Bowenwork, the Homeopathy of Bodywork
Next time you are in need of a little bodywork, try Bowenwork!
Bowenwork, the Homeopathy of Bodywork
By Audra Werkheiser
Bowen Practitioners believe the body can be stimulated to heal itself.
Bowenwork or Bowen Therapy is a soft tissue muscle relaxation technique that resets tension patterns around the body promoting relaxation and most importantly, healing.
Bowenwork was started in the 1950s in Geelong, Victoria, Australia by the late Thomas Bowen. He used a unique set of “moves” on different muscles and muscle groups around the body to reset tension patterns, allowing the body to heal itself. His results were amazing. In 1974 the Victorian Government did a survey of alternative health practitioners, 85% of the 13,000+ sessions Mr. Bowen performed were completely resolved. Mr. Bowen allowed a few men to observe him while treating people. One of those men, Oswald (Ossie) Rentsch, took on the task of making Tom Bowen’s work known around the world. Today, Bowenwork is taught in over 30 countries.
Every Bowen session looks at the body as a whole, one may be complaining of a sore neck but, the Bowen practitioner will also work on the lower back or even the tailbone. Everything in our body is connected by a substance called fascia. When the fascia becomes stuck due to an injury or repetitive use, it begins to pull in the area of the injury. Bowenwork helps to “unstick” the facia so the muscles, bones, ligament, and tendons can reset and heal. However, Bowenwork is not limited to just structural issues, it’s extremely helpful for digestive and even some mental disorders. A few issues Bowenwork can help with are Allergies, ADD/ ADHD, back pain, knee pain, sprains and strains, carpal tunnel, headaches, insomnia, blood pressure, neck pain, depression, anxiety, and many more.
Because Bowenwork is such a gentle modality of bodywork, it is often referred to as the homeopathy of bodywork. A Bowen practitioner uses subtle moves on muscle groups, nerve endings and bundles, tendons and ligaments, acupuncture points and energetic pathways to healing issues. Some sessions will only last 20-30 minutes and may only include a few moves but, the results can be profound. The less is more idea is often implemented in Bowen sessions.
In contrast to other hands-on modalities, where the practitioner imposes correction on the client through manipulation, Bowenwork facilitates the body in healing itself, with minimal intervention. The Bowen session can affect the client for up to 10 days. It has this fantastic way of getting to the root of the problem and healing the issue over time. Quite often a client will leave their first session feeling like nothing has been done, but by morning it’s a whole other story. Our body does its healing at night, while we’re sleeping and that is when the magic happens with Bowen.
To learn more about Bowenwork visit www.americanbowen.academy or terrasoulbodyworks.com
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About the Author
Audra Werkheiser is a Bowen Practitioner, wife, and mother in Sierra Vista, AZ. While attending massage school in 2014, her father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, while researching holistic treatments for the disease he came across Bowenwork, which was said to help with tremors. Audra took her father once a week for almost 3 months to get Bowen treatments, and they helped. She decided Bowen was the path for her. In 2015 she got her Bowen Practitioner certification. Earlier this year Audra was certified in small animal and equine Bowen.
Sources: Bowenwork Brochure made by American Bowen Academy Bowenacadamyusa.com
