Bowen
Technique
What Is It?
How Does It Work?
What Happens During Treatment?
What Is It Used For?
Side Effects/Cautions
Recommended Books
What Is It?
The Bowen Technique (sometimes called “Bowtech”) is a gentle
form of bodywork involving a series of delicate moves with the thumbs
and fingers across muscle and tendons to relieve pain and discomfort.
These moves are thought to stimulate energy throughout the body, allowing
it to reset and heal itself. The healing may occur at all levels as
needed: physical, chemical, emotional, mental and energetic.
The technique was developed by Australian Tom Bowen from the 1950s
until his death in 1982. Bowen’s love of sports led him to become
interested in massage and other soft-tissue manipulation. He watched
the trainers of football teams treat injured players, and observed
that certain “moves” on the body’s soft tissues had
particular effects. Over many years he developed the precise series
of moves, or “procedures”, that are used today.
How Does It
Work?
The Bowen Technique is believed to work primarily through the nervous
system on both structural and energetic levels. Bowen moves send electrical
impulses to the brain, resulting in muscle relaxation and pain reduction.
The moves also stimulate blood flow and lymphatic circulation and drainage.
Several of the moves are located along acupuncture meridians or on
specific acupuncture points which are known to stimulate and balance
the body’s energy.
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What Happens During
Treatment?
A Bowen therapy session involves several series of gentle moves through
loose clothing or directly on the skin. The patient lies on a massage
table or sits in a chair. There is no rubbing, friction or prolonged
pressure in the move, which uses the movement of the skin to effect
a rolling type of action over the muscle. The session features lots
of rests in between moves to allow the body to absorb the changes.
Sessions last from 15 minutes to an hour. Most people only need around
three sessions to alleviate problems, but chronic conditions may require
ongoing treatment.
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What Is It Used
For?
Bowen therapy addresses the entire body and doesn’t
claim to treat specific conditions, however it has been found to
be useful for back and neck pain, frozen shoulder, muscular injuries,
migraines, sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, PMS, hernia,
asthma and stroke rehabilitation. It can also help to calm the autonomic
nervous system, slowing the heart rate and promoting deep relaxation,
so it may also be useful for anxiety and emotional problems.
Side Effects/Cautions
Bowen therapy is considered safe for everyone, although there are a
few procedures that should be avoided for some:
• the “Coccyx Procedure” is not done on pregnant
women.
• the “TMJ Procedure” is not done on people whose
jaws have been surgically altered.
• the “Breast Tenderness Procedure” is not done on
women with breast implants.
References
Find a
Bowen Technique Practitioner
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Recommended Books
Prices are in US Dollars
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Bowen Therapy: Tom Bowen's Gift to the
World
Frank Navratil
One of the few books in the world written on this very popular
Australian method of muscle pressure release therapy commonly
referred to as Bowen Therapy. Over 40 years ago in Australia,
this method was conceived by Tom Bowen and now it is taught
and practiced in over 25 countries around the world. This
miraculous method has been responsible for so many success
stories regarding relief of pain and allows the body to self-heal.
An exciting account by one of natural medicine's foremost
authorities.
Learn
more...
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The Bowen Technique
Julian Baker
This handbook looks at the Bowen Technique, a holistic therapy,
and guides the reader through the various techniques involved.
To be used by students as a reference.
"a wonderful tool for the training therapist in this
very gentle hands on therapy."
Learn
more...
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