Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Q. Can anyone have Bowen therapy?
Yes. Bowen therapy is safe to be used on any body, of any age.
Q. What should I wear when I come for a treatment?
So that I can work through clothing, make sure it is loose, light fitting clothing. Shorts are fine also. Please avoid tight denim or tight lycra as these are too restrictive to work through.
Q. Where should I park when I get there?
I am situated on an acre, so parking is not a problem. You are welcome to park anywhere on the driveway in the front yard.
Q. Can I claim from my Private health insurance fund?
No, sorry.
As of April 2019, the government no longer allowed 15 Natural therapies to be claimable through any private health insurance. This included Bowen therapy, along with Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Pilates, Kinesiology, Yoga and others, to name a few.
Q. What is the best method of payment?
You can pay by cash or card.
Q. What to expect at the first appointment?
When you come in for your first visit, I will ask you to fill out a short client record form. Depending on what you are coming in for, I may do some assessments and will discuss what we will be doing in the treatment. I will go over any relevant history with you that will help me to work out a treatment plan specific to your needs.
Any information that you provide is strictly confidential.
Once the treatment begins, there will be “pauses” occurring in the work that is being performed on the body – generally only for a couple of minutes at a time. This is a necessary part of the treatment as the stimulus has been provided by way of the Bowen work, and the body then begins correcting any imbalances in this resting phase.
This is one of the aspects that separates the Bowen modality from other hands-on bodywork – allowing the body time to “heal itself”.
At the completion, any suggestions will be given on aftercare management specific to the individual, to get the most out of the treatment. It is my intention to give the best possible treatment, and it is ideal when this coincides with the clients’ willingness to participate in aftercare advice.
Follow up appointments, or possible future management plan, if applicable, can be discussed.
Q. How long does a session go for?
Allow up to an hour for your treatment, especially your first session, where we will discuss your symptoms and get a detailed history as well as conducting assessments.
Each treatment plan is specific to the individual and re-assessed at consequent sessions to check for progress.
Q. What should I do afterwards to get the best out of my treatment?
A general suggestion for all clients after a Bowen treatment is to drink plenty of water so you keep well hydrated. This helps to flush any toxins from the body, and helps the treatment to be more effective.
Avoid sitting down for any longer than 30 minutes at a time for the rest of the day after treatment. This is especially important if we’ve been treating the lower back. This can simply mean getting up every half hour, walk around your lounge room, or your office, then continue on with what you were doing. The movement is what we are after. Remaining in the seated position for long periods of time after a Bowen treatment hinders the body in being able to continue re-adjusting. This adjusting can be muscular tension or any other imbalances that we have addressed in the treatment. The movement helps this to happen more freely.
Anything else that you need to be aware of depending on your treatment will be discussed at the end of the session.
Q. Is there anything I shouldn’t do after my treatment?
It is important not to have any other bodywork for 5 days following your treatment (eg. Chiro, massage, physio, etc.) as it will interfere with the healing work that Bowen has initiated.
Avoid any extremes of hot/cold to the body in these following days also, as this too will interfere with the healing process. This includes very HOT/ COLD showers, hot water bottles, etc.
You can continue with your normal day plans, but avoiding any heavy strenuous exercise would be advisable to get the best out of your Bowen treatment. This includes intense gym workouts, gardening, etc.
Q. How long will it take to feel better?
Every body is different and depending on what you are coming for determines how long it will take for you to feel better. The body will continue to self-adjust over the next 4 – 5 days following treatment.
Most people will feel some improvements within the first 1 – 3 treatments. Some will feel great after 1 treatment, whereas others may need more than 3 because of their particular issue/condition (eg. Treating plantar fasciitis takes more time as does frozen shoulder and other more chronic conditions).
Follow up treatments are spaced 5- 10 days apart.
Some clients book in for maintenance on a regular basis that suits their lifestyle.
Q. Why is it important to be well hydrated before and after a Bowen treatment?
Bowen therapy works very closely with the connective tissue of the body known as “fascia” which is intertwined throughout the entire body. When this fascia is well hydrated (from drinking enough water), the outcome from your treatment will be better. Fascia that is dehydrated becomes sticky and rigid, and is more difficult to work with. Our body is about 80% water, so not keeping well hydrated inhibits its ability to function at its best in general.
After the treatment, drinking enough water allows any toxins that have begun moving out of stiff, tight or injured muscles, to be flushed away.