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 Many other therapies inflict the will of the therapist on to the
patient. In osteopathy, chiropractic and physiotherapy for instance, a diagnosis is made
and treatment is given accordingly. On the face of it this may seem okay, but Bowen
doesn’t work like that. The important thing about Bowen is that it allows the body
the space to decide what is wrong and how to go about fixing it. Many conditions will
respond that the therapist was not even aware of, simply because the body has made the
decision to restore lines of communication to that area. A Bowen therapist will realise
that the body is capable of doing absolutely anything and that therefore any treatment
should not be conditional.
Diagnosis therefore is not generally an area that a pure Bowen
therapist will enter. Rather he or she will offer the work to the body and allow it to
decide what, when and where it will use the treatment. There are obviously certain moves
for certain symptoms and conditions but in many cases, a basic balancing of the body is
enough to clear many long standing problems without need for specifics.
Bowen’s critics will say that much may be missed by choosing
not to diagnose in any way and this may be the case. But with the best will in the world,
diagnosis is generally a fairly hit and miss affair even by highly trained practitioners.
Bowen is not a substitute for medical advice but rather a chance for the patient’s
body to choose, rather than a set of symptoms being thrust upon it.
The other area that Bowen differs from many other therapies is
the speed at which it works. Most sport or work related injuries or problems will respond
to Bowen within two to three treatments a week apart. Even long term conditions can
respond very quickly irrespective as to whether other treatments have been used.
Who Can Be Treated
There is no person that can not be treated safely using Bowen,
from the youngest to the very old. Midwives use Bowen with tremendous success on both
labouring women and the new-born. At the other end of the scale, geriatric staff and
hospice workers report consistently good results with people in their care.
Back pain would be one of the most common presentations and one
that tends to respond very quickly. Other conditions that are consistently resolved
include: frozen shoulder, asthma, tennis elbow, ME, migraine, hayfever, carpal tunnel,
RSI, painful or lumpy breasts and whiplash. The list is exhaustive and there is no
condition that would exclude a treatment. The reason for this is that a Bowen therapist
does not treat the condition, but rather treats the patient. The work is offered to the
body and is given a choice. If it accepts the work and responds,
The technique is taught over four days mainly to people already
involved in the field of complementary health care although anyone can learn. The basics
can be picked up in this time, but extensive practise ensures proficiency. Further one or
two day courses are held culminating in a two accreditation course held by Ossie and
Elaine Rentsch. Accredited therapists are then invited to join the Bowen Therapy Academy
of Australia which operates a world wide referral list and further training opportunities.
There are therapists from a whole range of disciplines currently using The Bowen
Technique, including, GPs, sports therapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, consultants,
nurses and massage therapists. Aston Villa football club has recently discovered the
Technique, and Jim Walker the Villa physio’ is excited by the potential of The Bowen
Technique within premiership football.
Source: www.positivehealth.com (by Julian
Baker) |
Natural Therapies 
