Also known as Bowen Therapy, or “Bowen” after Thomas Bowen, the developer of this prfound form of body work, consisting of gentle rolling maneuvers at specific points over muscle, nerves, and connective tissue. Bones do what muscles tell them to do. Muscles do what nerves tell them to do. Bowenwork communicates with the central nervous system, telling all the body’s systems what to do, in order to come into balance.

The Bowenwork technique is a completely unique, gentle, and non-invasive system of single, multiple, or opposing subtle, and precisely located movements. These ‘moves’ stimulate or sedate body systems and organs depending on the direction the move is done.

Bowenwork is not a form of massage, though it does release areas of built-up stress in the muscles. Clients describe experiences of profound relaxation after a session, often falling asleep after the first few moves.

Bowenwork is a remedial therapy; a therapy used for corrective treatment to directly influence, effect, and restore a specific condition or disorder within the body.

It has been the experience of many thousands of health care professionals around the world that Bowenwork is effective in addressing root causes, and not just the symptoms.

Rather than addressing one particular system, such as the muscular system, or the skeletal system, Bowenwork serves to reconnect the communication pathways between each, and all of the body’s systems, thereby creating the environment wherein complete healing can take place.

Since 1998 the technique has become increasingly used in primary care settings in the UK, with many chartered physical therapists using the technique in hospitals, hospices and other funded health settings.

Can complementary therapies really help couples desperate to have children? Apparently so, discovers Sally Brown of The Guardian (UK)

It has been found that Bowenwork has a surprisingly high rate of success in treating infertility….

“For infertility, we use a particular system of moves that addresses the endocrine [hormonal] system and the pelvic area,” says Dr. Jaimini Raniga at the Hale Clinic, London. “Mental and emotional stress can cause muscles to tighten and restrict the natural blood-flow, lymphatic drainage and nerve supply of the body, which can all affect fertility.” Women see Raniga for a session on the first day of their menstrual cycle and are then told to abstain from intercourse until after a second session, on day 14. “Most of my patients conceive after two sessions,” she adds.

Registered nurse, Sandra Gustafson, on the benefits of Bowenwork during and after pregnancy.

In the early stages of extra uterine life of the baby, Bowenwork can be lifesaving in helping the infant to expectorate any fluid or mucous it may have inhaled. I shall quote a couple of experiences from Rick Minnery:
“The anecdotes with newborns are simply endless – I got the reputation on the postnatal ward of being the midwife who settled the babies with a special “cuddle” (Bowen Practitioners know what I mean). The colic procedure had given me god-like status among some new mums!”

“Two special instances come to mind. First was a 10 minute old baby whom I’d delivered, suddenly became cyanosed (blue skinned) – I was sure it had aspirated some mucous. The colic moves were performed and a few short seconds later the baby produced a huge blob of mucous and straight away, pinked up again – I was astounded but couldn’t really relate what had happened either to colleagues or the parents. It was a special private moment for the Bowenwork and me, as was the second occasion with a newborn.

I was performing a routine examination of a newborn at 5-10 minutes after birth. The baby was crying lustily and appeared somehow “angry”. It had been a long difficult labor and the baby had not been in the ideal position to deliver easily (occipito-posterior). On observing the baby’s jawline – it was very apparent that the jaw was out of position which I’m sure was contributing to the baby’s look of anger. Without any great expectation of a speedy response, I performed the TMJ (temporo-mandibular-joint) moves, and before my eyes, over the space of 1-2 minutes the baby’s jaw re-aligned itself, much to my astonishment and the baby’s – who looked up at me with a look as if to say “what the heck did you to do to me?”

Research on children’s health has shown that children are just as susceptible to the same effects of stress as adults.  Bowenwork helps children release stress, realign structural imbalances, stimulates the immune system and helps to detoxify  the body. The goal of Bowenwork for kids is to help children perform better academically, excel in sports, get along with others socially, and are happier and more productive.

When working with kids, the Bowenwork procedures are done very similarly to those of adults. However, with younger children there is frequently no rest between moves, so a treatment may take just 15 minutes or less. This allows us to be able to work on even the most rambunctious of toddlers. Infants respond remarkably to Bowenwork as well. The gentleness of the touch is great for work on their neck, jaw, spine and pelvis. These are the major joints of their bodies that can get out of balance during birth. For the baby with colic and upset stomach, Bowenwork can work wonders at calming their digestive systems and giving their little bodies some peace.

Bowen and Asthma
Tom Bowen’s wife suffered from asthma and was hospitalised many times before he developed a respiratory procedure, using his technique of gentle “moves” in specific places on the body, to help her. She was never hospitalised again.

Asthma and Bowen
Whatever the level of asthma, or similar respiratory problems, Bowen often seems to reduce the level of attack very quickly, and effectively. A number of Case Studies forming part of a study over several years will illustrate how very successful the technique is proving to be.
As Bowen is both very gentle and non-invasive, there is no danger in using it with asthma and other respiratory conditions. The many cases treated have shown often to produce results very quickly which last. Treatment usually does not need to be continuous, and often just a very few sessions will change the situation for the sufferer. As with any allergy, the avoidance of contact with the allergen is an essential part of the treatment. However, what Bowen does seem to achieve very often is the release of tightness in the chest which aids both asthmatics and other respiratory sufferers.

The study being undertaken by Alastair Rattray, a very experienced Bowen Therapist, and Teacher with the European College of Bowen Studies (ECBS) is showing that it makes no difference as to whether the person is under a regime of medication, or not. The results are proving, so far, to be usually exactly the same. The attacks often lessen until they no longer seem to be a problem. There are many cases recorded at all ages.

The continuing success of the technique resulted in his being asked to appear on Discovery Health Channel in the series called Complementary Kids, which was broadcast in the autumn of 2002 and subsequently repeated many times. His work has also featured in both The Sunday Times and Allergy Magazine. Alastair is an Associate member of the Royal Society of Medicine and secretary of the FA Medical Society. He is now Registered with the only Regulator recognized by the NHS, the CNHC (Complementary and Natural Health Council) as a Qualified Bowen Therapy Practitioner.

Emergencies
There may come a time (probably sooner rather than later), when you find yourself caring for a person or child who is having difficulty breathing or experiencing an asthma attack. In such circumstances, what can you do to help? The Bowen Asthma Release Move may help relieve attacks by releasing tension in the diaphragm and easing tight chests and wheezing.

I get asked all the time, “So how did Bowenwork come about?” – Here’s a brief history!

Tom Bowen was born in 1916 in the state of Victoria, Australia. Tom did not receive any specific education in healing arts. Higher education was a luxury item for most families in those days, picking up the pieces after the 2 world wars.

Mr Bowen developed his own understanding of how the body reacts to disturbances and what facilitated its healing. He happened to have had a very strong sensitivity for tissue tension patterns in the body, and how to reset them. He called his skill “a gift from God”.

The name “Bowenwork” was acquired posthumously. Mr Bowen called himself a “Manipulation Therapist” because he was not recognized by any of the bodywork/chiropractic associations of his time. However, this did not deter clients from seeking his help. In 1973, a national survey was done in Australia to determine how many people sought therapy outside the conventional medical systems; Tom Bowen’s clinic was recorded as having 13,000 clients per year, an average of 60 people per working day.

While no one knows for certain how Tom Bowen discovered the precise locations and sequences of his “moves”, we do know that Bowenwork’s use of light pressure follows the “Arndt-Schulze law,” which states that the body responds more deeply and positively to low-pressure stimuli than it does to painful strong stimuli. Tom Bowen discovered and employed this principle long before the Arndt-Schulze law had been formulated.

Bowenwork was developed in the 1950s by the late Thomas Bowen of Geelong, Australia. Bowen’s approach was to reset the tension in certain muscles and muscle groups by using a unique type of stretch-and-roll-through move and then pausing between sets of moves to give the body time to begin its response.

He achieved amazing results. According to a 1974 survey of alternative health practitioners performed by the Victorian Government, Bowen was found to be doing over 13,000 sessions per year. In over 85% of his cases, the problems for which his patients sought relief were resolved.

In the last years of his life, Bowen allowed several practitioners to observe him. He recognized only six of them as understanding his work. One of these, Oswald (Ossie) Rentsch, promised at Bowen’s deathbed to make his work known around the world. Ossie’s interpretation of Mr. Bowen’s work is now taught in over 30 countries under the auspices of the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia (BTAA) and is known under the international trademarks Bowtech® and Bowenwork®.