Services
Bowenwork
Bowenwork, also called Bowen Therapy or Bowen Massage is a form of deep tissue bodywork that uses a light touch consisting of rolling moves made on muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves that release stuck fascia for long lasting pain relief from acute and chronic conditions.
Bowenwork may be a good fit for you if you’ve tried other types of bodywork such as massage, chiropractic, or acupuncture, and only get short term relief for your chronic pain. Or if you’ve recently injured yourself and want to speed up the healing process.
Conditions that tend to respond well to Bowenwork:
- back pain
- scoliosis
- sciatica
- arthritis
- fibromyalgia
- chronic fatigue syndrome
- migraines or headaches
- neck pain, TMJ issues
- shoulder problems, including frozen shoulder
- hip, knee, ankle, and foot problems
- plantar fasciitis
- carpal tunnel syndrome
- golf & tennis elbow
- sports & accident injuries
- joint replacement surgery (before and after)
Benefits of Bowenwork:
- reduction of chronic and acute pain
- better flexibility and range of motion
- more restful sleep
- reduction of anxiety
- increased energy
- faster recovery from injuries and surgeries
- longer lasting relief than other types of bodywork
What to expect at your first session:
What to bring: Your completed health history intake form found here.
What to wear: Lightweight, thin, loose clothing, such as sweatpants, shorts and t-shirts. Please no jeans or spandex yoga pants, as these clothing items make the hands-on work very difficult and the bodywork less effective.
What happens during the session: Your therapist will review your intake form and health history with you. This may include range of motion testing and pictures of your body before and after treatment for your file (your privacy is always protected).
You will remain fully clothed. You will lie face down on the massage table with your face in a cradle that can be adjusted for comfort, and a pillow under your ankles for support. Additional pillows are available if needed. If necessary for comfort, the work can also be performed with the client sitting or standing.
The therapist will apply rolling or strumming moves along specific muscles and tendons. The pressure used is almost always less than you would expect. After each series of moves, the therapist will leave the room to allow for your body time to respond.
It is not uncommon to feel warmth, or vibrations or to have muscle twitching during the rest periods.
A session may last from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the client’s needs and how their body responds to the work.
How many sessions are needed: For first time clients or those who have had Bowenwork before but it’s been over a year since last treatment, a minimum of three sessions (one a week for three weeks) is recommended. After the third session, your therapist may suggest a pause of 3-4 weeks before resuming treatment to allow your body to process the changes and to learn how to rely on itself verses the bodywork.
Frequently most conditions are resolved in the first 3 visits. Chronic conditions may require more sessions.
Post session care: The therapist will give you stretches to do at home starting the next day. These will help your body adjust to the changes. It’s very common to have a few days of pain relief after your first session, only to have the pain come back, sometimes stronger than before.
Coming in for your second appointment is very important. Your body is adjusting to the signals it received in the first session and is fighting them. That's why you may have pain. Your body needs the signals again to remind itself of the new changes it is making, versus the old patterns that were hurting you. You will get longer lasting relief after each subsequent session.
A full list of aftercare instructions are available here.
Lymphatic Clearing
You might benefit from Lymphatic Clearing (also called manual lymphatic drainage) if you experience common symptoms like fatigue, headaches, brain fog, sinus problems, worsened allergies, puffy face, or eyes, soreness, and stiffness upon waking, and/or difficulty losing weight. Or if you’re dealing with one of these conditions:
- primary lymphedema
- strain, sprain, or hematoma (acute or chronic)
- joint replacement surgeries (before and after)
- rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia
- tendonitis, bursitis
- chronic systemic inflammation
- chronic bronchitis, or post covid cough
- migraines, or the long-lasting impacts from a concussion
Benefits of Lymphatic Clearing:
- increased energy
- more restful sleep
- faster healing
- increased ability to think clearly
- improved flexibility and range of motion
- fewer bouts of muscle pain
- fewer headaches
- reduction of gas and bloating with digestion
What to expect at your first session:
What to bring: Your completed Health History Intake Form available here.
What happens during the session: The therapist will review your intake form and health history with you. This may include range of motion testing and pre/post session pictures for your file (your privacy is always protected).
You will remain fully clothed. You will be asked to lie on your back on the massage table, with a pillow under you knees for support. Additional pillows are available for your comfort. The therapist will gently massage your lymph nodes starting at your neck and work down towards your ankles, noting any areas that are tender. The work is relaxing, some clients even fall asleep.
What to wear: Wear loose, lightweight clothing, such as sweatpants, shorts and t-shirts. Please no jeans or spandex yoga pants, as these clothing items make the clearing hands-on work very difficult.
Post session care: The therapist will teach you the steps to clear your lymph nodes at home so you can continue the benefits of the service. Full aftercare instructions including detox symptoms are available here.
McLoughlin Scar Tissue Release (MSTR)
Your scar could be causing you to feel embarrassed, anxious, angry or fearful that someone might see it. If there is a traumatic experience related to the scar, these emotions can be powerful. You are not alone. Many people silently suffer with the emotional and physical impacts a scar can create.
Before scar tissue release you may be experiencing burning, numbness, a tingling sensation, pulling, hardness, roughness, a ropey feeling, or hypersensitivity at the site of the scar. As a result of the scar tissue, you may have a decreased range of motion, reduced flexibility, cold hands or feet, and muscle weakness.
It doesn’t have to be like this. You can look and feel like yourself again with MSTR.
Benefits to Scar Tissue Release:
- distinctly diminished appearance of the scar
- reduced pain and hypersensitivity
- relieved burning, numbness, and tingling sensation
- softened skin around scar
- released trapped emotions surrounding scar formation
- increased circulation that alleviates cold hands and feet
- curtailed muscle spasms
- reduced risk of muscle tears and strains
Conditions that tend to respond well to Scar Tissue Release:
- post-mastectomy, or lumpectomy
- scars on the trunk of the body due to removal of appendix, gallbladder or similar surgeries
- hysterectomy or C-section
- joint replacement (knee, hip, shoulder)
- head wounds
- amputations
- trauma wounds
- Some burns
- plantar fasciitis
- carpal tunnel syndrome
What to expect at your first session:
What to bring: Your completed Scar Tissue Release health history form available here. This should be filled out one week PRIOR TO YOUR SESSION.
What happens during the session: Your therapist will review your intake form and health history with you. This may include range of motion testing and pictures of the scar/s before and after treatment for your file (your privacy is always protected).
You will remain clothed except for the area of the scar. You will lie down on the massage table in a position that suits where your scar is located on your body. Pillows are provided for your support and comfort.
The therapist will ask you to touch the scar and describe what you notice physically and emotionally. You will be able to go at your own pace and be supported though this process. Then the therapist will lightly touch the scar and surrounding skin for assessment. Gentle fingertip pressure is applied to the skin to help free the restrictions in the scar. No force is involved, and the work is done within your tolerance.
After the work is complete, the therapist will ask you to again touch the scar and describe what you notice physically and emotionally.
What to wear: Lightweight, loose clothing such as sweatpants or shorts and t-shirts that allow easier access to the scar.
How many sessions are needed: Depending on the size of the scar will determine how many sessions may be required. Generally smaller scars (less than 3”) can be treated with one session. Larger scars (over 3”) may need three or four sessions.
Post session care: The area around the scar may be sore for a couple days. Also in the week following the session, it is not uncommon to have an emotional release (crying, sadness, anger). This is completely normal. It is your body’s way of releasing any trapped emotions related to the events leading up to and after the scar’s creation. These feelings will subside.