rebalance the body and reverse any damage before it ‘sets in’ to create long-term or chronic complications.

Yes! Different bodies respond and heal in many different ways and utilizing a range of different modalities can help you understand what works best for you and your body. Many chiropractors, doctors and physios are now understanding the importance of soft tissue therapy and recommending clients receive it for their benefit. The only recommendation if you are utilizing Bowen Therapy along with other modalities is to ensure you avoid other therapies in the 5 days prior to and following treatment so that optimum results from Bowen Therapy may be achieved.

Yes. Bowen Therapy is a ‘hands-on’ modality, which means your therapist will touch your body throughout the session. It is a minimal touch therapy, however, where your therapist will complete a series of 2-4 moves on your body and then leave the room to allow you to rest for at least 2 minutes before returning to provide the body with more inputs and continue the treatment.

Although we could go with the idea that ‘everything is energy’, the answer here is no. Bowen Therapy is a soft tissue manual therapy that speaks directly to the nervous system through gentle stretching and manipulation of the fascia. The fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds and holds in place every muscle, nerve, internal organ, blood vessel and bone. If an injury or repetitive strain occurs, the fascia in that area can become damaged and will then tighten. Bowen Therapy works by bringing hydration back to these damaged areas so that the fascia is able to release, and the body is able to return to its natural blueprint. The fact that the fascia is so deeply entwined with the nervous system means that we are also able to treat the body on an emotional level.

3 sessions are recommended to start with Bowen, with sessions spaced 7 to 10 days apart. This allows time for the body to respond and adjust to a different system of information and for us to be able to build on and up to more involved moves which speak to deeper systems within your body. Following this, some clients find it beneficial to have routine ‘top up’ sessions to keep the fascia hydrated and released, ranging anywhere between 4–12 weeks, but this is purely client-led. Sessions are deeply relaxing and calming so sometimes it’s nice to have a top-up just for the deliciousness of it!

Bowen Therapy is such a uniquely gentle modality, perfect for anyone of any age and treating a broad and varied range of complications, pains and issues. If you have tried many modalities for your aches, pains and ailments without lasting success, perhaps it is time to give Bowen Therapy a try.

Bowen Therapy was developed in the 1950s by Thomas Ambrose Bowen (1916-1982) who lived in Geelong, Australia. Tom Bowen was known to help countless people throughout his lifetime, holding free clinics for children, people with disabilities and community service workers.