BOWEN THERAPY
TOM BOWEN
1916 - 1982
Tom Bowen moved from England to Australia and worked as a labourer. He took an interest in hands on therapies and developed his own method of gentle skin moves.
His effectiveness made him very popular and he was audited as seeing 13,000 patients in one year.
A small group of Chiropractors, Osteopaths and Soft Tissue Therapists were allowed to observe his work, and began to teach others.
Bowen Therapy (or Technique) is now used all over the world as a gentle, safe and effective therapy.
How does it work?
Most studies and theories are based on the growing research into fascia, the tissue that envelopes all our muscles, organs and travels throughout the body,
The Bowen Move uses fingers and thumbs to gently move skin, over specific muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves stimulating the underlying receptors and fascia.
These moves act a bit like switches, The brain and nervous system shifts towards rest and recovery, muscles and tissue can increase or decrease in tone according to the self correction that the brain and body is aiming for. Blood and fluids flow can improve. Piezoelectricity can be released and transformed. Connective tissues rehydrate. Pain responses can improve or disappear.
TIME is allowed between sets of moves, to allow the brain and body time to respond. Sometimes changes are experienced during the session, but more likely over the week following the session.
Can it help me?
Bowen doesn't treat a diagnosis as such but commonly helps:
Back Pain
Headaches and Migraines
Tight Mandibular Joint
Neck and Shoulder Pain and Restrictions
Tennis and Golfers Elbow
Carpal Tunnel and RSI
Hip, knee, ankle pain
Old Injuries
Tendinopathies
Posture and Joint Motion
Hayfever and asthma
Fatigue
Fibromyalgia
Chronic Fatigue
Relaxation
Performance Sports, Dance ...
Bowen has also been know to help with infertility, womens health, lymphatics, children, Parkinsons, MS, and in Palliative Care.