What is Bowen Therapy?
Jul 26th, 2011 by amcquinn
Bowen is a dynamic physical modality of treatment applied to the muscle and connective tissues of the body. Clients tout benefits to areas of restriction, inflammation and hardening (armoring) even if their suffering has been for years. The individual lies comfortably on a massage table, fully clothed, while the Bowen practitioner uses gentle moves that include laying the thumbs on the belly of the muscle, slacking the skin back, sinking down next to the muscle, gently challenging the muscle and then rolling back across them to a place of rest. This revolutionizing tissue therapy is gentle enough for newborn babies, those more advanced in age and everyone in between. It has been described as the homeopathic version of body-work; subtle albeit potent in its benefits.
Founded and developed 40 years ago by the late Tom Bowen of Australia, it is a unique system that has amazed both clients and Practitioners alike. A colleague of ours flew to Toronto from St. John’s, Newfoundland after having her dislocated shoulder put out of place. She was told that she would be about 4-6 weeks off from work in order to recover. After seeing her Bowen Practitioner, she was back to work within the week, pain-free. Allyson McQuinn was blown away when she had her first Bowen procedure for her frozen shoulder after four years of suffering where she could not raise her arm more than shoulder height without restriction or pain. After one Bowen treatment by a practicing student of Bowen, she miraculously brought her arm up to touch her ear with perfect freedom of movement.
The Bowen technique helps our Heilkunst patients to solve issues of imbalance, inflammation and armoring, by addressing the restriction. It uses a series of precise moves in a particular sequence on certain parts of the body. These moves are light, although deep acting, and can be done through clothing, although bare skin allows for a slightly better grip. Although individual moves alone may produce the positive outcome as illustrated above, more often the patient is seen weekly for 20-30 minutes to gain the full benefit from multiple procedures that complement the basic relaxation moves established at the first day of treatment. Only a limited number of sequences are needed each session so the technique is simple and easy to do on the patient.
The person will be encourage to drink water, walk and wait before their next session as much of the healing occurs between the sessions as the body is inspired to integrate aspects of the healing on their own. It is recommended that other modalities of treatment, except homeopathic remedies, be reserved to 5 days before or after the Bowen treatment in order not to distort the whole integration of the impulses sent to the fascia, muscles or soft tissue. Delicate moves need time to assimilate and other therapies can be interfered with, or they can interfere with the efficacy of the Bowen moves you receive.
