Bowen Therapy was developed by Tom Bowen (1916-1982). He began developing his techniques in the 1950s in Geelong, Australia. The actual origins of his concepts are unknown or at least unclear as he was not formally trained and his main aim was to alleviate human suffering. What is clear is that while working as a masseur in junior football clubs in Geelong, he recognized an apparent common causal relationship in many seemingly unrelated painful conditions, particularly musculoskeletal but including neurological and other health problems. He identified this causal link or relationship as being the soft tissue or fascia that envelops the whole body from head to toe.
After years of clinical work and much reading and study of other modalities he developed a unique set of specific moves associated with different sequences and timing intervals. The moves provided fascia release and integration stimulating a variety of anatomical or physiological responses frequently resulting in long term and often immediate resolution of the majority of presenting problems and pain conditions.
His wife Jessie suffered from very bad asthma during most of their life together particularly in her early forties and was often hospitalized in an effort to help her breathe. Tom developed ways to assist her to shift the congestion which had great benefits in helping her to control the illness. He was also convinced that diet had a lot to do with health issues and combined dietary changes along with his bodywork to manage Jessie’s asthma, which led to her recovery to such a degree that she did not require any medication or hospitalization.
In 1975 the government instituted Webb Committee of Inquiry into Chiropractic, Osteopathy and Naturopathy in Australia reviewed Tom Bowen’s work. They found he was seeing some 13,000 people a year and achieving a success rate in his practice of over 80% of presenting conditions. From its Australian origins his innovative and unique technique has now been adopted worldwide with devotees and practitioners in countries including New Zealand, USA, Canada, United Kingdom and European Union members.
Tom Bowen allowed only a few therapists to come learn from him. In 1974 he met one of them, Oswald Rentsch, a natural therapist practicing massage and osteopathy. Over the next two and a half years he became Tom Bowen's apprentice and scribe, documenting his treatment protocols, as Bowen had never recorded his work. He started using Bowen's original technique in Hamilton where he and his wife Elaine ran their own clinic. It was not until Bowen's death that Oswald and his wife Elaine Rentsch started teaching what was going to be known as the Bowen Technique. Once seminars were held and the work became known, there was an unprecedented interest in Australia and then world-wide. Today, the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia has over 90 accredited instructors world-wide and courses have been held in 30 different countries. By 2009, over 26,000 people have taken Bowtech® training and there are Bowtech® associations in 17 different countries.
After years of clinical work and much reading and study of other modalities he developed a unique set of specific moves associated with different sequences and timing intervals. The moves provided fascia release and integration stimulating a variety of anatomical or physiological responses frequently resulting in long term and often immediate resolution of the majority of presenting problems and pain conditions.
His wife Jessie suffered from very bad asthma during most of their life together particularly in her early forties and was often hospitalized in an effort to help her breathe. Tom developed ways to assist her to shift the congestion which had great benefits in helping her to control the illness. He was also convinced that diet had a lot to do with health issues and combined dietary changes along with his bodywork to manage Jessie’s asthma, which led to her recovery to such a degree that she did not require any medication or hospitalization.
In 1975 the government instituted Webb Committee of Inquiry into Chiropractic, Osteopathy and Naturopathy in Australia reviewed Tom Bowen’s work. They found he was seeing some 13,000 people a year and achieving a success rate in his practice of over 80% of presenting conditions. From its Australian origins his innovative and unique technique has now been adopted worldwide with devotees and practitioners in countries including New Zealand, USA, Canada, United Kingdom and European Union members.
Tom Bowen allowed only a few therapists to come learn from him. In 1974 he met one of them, Oswald Rentsch, a natural therapist practicing massage and osteopathy. Over the next two and a half years he became Tom Bowen's apprentice and scribe, documenting his treatment protocols, as Bowen had never recorded his work. He started using Bowen's original technique in Hamilton where he and his wife Elaine ran their own clinic. It was not until Bowen's death that Oswald and his wife Elaine Rentsch started teaching what was going to be known as the Bowen Technique. Once seminars were held and the work became known, there was an unprecedented interest in Australia and then world-wide. Today, the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia has over 90 accredited instructors world-wide and courses have been held in 30 different countries. By 2009, over 26,000 people have taken Bowtech® training and there are Bowtech® associations in 17 different countries.
Although no one knows for sure how exactly Bowen Therapy works, we do know that it works! There is growing evidence that Bowen Therapy positively influences and stimulates the Autonomic Nervous System, to initiate changes in the body.
You can compare it to tuning a string instrument that needs adjustments to the tension on the strings to tune the instrument. The body is our instrument and all parts need to be in tune with each other to function in harmony and balance.
When the body suffers from an illness or injury, the brain usually shuts down the affected area of disorder in the body (to help rest and repair it) and uses other parts of the body to compensate. Once the original problematic part has recovered, the brain needs to release it and allow the parts that helped compensate resume normal action. However, in today's highly stressful modern society, most people have a busy lifestyle and they rarely rest. Instead, many take medications to mask the problem. The brain then accepts the injury/illness as the ‘norm’, often causing stresses and strain, disease and secondary problems within the problem area.
The technique is a gentle, deeply relaxing, non-invasive physical therapy consisting of a series of gentle moves performed over soft tissue structures in precise locations interspersed with wait periods. During these wait periods, the body integrates the messages of the moves which acts upon the body’s nervous system allowing the body to attain its own natural balance and healing.
When a Bowen move is performed on the body, it creates a specific vibration on the fascia. Our bodies are 70% fluid, so any moves flow or vibrate through the body. This vibration spreads to neighbouring muscles, tendons, ligaments, bone and organs, similar to a ripple effect when a stone is thrown into water. These vibrations send messages to the brain, stimulating it to reassess the problem. Once the Central Nervous System finds areas which no longer need supporting, it releases it and realigns it back to normal.
Bowen practitioners learn to feel areas of stress build-up in muscles and other soft tissue and then perform specific moves to encourage the nervous system to allow muscles to relax. The body then realigns and resets itself naturally. Circulation and lymphatic drainage are also improved and aids in the assimilation of nutrients and elimination of toxins.
You can compare it to tuning a string instrument that needs adjustments to the tension on the strings to tune the instrument. The body is our instrument and all parts need to be in tune with each other to function in harmony and balance.
When the body suffers from an illness or injury, the brain usually shuts down the affected area of disorder in the body (to help rest and repair it) and uses other parts of the body to compensate. Once the original problematic part has recovered, the brain needs to release it and allow the parts that helped compensate resume normal action. However, in today's highly stressful modern society, most people have a busy lifestyle and they rarely rest. Instead, many take medications to mask the problem. The brain then accepts the injury/illness as the ‘norm’, often causing stresses and strain, disease and secondary problems within the problem area.
The technique is a gentle, deeply relaxing, non-invasive physical therapy consisting of a series of gentle moves performed over soft tissue structures in precise locations interspersed with wait periods. During these wait periods, the body integrates the messages of the moves which acts upon the body’s nervous system allowing the body to attain its own natural balance and healing.
When a Bowen move is performed on the body, it creates a specific vibration on the fascia. Our bodies are 70% fluid, so any moves flow or vibrate through the body. This vibration spreads to neighbouring muscles, tendons, ligaments, bone and organs, similar to a ripple effect when a stone is thrown into water. These vibrations send messages to the brain, stimulating it to reassess the problem. Once the Central Nervous System finds areas which no longer need supporting, it releases it and realigns it back to normal.
Bowen practitioners learn to feel areas of stress build-up in muscles and other soft tissue and then perform specific moves to encourage the nervous system to allow muscles to relax. The body then realigns and resets itself naturally. Circulation and lymphatic drainage are also improved and aids in the assimilation of nutrients and elimination of toxins.
Bowen advocates say it can be used to treat a wide range of health problems including:
* Back pain and sciatica;
* Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow;
* Sporting and accident injuries;
* Arthritic pain and pain of unknown origin;
* Postural problems;
* Neck and shoulder pain;
* Incontinence and bedwetting;
* Digestive and bowel problems;
* Earache, ear infections, tinnitus, Meniere’s disease;
* Headaches and migraines;
* Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome;
* Menstrual and hormonal problems including PMS and infertility;
* Respiratory problems including asthma, bronchitis, hay fever and sinusitis;
* Colic, feeding difficulties and general restlessness in babies.
* Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow;
* Sporting and accident injuries;
* Arthritic pain and pain of unknown origin;
* Postural problems;
* Neck and shoulder pain;
* Incontinence and bedwetting;
* Digestive and bowel problems;
* Earache, ear infections, tinnitus, Meniere’s disease;
* Headaches and migraines;
* Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome;
* Menstrual and hormonal problems including PMS and infertility;
* Respiratory problems including asthma, bronchitis, hay fever and sinusitis;
* Colic, feeding difficulties and general restlessness in babies.
Sessions usually last up to an hour and depending on your problem, take place generally over five to 10 day intervals until you need them less frequently. It is suggested that three initial treatments alleviate most problems. Some complaints may need more treatments.
After resolution of a particular problem, it is suggested that monthly Bowen sessions become a regular part of your health regime to maintain a good body balance and to alleviate stress.
Once a Bowen treatment takes place, the brain acknowledges the release and begins to allow the body to revert to normality. This can take a few days to a few weeks, but changes of release can be seen.
Once a Bowen treatment takes place, the brain acknowledges the release and begins to allow the body to revert to normality. This can take a few days to a few weeks, but changes of release can be seen.
Every person is different and because Bowen treats the whole body, every person will respond in a different way. For some, a response or shift will be felt during the first and subsequent sessions. For many, a response may not be felt for a few days. It would not be unusual for a client to leave a Bowen session feeling that nothing much had really been done, but then notices a day or so later that there is an easing, relaxation or improvement in the problematic area, which is the ongoing effect the Bowen Therapy has on the body. Each person's body needs a different amount of time to process and respond to the therapy and to restore the body back to its natural, healthy balance.
After a treatment, clients are advised not to exercise too vigorously, do any heavy lifting or have any other kind of body therapy such as massage for several days as the body needs time to relax and use its energy for healing.
After a treatment, clients are advised not to exercise too vigorously, do any heavy lifting or have any other kind of body therapy such as massage for several days as the body needs time to relax and use its energy for healing.
On the BOWTECH® website is a detailed explanation how in addition to rebalancing of the Autonomic Nervous System, Bowtech moves and procedures may reset the body to heal itself by activating, through the nervous and endocrine systems among others, the stretch reflex, joint proprioreceptors, fascia, segmental viscerosomatic spinal reflexes, harmonic vibration or resonance, lymphatics and detoxification.
Click on this link to the BOWTECH® website to read more:
http://www.bowtech.com
m: 0417 781 106
e: jdw115@hotmail.com
e: jdw115@hotmail.com