James Bone, is a Member of the Bowen Association of Australia, with a Diploma of Bowen Therapy and a Certificate in Specialised Bowen Procedures 2

Bowen Therapy is a wholistic, gentle, safe and effective healing method. It is a special “hands on” process which doesn’t treat a specific problem or symptom, but rather addresses the whole body and the mind. Bowen helps the body to heal and rebalance itself, and in this way it helps to relieve problems & symptoms. Bowen Therapy was developed by Tom Bowen, who had a gift to be able to read the body and its needs. He lived in Victoria and he died in 1982, but 2 special people called Ossie & Elaine Rentsch went on to teach a pure form of Bowen Therapy called the Bowtech System.

No one fully understands how Bowen Therapy works, but the process involves the muscles, connective tissue fascia and the nervous system. Other systems such as the immune and hormonal system may also be activated by the process. The body connective tissue is full of nerves, which respond to pressure and touch. When a Bowen move is performed, it stimulates a response in the nervous system and brain, which helps in the process of restoring balance and aiding healing to the body and mind. This is important to understand - Bowen Therapy helps your body to heal itself. The healing comes form yourself - just like when you cut yourself, and your own body begins to heal itself with time.

During a Bowen session you usually lie down on your stomach and back, but sometimes a session is given lying on your side, or sitting. A Bowen Session involves a gentle rolling move over specific muscles, muscle tendons or soft tissue in the body. The process involves no bone or joint manipulation, so it is safe for the very young and frail older adults also. The moves are performed in a systematic way, and usually there is a pause of 2 or more minutes between each sequence of moves. This gives a chance for your body to respond to the “moves” and for the therapist to assess what your needs are. During and after a Bowen session you may feel quite “relaxed” or even tired. This is part of the process of your body trying to heal itself. Sometimes other feelings or sensations can arise. These are all part of the healing process.