I'm still having Bowen for my neck/migraines and finding that it helps. I have 2 queries which are broadly similar to each other.
1. I read in a few articles that some practioners leave the clinet "alone" for periods of time i.e. not doing movements on their body.
2. I also started a new job recently and one of the girls there has Bowen. She mentions that her practioner leaves her alone for about 20 minutes after the session has finished. Is this right ? My practitioner doesn't ever leave me - either between movements or at the end of the session. My practitioner does movements on all parts of my body (without a rest) and the only time she doesn't do any movements is when she is moving around my body or when she asks me to turn over. Also at the end of the session - she gives me water but there's no time where I'm just left relaxing.
A child cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are there !" Whereupon God reached down and touched the child. But the child brushed the butterfly away and walked away unknowingly
a friend of mine is a practitioner of Bowen and I was a guinea pig for her when she was training - from my experience the massage movements are performed and then you are left so that the body can adjust, before moving onto the next bit - but my friend stayed in the room with me.
I hope this is clear - she didn't leave me alone in the room - just stopped massaging.
I had a few Bowen treatments, and got the leaflet and also read up a bit on it, about 18 months ago. It didn't work for me, though the practitioner was an honest and trustworthy type of person. But anyway, it's actually part of the method that you are left alone more than half the time (in my experience), yes. If you're not being left, that's a very strange style of Bowen to my knowledge, and questionable -again, to my limited knowledge and memory.
I have been to two Bowen therapists. The one who gave me the most effective treatment was the one who left me alone between 'adjustments'. I was with him for about 45 minutes, and he left me for about 3/4 minutes between each movement, and I was left for 15 mins at the end of the session, sitting quietly in a comfy chair, with a glass of cucumber water - I walked out feeling 200% better than when I went in. Later in that year I went to a different practitioner, who never left the room, fiddled about constantly on various parts of my body, and chatted about her personal life - there was also the most dreadful muzak (sounded like Hooked on Classics!) playing in the background. Admittedly, she just had the one room, and had she left, she would have been stood in the gift shop. I couldn't wait to get out, and felt worse afterwards. #
Having looked at the credentials of both, they were trained in different 'camps'. I have since been back several times to the first chap, and find that two sessions is enough to put right anything that might be niggling. The second therapist is no longer working at the back of the shop and she didn't leave a forwarding address.
a friend of mine is a practitioner of Bowen and I was a guinea pig for her when she was training - from my experience the massage movements are performed and then you are left so that the body can adjust, before moving onto the next bit - but my friend stayed in the room with me.
I hope this is clear - she didn't leave me alone in the room - just stopped massaging.
Luv Binah
x
Yes Binah, your post is spot on. The practitioner should not leave the room just stop performing the massage to allow the body to adjust.
The strange thing is that my practitioner never seems to "stop" massaging except when she moves to another part of my body (which takes only seconds). My hour usually consists of 10-15 minutes initially telling her how I’ve been etc. Then I lie on my front whilst she massages my back, legs, shoulders etc for about 20-25 minutes. Then I turn over and lie on my back for about 15-20 minutes whilst she massages my arms, neck, head etc. As I said – the only time she doesn’t massage is when she is moving to another part of my body, when she’s removing/replacing towels covering me and when I turn over from my front to my back. This just literally takes seconds (30 seconds at most) and certainly not minutes. At the end of the session she finishes the massage, I lie still for about a minute and then gives me a glass of water. I then pay and leave.
So at no point does she leave me i.e. not massage me (whilst either remaining in the room or outside the room). She did say she trained with the European school of Bowen and she’s very nice but now I’m not so sure about the way that she does things.
A child cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are there !" Whereupon God reached down and touched the child. But the child brushed the butterfly away and walked away unknowingly
So at no point does she leave me i.e. not massage me (whilst either remaining in the room or outside the room). She did say she trained with the European school of Bowen and she’s very nice but now I’m not so sure about the way that she does things.
If what she is doing does not conform to established practises but you are obtaining good results from her, then we should be magnanimous enough to say maybe she has a new technique/style or system that works. After all IMHO most if not all holistic therapies have changed or been added on to over the years
i think either she has found what to do that suits her and she likes doing it that way as maybe prefer to go wiht flow rather then taking breaks? Or she is in a hurry and want it over with? if you benefit from it then i think it is up to you how you feel maybe try differnet practioner to see how you feel?
I've never had Bowen and have only ever seen it done on others. I could be totally wrong in what I believe bowen to be bu I never think of it as 'massage' with towels being moved etc. I actually always thought of it as being a clothed therapy. And even if that proves to be wrong, I always thought it was meant to be very gentle movements rather than massaging as such?
I could be totally wrong in what I believe bowen to be bu I never think of it as 'massage' with towels being moved etc. I actually always thought of it as being a clothed therapy.
I am fully clothed except the towels/blankets are on me to keep me warm (well I’m assuming that’s the reason anyway). She removes the blankets/towels in order to massage a particular area and then places them back when she’s finished in an area. I am using the word massage but you’re right – she uses movements.
I’m only querying her methods as I keep having to go back fairly regularly (like once a fortnight) whereas others I’ve known don’t have to go back so regularly and their healing has been more longer lasting. This also tied in with the fact that I’ve read a few articles saying that the "client" has been left alone during the treatment (in order for the body to respond) and also the girl that I’ve started work with also mentioned that her practitioner leaves her alone for about 20 minutes at the end of her session – again for the same reason.
A child cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are there !" Whereupon God reached down and touched the child. But the child brushed the butterfly away and walked away unknowingly
From my experience with, I'm sure, a good practitioner, being left is definitely a part of Bowen. The philosophy is that your body heals itself. They just give it a nudge. So the healing happens when left alone. She'd come back in and ask in detail every time what I'd felt while she was outside. Moreover, her leaflet suggested that only a few sessions would be enough to deal with almost anything.
I get the impression that your (Happygirl) therapist has tweaked what she has learnt into a therapy 'all her own'. I have several colleagues who do Bowen, and all leave the 'body' to adjust between movements - and all rarely see the client more than a few times - generally leaving at least 7 - 10 days between appointments. To have to see you more regularly makes me thinks she hasn't learnt the technique fully enough to make it effective. As Amethystfairy says, maybe you should try a different practitioner.
From my experience with, I'm sure, a good practitioner, being left is definitely a part of Bowen. The philosophy is that your body heals itself. They just give it a nudge. So the healing happens when left alone. She'd come back in and ask in detail every time what I'd felt while she was outside. Moreover, her leaflet suggested that only a few sessions would be enough to deal with almost anything.
V
Not being picky about this, but yes the client should be allowed to relax and allow their body to adjust and heal, but there is no need to actually leave the room. In fact I would never leave a client alone during any treatment.
Thanks for all your replies. It looks as though my body should be left alone during the treatment.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jabba The Hut
I get the impression that your (Happygirl) therapist has tweaked what she has learnt into a therapy 'all her own'. I have several colleagues who do Bowen, and all leave the 'body' to adjust between movements - and all rarely see the client more than a few times - generally leaving at least 7 - 10 days between appointments. To have to see you more regularly makes me thinks she hasn't learnt the technique fully enough to make it effective.
Initially I had to go and see the practitioner every 10 days (for the first 3 sessions) but she thought that that would be it and I wouldn’t have to see her again. But it turns out that I still have to go about every 2 weeks – otherwise the neck pain and migraines return. From the other people that I’ve spoken to – they just need an occasional "top up" after the initial session/s. It just made me wonder ?
A child cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are there !" Whereupon God reached down and touched the child. But the child brushed the butterfly away and walked away unknowingly
I learned Bowen directly from one of Mr Bowen's students. Bowen DID leave the room to go treat other people. Bowen refined his work so that one or two moves are all he did on returning to the client. (so no long, extended periods of abscence). He worked with assistants who helped clients on and of the treatment beds. Why leave the room (besides treating someone else)? So that the client's body could respond to the move without any further interference. Mr Bowen described this as allowing the body to become 'fluid'. Its a process that takes time during the Bowen session to achieve and continues for days afterwards.
I'm sure you're all aware that even being in the same room (not even touching a client) you can influence the outcome. All the Bowen practitioner does is initiate moves that help the body begin it's self-repair mechanisms. Some practitioners do not trust the technique enough to leave the client alone - but I'm pretty sure both main teaching oganisations of Bowen in the UK instruct student practitioners to leave the room. How the qualified practitioner decides to run their clinic is a matter for themselves.
I know of a few Bowen therapists who leave the room and even occassionally treat 2 clients simultaneously going from room to room.
There should only be a few moves and then a pause. To do a lot of moves goes against the fact that the body needs to assimilate the "message" it has just been given
There should be no distractions i.e. talk, music etc I don't know a Bowen practitioner who does any of that.
Some Bowen practitioners do stay in the room but sit silently while the client rests and some leave the room.
I agree with Jabba, I think Hapyygirls practitioner has developed her own therapy.
Still, if it works, don't knock it though I have rarely seen clients come back as often as every fortnight.
That said, Happygirl, you may be doing something after treatment to excacerbate your condition and making it flare up again. Even Bowen can only do so much if we don't change what we do lifestyle wise between treatments.
Left alone in a Bowen session
but yes the client should be allowed to relax and allow their body to adjust and heal, but there is no need to actually leave the room. In fact I would never leave a client alone during any treatment.
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