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The Bowen Technique
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THE BOWEN TECHNIQUE



What is The Bowen Technique?


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The Bowen Technique is a straightforward, hands on, remedial therapy that is non-intrusive, gentle and very effective. It is based around a dynamic series of cross-fibre moves over muscles, tendons and ligaments. These moves empower the body’s own healing resources to achieve balance and harmony, resulting in fast, lasting relief from pain and discomfort. The moves are gentle and relaxing. There is NO forceful manipulation.


Safe to use on anyone, from the newborn to the elderly and infirm, and for conditions ranging from sports injuries to organic complaints, this innovative and gentle technique frequently gives substantial relief after the first session.



History
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The Bowen Technique was developed by Tom Bowen of Victoria, Australia. By the mid 1970’s he was one of the busiest therapists in the country, treating an estimated 13,000 clients a year. He had the remarkable gift of being able to “read” bodies and understand what was needed for the body to correct itself.


Treatments


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Treatments are generally one week apart and frequently clients will only need two or three treatments. Treatment sessions last, on average, 45 minutes. The Technique produces maximum results with minimum intervention.

The first session will start with questions about your health history and reasons for the visit. These are necessary for the practitioner to find out if there are any aspects of the work that are contraindicated, what procedures to apply and how much of the work your body is able to assimilate positively.

Bowen works best when applied directly on skin and ideally a client will be treated in their underwear. It can however be applied through loose clothing if preferred.

Application of The Bowen Technique involves stimulation of precise points on the body using only gentle pressure. The points are stimulated in groups of 2 - 8 at a time. A key feature of The Bowen Technique is that the therapist will leave the room in between groups of movements. This not only allows the brain to process the information it has been given and start to act upon it, but for the therapist, upon returning, to make effective comparisons of energetic and physical changes taking place in the body.

During a Bowen session most people experience a profound sense of relaxation and loosening of muscle tension. In many cases they will also fall asleep.
After a Bowen treatment clients are advised to drink plenty of water, not to sit in one position for long periods of time for the rest of the day and to avoid other hands on therapies until 5 days after the course of The Bowen Technique has ended.



Benefits

Conditions that have responded favourably to The Bowen Technique include:
  • Back and neck problems,
  • Frozen shoulders, Whiplash
  • Sports and accident injuries
  • Stress disorders
  • Neck and head tension including migraine
  • Musculo-skeletal pain and imbalance
  • Organic complaints:- respiratory, digestive, menstrual, hormonal etc
  • Strokes
  • Bedwetting and other childhood disorders
  • Pregnancy related conditions
  • A general feeling of ‘not being quite right'


    • How does The Bowen Technique work?

    There has been much speculation over the years regarding how Bowen works and this speculation is likely to continue. The reason for this is that we have a limited understanding of the workings of the brain and thus of it’s impact on our body’s functions and processes.

    We can however demonstrate how certain parts of the brain might respond when asked to interpret a Bowen move, taking the example of the primary motor cortex (PMC) and its role in mechanical movement. If the PMC receives a message from the brain telling it to move an arm or a hand, the signal is sent to the specified part of the body via the nerve endings in the spinal cord. A corresponding signal is returned to the brain and the movement is then adjusted via the parietal lobe. Thus a kind of loop of information is created giving a flow of information from the brain into the body and back again. The process is naturally a very rapid one and the brain sends out over 600,000 signals a second in this manner.

    A Bowen move interrupts this flow and creates a blip, which the brain needs to interpret. This event creates a point of reference in the areas being worked and blood is sent to the nerve endings there. It’s as if the brain is asking “What happened?” and depending on the answer coming back from the body, decides what action, if any, needs to be taken. Thus the brain initiates any healing processes that are required.


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