BOWEN TECHNIQUE
Of all the treatments I do, I'm consistently in awe of what Bowen can achieve for people, this is why it is the main therapeutic treatment that I offer.
A straight forward, no-nonense remedial therapy that is non-intrusive, gentle and very effective.
A Bowen Technique treatment affects the body in ways which promote healing, offer pain relief and support the recovery of daily energy levels. Experiencing a treatment is often unique and surprising. It is gentle, subtle and often extremely relaxing.
I have worked with Bowen for some 13 years now and I am frequently amazed at what 'it' does. 'A little is more' is a Bowen motto and this has certainly been borne out over the years. A treatment takes about 35-45 minutes (allow an hour for the session though) and most of the work can be done through light clothing. There are times though when it is helpful to work directly on the flesh. Three or four treatments, at weekly intervals will generally provide significant relief from long standing pain. Certainly after three or four treatments it will become clear whether Bowen is going to help.
What's Involved?
Working with thumbs and fingers the practitioner makes rolling movements on precise points on the body. Many of these positions coincide with acupunture points but not all. A relatively unusual aspect of a Bowen treatment is that the practitioner leaves the room and space of the recipient. This leaves the client to rest to allow the body to absorb the gentle moves that have been performed. During this time, subtle and fine adjustments take place, which help relieve tension, reduce pain and begin the healing process.
I often liken this to working with a computer. When one gives an instruction on a p.c. quite often the 'hour glass' symbol appears, and no matter what keys are pressed, or how many times the mouse is 'clicked' you just have to wait for the 'hour glass' to disappear and the original instruction to be carried out.
With Bowen there is no manipulation or adjustment, no force is used or needed.
What can Bowen treat?
Many conditions is the simple answer. More specifically things like back and neck pain, knee problems, sports injuries, RSI, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow and respiratory conditions. Other conditions such as chronic fatigue, hayfever, headache (including migraine which in my experience responds extremely well to Bowen), kidney problems and conditions requiring lymphatic drainage have all been seen to respond well to Bowen.For some people, Bowen is the perfect respite from stress and have treatments to maintain their well-being. The frequency of these maintenance treatments will vary from person to person (we're all different) but generally every 6-8 weeks seems to work well. Although for others a quarterly session is sufficient, and I often hear the comment "I just knew it was time to come for a another treatment - I've been looking forward to it." If we listen to our bodies they do 'tell' us what we need.
The Background to Bowen
Pioneered by Tom Bowen (born in 1916) from Australia. Like all people who develop new therapies there are many stories which circulate about this man. Some facts, however, are available, and after working in a number of jobs as a young man he developed an interest in massage and body work. It was through these many years of observations (especially of sports people) that he developed this technique. Personally I believe this man had intuitive skills which combined with some training allowed him to develop this rather unique approach to healing. Although he died in the early 1980's he fortunately passed on vital skills and knowledge to a few practitioners. They have taken this knowledge and developed comprehensive training courses and protocols of treatment.
In the early 1990's Julian Baker was fundamental to bringing Bowen in the UK. Julian is quite amazing. His energy, skills and enthusiasm for Bowen is incredible. I consider myself fortunate to have been trained by him.
BBC Somerset Radio has an interview with Julian which describes the Bowen treatment. I have tried to set up a link to take you directly to the BBC page on which you could find Julian describing the Bowen Technique, however, this link doesn't appear to work. So, if you wish to explore go to:
www.bbc.co.uk/somerset you can then use the Search facility - put in "Bowen Technique" and it will bring up the listing with the article either at the top, or near to top of the page.