The Bowen Technique is a very gentle form of bodywork, developed in the 1950s and 1960s by the late Tom Bowen. I completed my training with Bowtech or the Original Bowen Technique and am a full member of the Bowen Association in the UK and the Bowen Association in Australia. This entitles me to use the letters BTAA and BAUK. I have also completed advanced level training in Bowen.
In a Bowen session I apply light moves to specific points on your body, for example the moves are made over muscles, tendons, ligaments or nerves. These moves send a signal to your nervous system which helps your body retrieve its memory of a relaxed and balanced state of being.
We have many different procedures available to use in Bowen and I will work with that which best suits the individual at any one time. For example we may need to address your pelvic alignment or work with your hamstrings depending on what you are experiencing.
Bowen can be incredibly specific but far reaching, and is beneficial for a wide range of situations, including recovery from traumatic injury to chronic illness.
I generally recommend three treatment sessions of Bowen to see how the body responds. Of course this will depend on the individual and what they present with at any one time.
The results I have experienced with Bowen have been remarkable sometimes even after the first session!
The Bowen technique is also ideal for for pregnancy, babies & children. For more specific information on this please see the Baby Bowen section.
After a treatment
After a treatment I will talk to you about aftercare and give you some guidelines to follow (shown below). These will ensure you get the best results from your treatment.
It is important for all of your body systems that you drink plenty of water. 1.5 – 2 litres is generally the correct amount for an adult. Treatment works better if the body is hydrated and your body works at its optimum when it is hydrated.
On the day of treatment do not sit down for longer than 30 minutes at a time.Keep moving. Get up and have a minute walking around. It is fine to sleep after a session if you need to.
Avoid using hot or cold packs for at least 4 days after treatment. Also avoid hot baths, showers, saunas and steam rooms.
Do not rub, press, poke or massage the body after a treatment. This simply means not to interfere with the affected part too much; towel drying and applying body lotion is fine!
Avoid having other treatment for at least 7 days. It is OK to continue taking homeopathic or herbal remedies and supplements after treatment unless directed otherwise.
Continue to take prescribed medicines. If your condition improves you should discuss the need to reduce or stop any medication with your doctor.
Do not do any strenuous exercise for at least 4-7 days following treatment. Gentle walking is fine.
More about The Bowen Technique
Light touch;
The Bowen technique uses very light touch which will be adapted accordingly for each client. Studies of various light touch therapies have shown that there is no need to use forceful manipulation to achieve significant changes. In some cases the lighter the touch the more profound the effects and this has certainly been my experience. The intention with the Bowen moves is to encourage and allow the body to stimulate its own innate healing capabilities.
Bowen is holistic;
Bowen is a truly holistic modality while we utilise specific procedures depending on what our clients are presenting with the impact of treatment generally goes beyond what we are treating specifically and has positive impact on other areas of health.
Many of the Bowen moves and procedures are made over specific meridians or over chakras (see description below) so not only is the therapy having an impact at a physical level impact on more subtle levels is also taking place.
N.B. Meridians are energy pathways that distribute energy around the body and are important for our Health. Meridians were identified by Traditional Chinese Medicine around 5000 years ago. Charts detailing 14 pathways in the human body have been found, later research using radioactive isotopes injected into the body have confirmed the existence of these pathways to be exactly as these charts depicted.
Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning wheel, people with clairvoyant abilities often see chakras on the body as big wheels or circles of energy. Chakras are also extremely important to our health they are big energy centres and represent different physical, emotional, mental & spiritual aspects. There are seven major chakras in the body and they run up the spine from back to front. Chakras are extremely complex and further description is beyond the scope of the information I present here. If you would like to know more please get in touch and I will be happy to forward you further information and suggest appropriate books.
Many forms of therapy including The Bowen Technique and Kinesiology work with Meridians and Chakras. In holistic health it is believed that when our Meridians and Chakras are balanced our health is also balanced.
Pauses between moves;
A unique aspect of a Bowen treatment includes gaps or pauses between moves where the practitioner leaves the room. This allows the clients body space and time to re-set and re-balance itself. It generally takes muscles around 90 seconds to respond to an input so it is necessary in a treatment to give the body this time.
The Bowen move;
The Bowen move involves the therapists fingers or thumbs being placed on the body or over light clothing. The skin is gently drawn away and then a light challenge is made on the muscle, or tendon. This challenge is held for a few seconds before a rolling move is made over the actual muscle. The action of this type of move has a powerful effect on the body at many different levels including the musculo-skeletal and the nervous systems.
How Bowen works;
The Bowen moves are made over muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves. A signal from the moves is sent to the automanic nervous system which encourages the body to re-balance. Bowen has a specific and significant impact upon the fascia. Fascia is similar to a net or sheet which covers all of the body structures and holds everything in place. All of the muscles are surrounded by it and it allows flexibility and movement between the various parts of the body. The health of fascia is vitally important to the organisms health. One of the major functions of the fascia is to maintain upright posture and the way in which we hold our spine. In Bowen by changing the way in which muscles and fascia relate to each other a change in structure occurs naturally, influencing the body to adopt a better position.
We have many procedures available in Bowen which can address most areas of the body and many different symptoms. These are utilised accordingly and depending on what the client is suffering from.
Some of the procedures include;
- Pelvic procedure
- Respiratory / digestive procedure
- Knee procedure
- Shoulder procedure
- Ankle procedure
- Wrist procedure
- Bunion procedure
- Gall bladder procedure
- Kidney procedure
To name but a few…
Testimonials
Back Issues, Disc problems and Pain
Anyone who has had back and especially disc problems will know how painful it can be. Along with the pain comes the consequences of not being able to walk and manoeuvre in any sort of comfort. I put up with this situation recently whilst trying to determine what was wrong and plan a strategy for dealing with it. This included having MRI scans and seeing specialists. However, there was nothing that the health services could offer me.
I contacted Helen to ask her advice, having seen her previously for other issues. She listened to my explanation of symptoms and we arranged a consultation. We had a productive conversation during which I was expressing my doubts about even being able to get onto her treatment table. We managed that and she conducted her soft tissue touch technique, leaving me quietly resting on her table for a few minutes at a time. I remained on the table for the duration of the treatment whilst she continued to monitor me.
The treatment lasted about 30 minutes at the end of which I thanked her and returned home. This took place on a Friday and I spent the weekend quietly at home feeling somewhat tired and still uncomfortable. On the Monday I woke, got up and all the pain had gone. It was as if I had not suffered any pain or discomfort at all. The pain has not returned and, indeed, I have been far more active ever since
Helen’s approach was calm, whilst she listened to my symptomology. She was careful in her treatment, asking how I was throughout. It was a gentle therapy where nothing felt like it was happening. A couple of days later I was pain free. I cannot explain it. It felt like a miracle. I cannot assure people of a similar outcome but as a realistic option the Bowen therapy is worth considering.
Anon
A deeper alignment
Helen is a very knowledgeable and caring practitioner able to listen to her clients and work gently and caringly to help correct the issues being presented. I have felt many changes within just a few minutes of receiving the treatment and have always come away feeling much better and more aligned than when I arrived. I have always liked the way she works with you and sends you away with things you can be working on yourself as part of the after care.
JC, Malvern
Intuitive Kinesiology session
I had a session with Helen today that was just brilliant. She tapped into exactly what was going on for my body as soon as she put her hands on me and was able to track exactly what was underneath the various odd symptoms I’d had for the previous few weeks. She perceived my 4 year old self along with some ancient grief that had been held in my body for the ensuing years and then, with her kinesiology tools and intuitive questions assisted these energies in releasing. I am so grateful for her kind, caring way and for her potent effective tracking of what was required.
J Freeman.