Bowen Therapy
What is Bowen Therapy?
Bowen is a remedial therapy, deceptively very gentle with a remarkable record of success. I use primarily fingers and thumbs to make small rolling movements over soft tissue (fascia), muscles, tendons and ligaments. If you are used to other hands on treatments you may find it very strange – particularly as I will leave the room each time I have made some ‘moves’.
One of the (many!) things I love about Bowen is that it is very adaptable, and let’s face it, we may all be essentially made the same but we are all so different-one size certainly does not fit all! I can treat directly on skin, or through light clothing. Generally people will lie on the couch, however that is not always possible for people with mobility issues or heavily pregnant ladies, or for someone who has acute back pain for example, and I therefore treat many people seated or standing – it is still effective.
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So, what does it treat? Well, the simple answer is that we do not treat named conditions or just focus on one part (ie the affected part) of the body. Bowen is a truly holistic therapy – that is, it addresses the person as a whole – and therefore potentially anything may be addressed. Often the area pain is presenting isn’t the source of the issue. Treating the whole body can be a little like peeling away the layers of an onion. Another thing I love about Bowen is that clients can find additional issues are resolved as well as the initial concern! Please take a look at my client testimonials.
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While we don’t treat named conditions, clearly people will come with specific concerns. I am currently seeing clients with a wide variety of issues from back pain to pregnancy support, pre-conception to MS, fibromyalgia to depression and more. I also regularly work with profoundly autistic children and have helped babies with colic.
Each Bowen therapy session varies according to the particular problems of the client. By focusing on the lower and mid back and legs, the upper back, shoulders and neck, as appropriate, a sense of wellbeing can be achieved, helping relaxation, aiding sleep – helping to remove everyday stress and anxiety that can make us feel under-par or preventing us functioning at our optimum.
At this stage I would just like to say that Bowen (or any other therapy for that matter) is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment, and I would encourage you to see your GP or other health professional with any health concerns you may have. Also, like anything in life, there are no guarantees, however in my experience Bowen is certainly worth a try-and I often get people who have tried everything else! I have seen people who have suffered with pain for many years be transformed.
I ask that clients try to commit to a couple of sessions initially to give it a chance – the problems we live with have generally taken a long time to get to that point, and it is unlikely to unwind immediately – although I have seen immediate relief from pain. I am constantly looking for change, and if I don’t see any after 3 sessions I would be the first to suggest it may not be for you.
Some people find the Bowen Technique useful for stress management and health maintenance, seeing the therapist regularly throughout the year. Others use it for injury prevention and performance enhancement and Bowen is now being used in top level sport.
What does a treatment involve?
A Bowen session will normally last between 30 and 45 minutes and will commence with a full consultation (based on completed pre assessment form) and a functional assessment. Orthopaedic style tests may be carried out if deemed appropriate. Please allow up to 15 minutes extra for your free, full consultation at your first appointment.
Will it help me?
As with anything in life there are no guarantees, however Bowen does have a very good success rate – generally accepted to be between 80 – 90%. The technique does help many people with a variety of problems. I am constantly amazed at how effective this therapy is, and delighted that my clients experience the benefits of Bowen, with noticeable improvements in their day to day activities and function. Some testimonials can be found on this website with many more on the Bowen Therapists Professional Association along with various studies supporting the findings above, and published articles.
Please take a look at my client testimonials.