The human immune system is a complex and wonderful mechanism that has evolved over millions of years. It enables the body to fight injury and invading infections and viruses with an awesome array of natural in-built healing aids.

Sadly, due to this high tech. world and the stresses that come with it, we now often have very complex health problems which are seemingly beyond our healing processes.

Treatment using the Bowen Technique aims to support and boost the natural healing capabilities of the body. Bowen therapists, believe that the body has the ability to adjust, adapt and heal itself.

The therapy was first brought to England in 1993, and to-date little is known of Tom Bowen (1916-1982) who developed the Bowen Technique in Geelong, Australia. He had an uncanny ability to read the bodies and correct and adjust abnormalities which caused pain.

He developed the technique over many years and there are many theories as to how it works. Tom Bowen said it was the movement of bad energy coupled with the increased flow of blood and lymphatic drainage that caused the often spectacular return to full health.

When a survey was done on alternative medicine by the Victoria State Government in 1975 it was established that Tom Bowen was actually treating in excess of 250 patients a week (13000 a year). This with a success rate of about 88% after only 2 or 3 treatments.

Tom Bowen was modest about his work and never advertised.

What's it all about?

The Bowen Technique is unlike any other form of hands-on therapy. There is no pulling or cracking of joints, no insertion of needles and no manipulation. The technique consists of a sequence of very precise and gentle moves over muscles and soft tissue interspersed with periods of rest in order for the treatment to be absorbed. The treatment entails no searching consultation as it is Holistic (treats the whole body) and it is generally a pleasant and relaxing experience with no known side effects.

Research scientists are eager to discover the secrets of this most dramatic healing phenomena and as it is so new your doctor will probably be unable to tell you much about the Bowen Technique.

The treatment takes about 30 to 45 minutes and in some cases some relief from pain can be experienced on the first visit. Many people state that over the next 3-4 days they experience reactions as the body accepts the therapy and realigns itself. The healing process continues for about seven days until treatment is continued. Long term relief from chronic and acute pain can often be achieved in three or four visits.

Many patients (particularly sportsmen) have a Bowen treatment on a regular 6 weekly basis in order to maintain a good performance.

What does it help?

Bowen is a most remarkable healing tool as it is almost all-embracing in its effectiveness. Frozen shoulders frequently respond very dramatically and so do back problems. Elbow and knee pain is often resolved very quickly together with all other structural or skeletal disorders, but that's not the end of the story. Bowen can also be effective with stress and tension-based problems and often emotional and allergic type symptoms such as migraine headaches can be helped. It can also be used on infants and the aged and there are no known contra-indications. Many talented and experienced professional practitioners such as physiotherapists, osteopaths, kinesiologists, chiropracters, acupuncturists and sports therapists have been amazed at the simplicity and efficacy of this cost-effective, powerful, non-invasive and gentle form of healing and have now chosen to use it in preference to or alongside their own modalities.

To safeguard members of the public, there is a Bowen Therapists' European Register of all accredited Bowen practitioners.

BTER is an organisation run by independent Bowen therapists for Bowen practitioners and members of the public. All members are accredited therapists with certificates in Anatomy and Physiology and First Aid, they also abide by a strict code of conduct and ethics and are committed to ongoing training.

BTER is a member of the British Complementary Medicine Association.

Click here to read about our practitioner, Chris Salvary.