Bowen is a gentle Soft Tissue remedial therapy that works at a deep level. It targets certain points on the body with gentle rolling type movements, including muscles, ligaments, fascia and tendons, to help it balance, repair and reset itself; the treatment may be used on a specific problem area or over the body as a whole. Significant attention is paid to the ‘Fascia’, a layer of connective tissue that covers the entire structure of your body, which is responsible for posture and the way we hold our bodies.
Bowen is a very safe, subtle treatment, there are no vigorous manipulations and clients often feel a deep sense of relaxation during the treatment. Experience has demonstrated Bowen to be such a gentle therapy, it can be used on everyone from new born babies to the elderly.
Anatomical understanding of the Bowen Technique
In simplistic terms, the body is made up of connective tissue, each part attached to and influencing another. For example, your shoulder injury may be creating pain in your hip, and this could be due to a change in the connective tissue tensions throughout the body caused by the injury. The pain you are experiencing is often related to lifestyle choices, vocation (for example having a desk job), sport or even emotional stress.
What happens in a treatment session?
Following a full consultation with your practitioner, your treatment will begin, a session lasts approximately 60 minutes. It will consist of very specific and gentle contact pressure – moving across soft tissue – often through light clothing. During the session there are unique breaks in the treatment where you are left to rest quietly. This allows the body to fully absorb the Bowen moves and rebalance itself.
How does Bowen work?
The basic function of the brain is to receive information such as light, sound, pain and movement from our sensory organs and to interpret this information to enable both conscious and unconscious communication within our body. Every second there are approximately 600,000 signals that travel out from the brain into the body and these in turn come back to the brain with information which is then interpreted and sent back out. Whenever we feel, hear, see or even think about something, the brain brings in past experience in order to categorise the sensation and create an appropriate response.
In the case of a Bowen move, the brain is unable to interpret it instantly and needs more information to form a response. As the brain is asking for more information, the therapist has left the room, and therefore the brain has to send specific signals to the area in order to gauge a response. The patient will often report that they feel a tingling sensation or warmth in the area just worked on.
One of the most difficult elements to come to terms with is how little ‘hands on work’ is done during a Bowen session. Additionally, the client may well walk out of the treatment room having felt little or no improvement over and above a sense of relaxation. It is in the days following a treatment that the brain and body start the process of repair. This process, when started, is generally rapid and it is not uncommon for even longstanding pain to be reduced or resolved in two or three treatments.
Bowen in Sports
A growing number of athletes and professional sports people are discovering that regular Bowen technique sessions enhances performance and reduces the incidence of injury. Then, when injury does occur – especially soft tissue damage – Bowen can bring rapid relief and a quick return to sports activity.
Bowen in Stress Management
Many clients with busy and demanding lifestyles use Bowen as a means of stress management, seeing their Bowen therapist 2 to 4 times a year for general health maintenance.
What are the Key points of Bowen?
- It is not a massage; clothing stays on
- Bowen is a gentle, subtle and relaxing therapy, it is what makes Bowen unique
- Relief is sometimes felt immediately, most cases respond in 48 hours
- Chronic conditions may take longer than the average 4 sessions. Treatment plans are implemented following a full client consultation.
Bowen can be particularly helpful in treating:
- Pain management
- Sports injuries
- Acute and chronic back pain
- General aches and pains
- Sciatica
- Frozen Shoulder and Tennis/Golf Elbow
- Whiplash
- Jaw discomfort (TMD/TMS)
- Asthma
- Hayfever
- Headaches/Sinus problems
- Stress and Anxiety
- Digestive problems
- Chronic fatique
- Heel and foot pain
- Mood elevation
- Ability to concentrate and focus
- Positive outlook on life
- Aid to Relaxation / Quality of Sleep
Treatment cost is £50 per session
Please contact Linda for further information