The Bowen Technique

Bowen is neither massage nor acupuncture, nor can it be compared with any other therapy. It was developed around 1940 by Tom Bowen (1916-1982) from Geelong, Australia. He discovered that by applying gentle movements to specific points of the body, the body was able to heal itself.
Bowen treatments have a relaxing effect and bring the body into a state of balance. In this state, the body is able to take on the task of healing itself.

What happens during a treatment?

After you have described your symptoms to me I will examine you in order to assess the cause of your complaint. I will then explain to you the course of treatment we will follow. You will lie down on a large, comfortable treatment table in a warm room, or sit on a chair / stool depending on what kind of treatment is necessary. Since Bowen is a non-invasive, painless treatment I will begin by making gentle movements, with my fingers and thumbs, over the receptors of your body. Between moves there are short breaks allowed to give the body time to heal itself.

What are receptors?

Receptors are by no means meridians in the sense of Chinese acupuncture or acupressure. Nevertheless, some points are comparable. To my mind, this is not surprising when one considers how many acupuncture meridians there are in the body. No needles, however, are inserted nor firm pressure applied. The Bowen moves are organised into sets with frequent and important pauses between sets which allows the body time to return to a more balanced state of equilibrium.

I still work the way I learned it over 20 years ago, even though certain people claim Bowen never used breaks between moves. I still do and I find I get more and better results by doing so.