ABOUT BOWEN THERAPY
Bowen Therapy is an alternative medicine technique. It is a form of massage and bodywork and is very effective for non-invasive pain management. Some circles say that it's like acupuncture only without the needles. Tom Bowen, an Australian, developed the system between 1950 and 1982.
Bowen therapy is performed with the clothes on, [loose fitting, or shorts and tee-shirt]. It is best done with the client in a prone followed by supine position, but some of it can be done sitting or standing. A series of “moves” are made over the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in certain locations with the fingers or thumbs. The moves are made in a specific order, in designated places, and in the best direction to obtain maximum results. The moves are very much like rolling a guitar string. Once rolled, the muscles and tendons vibrate from one end to the other, and from outside to inside. The moves create reflex arcs, unlike the Knee Jerk Reaction, where the muscles relax instead of contract. So, subsequently, the muscles, tendons, and connective tissues release their holding patterns.
Holding patterns occur in order to protect us from further injury. If you had a whip-lash injury once upon a time, chances are, when you look in the rear-view mirror and see a car coming upon your rear end while stopped at a stop light, you will instinctively tighten you neck to brace yourself from another injury. Those of us who have never experienced a whip-lash, in the same scenario, hopes that the guy stops in time. We remain en’guarde to protect against further traumas, which in turn is detrimental to our health. Holding patterns also occur after repetitive micro-traumas and compensations for skeletal dysfunctions an misalignments.
Additionally, many of the moves are made over many “extraordinary” and “main meridian points”, and along the meridian pathways. A group of moves make up a procedure. Most procedures contain a part “A” and a part “B”. There are “rest periods” between moves, or parts A & B. These rests allow for the release of the primarily tightened muscles, the compensated muscles, the fascia, and the energy released from the entrapped compartments to do their thing. Since many of the “moves” are along the meridian pathways, obstructions which were removed by the “moves” allow for the free flow of Qi, [life force], lymph, water, and blood cells. These rest periods are much like the installation of a software program in your computer. As you enter data, your computer takes this data in and processes it. Now, it is ready for more data, so you enter more data, and so on. You do not try to install another program during the time that the 1st program is installing; otherwise the computer will be scrambled. Once installed, your computer is ready to provide information.
All of the cells in our body are like silicon computer chips. They take in data and store and put out information. So, when we do too much information while doing traditional non-stop bodywork, the cells don’t get it! TMI = “Too much information”. The rest periods during Bowen Therapy give the cells a chance to process the gentle stimuli, and respond accordingly.
The basic relaxation procedures are located in the lower back, the upper back and shoulders, and the neck. Theses moves over the nodal points probably release endorphins, (many of my patients tell me they can feel a “Runner’s high right after the treatment). Endorphins have been discovered by a researcher, Candace Pert, PhD., to be the connecting link between the immune, endocrine, and central nervous systems. Following the "Runner's High", patients often feel a sense of peace and well-being. Tom Bowen concluded that 80% of the people 80% of the time would improve with these 3 simple procedures [lower back, upper back-shoulders-neck]. These procedures are imperative to perform prior to any other procedures.
Some of the more common problems relieved by Bowen Therapy are:
Back and shoulder pains.
Neck pain.
Migraines and headaches.
TMJ problems.
Tennis elbow.
Carpal tunnel.
Sciatica.
Knee pain
Plantar fasciitis.
Bunions.
More...
Bowen therapy is performed with the clothes on, [loose fitting, or shorts and tee-shirt]. It is best done with the client in a prone followed by supine position, but some of it can be done sitting or standing. A series of “moves” are made over the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in certain locations with the fingers or thumbs. The moves are made in a specific order, in designated places, and in the best direction to obtain maximum results. The moves are very much like rolling a guitar string. Once rolled, the muscles and tendons vibrate from one end to the other, and from outside to inside. The moves create reflex arcs, unlike the Knee Jerk Reaction, where the muscles relax instead of contract. So, subsequently, the muscles, tendons, and connective tissues release their holding patterns.
Holding patterns occur in order to protect us from further injury. If you had a whip-lash injury once upon a time, chances are, when you look in the rear-view mirror and see a car coming upon your rear end while stopped at a stop light, you will instinctively tighten you neck to brace yourself from another injury. Those of us who have never experienced a whip-lash, in the same scenario, hopes that the guy stops in time. We remain en’guarde to protect against further traumas, which in turn is detrimental to our health. Holding patterns also occur after repetitive micro-traumas and compensations for skeletal dysfunctions an misalignments.
Additionally, many of the moves are made over many “extraordinary” and “main meridian points”, and along the meridian pathways. A group of moves make up a procedure. Most procedures contain a part “A” and a part “B”. There are “rest periods” between moves, or parts A & B. These rests allow for the release of the primarily tightened muscles, the compensated muscles, the fascia, and the energy released from the entrapped compartments to do their thing. Since many of the “moves” are along the meridian pathways, obstructions which were removed by the “moves” allow for the free flow of Qi, [life force], lymph, water, and blood cells. These rest periods are much like the installation of a software program in your computer. As you enter data, your computer takes this data in and processes it. Now, it is ready for more data, so you enter more data, and so on. You do not try to install another program during the time that the 1st program is installing; otherwise the computer will be scrambled. Once installed, your computer is ready to provide information.
All of the cells in our body are like silicon computer chips. They take in data and store and put out information. So, when we do too much information while doing traditional non-stop bodywork, the cells don’t get it! TMI = “Too much information”. The rest periods during Bowen Therapy give the cells a chance to process the gentle stimuli, and respond accordingly.
The basic relaxation procedures are located in the lower back, the upper back and shoulders, and the neck. Theses moves over the nodal points probably release endorphins, (many of my patients tell me they can feel a “Runner’s high right after the treatment). Endorphins have been discovered by a researcher, Candace Pert, PhD., to be the connecting link between the immune, endocrine, and central nervous systems. Following the "Runner's High", patients often feel a sense of peace and well-being. Tom Bowen concluded that 80% of the people 80% of the time would improve with these 3 simple procedures [lower back, upper back-shoulders-neck]. These procedures are imperative to perform prior to any other procedures.
Some of the more common problems relieved by Bowen Therapy are:
Back and shoulder pains.
Neck pain.
Migraines and headaches.
TMJ problems.
Tennis elbow.
Carpal tunnel.
Sciatica.
Knee pain
Plantar fasciitis.
Bunions.
More...