Background Information:

The Bowen Technique is a form of hands-on therapy based upon the work of an Australian, Tom Bowen. He was a manual labourer who initially developed the technique in an attempt to help his wife who was suffering from asthma. During the 1940s/1950s, he increased his practice and started to treat family, friends, colleagues and local sportspeople, and in the 1960s, he opened his own clinic and further developed the therapy technique.

He was very holistic in his approach, often treating the whole body and not just the immediate area of a problem. Popularity of his treatment quickly spread, and during the 1970s, an Australian Government Report into Complimentary Therapies found that he was treating 13,000 people per year.

The Bowen Technique is now routinely taught to final year university students of Osteopathy in Australia, and here in the UK, it is possible to gain full qualification through the European College of Bowen Studies (ECBS).

What is the technique?

Bowen Therapy is a non-invasive, hands-on treatment technique which can be administered through light clothing, with the client sitting, standing, or lying down.

The principle of treatment is to release stress at a very deep level. It then stimulates the body to realign and addresses imbalances in function and chemical composition. As far as possible, the treatment aims to restore homeostasis (physiological equilibrium).

There are no known contra-indications to treatment.

What conditions can Bowen Therapy help with?

Bowen Therapy is suitable for all age groups, from newborn babies to the elderly and infirm. It can help with a wide range of conditions, both physical and emotional, due to its’ calming influence on the autonomic nervous system:

- Musculoskeletal problems (eg: neck, shoulder, low back, hip, knee, ankle)
- Whiplash Associated Disorder
- Arthritis
- Sports injuries
- Postural problems
- Headaches and migraine
- Neurological problems (eg: multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, Bells palsy)
- Respiratory problems (eg: bronchial problems, hay fever, asthma)
- Digestive problems (eg: IBS, diverticulitis, Chrohn’s disease, kidney problems)
- Increased blood pressure
- Hormonal/pregnancy-related problems (including fertility problems)
- Stress management (eg: fatigue, ME, anxiety, sleeping problems)

What is the treatment like?

During treatment, the therapist makes small rolling movements at precise parts of the body, over muscles, tendons, ligaments and soft tissues, using primarily their thumb and fingers. No manipulation or force is used, and the pressure applied is appropriate to that individual.

Between each ‘set’ of moves, the body is allowed to rest for a few minutes to allow it to absorb the information it has received, and initiate the healing process.

Bowen Therapy is generally quite a pleasant technique to receive, each session lasting 30-60 minutes, depending on the nature of the condition and the age of the client.

Short-term (acute) problems may be resolved in 1-3 sessions, while longer-standing (chronic) conditions may take longer to settle. A gap of 5-10 days is advisable in between treatment sessions to allow the body time to process the information it has received.

It is also advised that clients do not have other forms of hands-on therapy whilst receiving Bowen Therapy, as this may confuse the body’s response and affect the healing process.

Our therapists:

PEAK Physiotherapy is delighted to offer Bowen Therapy at Iveridge Hall, Oulton and Esporta Health Club, Leeds. We have two fully qualified Bowen therapists in our team, Lauren Hunter and Fiona Lovell, both of whom qualified from the ECBS in 2008. For further information about our Bowen therapists, please click the links above.

To make an appointment to see one of our therapists for Bowen Therapy, or for further information regarding the Bowen Technique, or any of our other services, please click here or telephone Cathy Preston on 07908 684440 or Sarah Joice on 07908 684441.