Where did Bowen Therapy come from?

 

Bowen Therapy was developed in Geelong, Victoria, Australia in the 1950s by Tom Bowen (1916-1982), who recognised the importance of fascia and the profound effect that soft tissue manipulation could have on a patients' wellbeing.

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What is Bowen Therapy?

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Bowen Therapy is a gentle, holistic, non-invasive and effective technique in which rolling-type moves are made over soft tissue - tendon, ligaments, nerves, muscles and fascia (connective tissue). These moves stimulate the body to re-tension and re-align to the best of its ability in its own way and time.

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Bowen Therapy stimulates the body’s own healing response. It helps restore homeostasis and balance to the body, enabling it to address pain and restore function to the systems in the body and the sense of well-being.

The treatment is the beginning of a process and your body may continue to respond for approximately a week. Each body is different and will respond in its own way and own time.

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• Bowen Therapy addresses the ENTIRE BODY, rather than focusing on a single complaint, like other therapies.

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• It is a holistic approach to pain relief and healing that is based on the recognition that the underlying cause or source of many pain problems can be found in the form of an imbalance of energy and facia (connective tissue).

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• The Bowen Therapy technique is a very gentle and non-invasive, but extremely powerful, soft connective tissue hands-on therapy that addresses all the bodies systems restoring the natural balance within the body. Bowen Therapy uses a sequence of small positive gentle moves made at specific points on your body that are non-invasive, used for relief of pain and and effective treatment for a wide range of problems. Using a cross fibre muscle release technique that balances and stimulates energy flows, resulting in a deep sense of overall relaxation.

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• Bowen Therapy works on the following mechanisms:

  • Stretch reflex

  • Joint proprioception

  • Fascia

  • Acupuncture points and meridians

  • Lymphatics

  • Detoxification and,

  • Harmonic vibration.

• Bowen Therapy is very GENTLE. It's a great treatment for babies and elderly, as it requires minimal pressure and minimal intervention.

• No oil is used in a Bowen Therapy session, and light clothing may be worn.

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What to expect?

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Bowen Therapy doesn’t impose changes on the body, it stimulates and ‘asks’ the body to make changes, it initiates the innate self-healing response of the body.

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Bowen Therapy treatment involves 1 or more ‘procedures’ each consisting of several sets of ‘moves.’ Between each set of move, the therapist pauses for a couple of minutes for the client’s body to respond (this is when a client may feel sensations). Once the body has responded, the next moves are done. 

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A Bowen treatment resets the body allowing it to heal itself. After each series of 2 to 8 Bowen moves, there is an important pause which allows the body to respond to new information from the nerve receptors. It is during this pause that the body begins to make changes.

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You will feel relaxed and may feel some sensations, or you may not. Everyone responds differently to Bowen Therapy. 

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Bowen Therapy can be administered through light clothing, with the client sitting, standing or lying. With primarily fingers and thumbs, the Bowen Therapist makes small, rolling movements over muscles, tendons, ligaments and soft tissue at precise points on the body, using only the amount of pressure appropriate for that individual. No hard-tissue manipulation or force is needed or used.

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Rather than ‘making’ the body change, Bowen ‘asks’ the body to recognise and make the changes it requires. Between each set of moves, the body is allowed to rest for a few minutes, to allow it to absorb the information it has received and initiate the healing process.

Bowen is generally pleasant to receive, each session lasting 30 – 60 minutes, depending on the age of the client and the nature of their symptoms.

It is advised that clients do not have other therapies while receiving this Bowen treatment, this allows the body time to respond and assist with the healing process.

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Making the most of your Bowen Therapy treatment: 

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Water!

Before and after your treatment. 

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Drink plenty of water in the days following your treatment. Your body will be trying to remove toxins, so drinking plenty of water, this will help flush out these toxins.

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Some people may feel thirsty after a treatment, as you re-hydrate your body, the well hydrated fascia will glide smoothly over one another and stretch, allowing changes to occur.

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Gently Active

Stay active between treatments supports the body as it re-tensions and re-aligns. 

Hold off on the boot camp or marathon for a few days, along with not laying on the couch.

Try not to sit or lie for more than 30 minutes, especially on the day of treatment. Get up walk around, even if just for a few seconds.

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No other treatments

Bowen Therapy stimulates the body to begin its own healing. A few things can alter this response, such as massage or other forms of body work.

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During the days following a treatment as the body is re-tensioning and re-aligning there may be some aches and pains, they are not permanent. Once your body has re-aligned, you may need follow up treatments, especially if you have had a problem for a while. It's like peeling an onion, we may need to work through the layers that have been out of sorts for some months or even years. 

 

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We look forward to meeting you soon at HKL Studio in Cambooya

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