BOWEN THERAPY
History | Typical Session | Literature
Neuro-Fascial Massage™

I generally prefer that my clients wear light, loose-fitting clothing, such as gym shorts and a T-shirt. This makes everything easier when assessing range of motion and when demonstrating exercises.

You may choose to receive your session either dressed or undressed and covered appropriately. When dressed, the clothing must be loose enough that I can move the tissues of your body beneath the clothing.

You may also request the use of oil or cream. I generally use no skin lubricant with Bowen Therapy.

A typical clinic session lasts from 30 to 75 minutes.

For your 1st session, plan on 90 minutes. This allows for:

• An initial interview
• Assessment
• A brief discussion after your session.

During a session, you might receive massage either lying or sitting, depending on the issue being addressed. I generally warm and relax the tissues before applying Bowen Therapy.

Bowen Therapy consists mostly of short, deep tissue strokes across specific points on the body. Most schools refer to these strokes as Bowen "moves".

Each series of moves stimulates a powerful systemic response in the body, which engages the natural healing abilities of your own body. After a series of 2 to 8 strokes, I typically ask my clients to rest for several minutes, before receiving another set of strokes.

This allows the body to respond to the strokes. It provides an opportunity for the body to integrate the new information just received. Healthcare professionals refer to this process as homeostasis.

This pattern of strokes and pauses continues throughout the session. Most clients find the rhythm soothing, and might even fall asleep during a session. The actual number of strokes and pauses varies for each individual, depending on their condition, the number of prior sessions, and their response to each set of strokes.

After a session, I frequently provide clients with one or more suggested self-care exercises that I feel might work together with the sessions to help them address their condition themselves.

If the first session resolves the condition, then I strongly suggest a follow-up session to help "set" the work.

If my clients feel no changes after the initial 2 or 3 sessions, then I will adjust the bodywork program to incorporate other modalities. For example, I might include trigger point (i.e., neuromuscular therapy) or muscle energy (i.e., stretching) techniques combined with more contemporary, Western massage (e.g., Swedish, Russian).

Sometimes clients feel worse before they feel better, as their body goes through what is commonly referred to as a "healing crisis". I normally view ANY change as a positive outcome, especially for chronic, long-standing conditions.

After weeks, months, or even years of neglect and/or abuse, the body protects and re-patterns itself to cope with trauma and daily patterns of use. These guarding patterns must be unraveled first, before the body will deal with the true source of an issue.

I also strongly believe that my clients must participate in their own health and fitness. Consequently, I frequently provide additional self-care stretches and exercises.

I will also freely refer my clients to other healthcare professionals, including physical therapists, chiropractors and orthopedic doctors, as well as other massage therapists.

I offer group sessions at a reduced rate approximately every 1 to 2 months on Friday evenings. For more information, visit the AKS Event Calendar at:

• www.aksmassageschool.com/events/

Look for listings entitled "NFM Bowen Therapy - Introduction / Group Clinic".