How Does It Work?

Holistic

A key element of the principle guiding Bowen, and indeed all complementary therapies, is that we work holistically, according to the well-established principle of naturopathic medicine: ‘That the body be treated as a whole, without referral to named disease’. Indeed, with Bowen we don’t diagnose and we are not treating just the named disease or condition, but we are treating the whole person.

Bowen Therapy restores balance via the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS controls over 80% of the body’s functions and is heavily influenced by external stressors. The ‘Bowen move’ communicates through the ANS in such a way that it triggers a rebalancing process for muscle, nerves, lymph and fascia (connective tissue). The ANS is divided into two areas, sympathetic (fight, flight, freeze) and the para-sympathetic (rest, relax, and repair mode).

The ANS

Due to the stresses of everyday life a huge majority of people live in the high alert sympathetic mode, contributing and even causing many imbalances in the mind and body (knotty and tight muscles, physical and mental tension, anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure, heart conditions, cancer, stroke, and so on).

The Bowen Technique enables the body to heal itself by prompting a shift from sympathetic ANS (fight, flight or freeze mode) to parasympathetic dominance (rest, relax and repair mode). Healing can only occur in this state. During a session, the client often drops into deep relaxation or falls asleep. This helps to reactivate the recovery process and Bowen Therapy is great for health situations where healing from trauma, sickness or surgery has stalled or reached a plateau.

Fascia

In Bowen Therapy we specifically aim to influence the connective tissues and fascia. Fascia is the membrane that covers all our organs, muscles, bones, blood vessels, nerves, tendons and ligaments. It’s importance up until recently has been greatly underestimated. It is not merely a connective tissue to hold everything in place. For your body to be in optimal health fascia is crucial.

Fascia has contact with every single part of our body and therefore connects everything together so that all of the tissues have a relationship with each other. It helps to transport nutrients and remove waste. It is also an endocrine organ, secreting hormones such as leptin, which is involved in the regulation of metabolism and appetite. Scientific evidence states that a stretch of the fascia initiates a small electrical charge. By working on fascia it enables us to communicate with all the other organs in the body, and most importantly, the central nervous system. This is because it is rich in a range of receptors that powerfully influence the body’s neuro-muscular physiology in many and complex ways and recent studies have shown it to be the largest sensory organ in the body.

Cumulative damage

Therefore it stands to reason that any dysfunction within the fascia will have a profound effect on the structure it is covering and vice versa. The fascia should be loose, and mobile. This, in turn, allows unrestricted movement between parts of the body and the free flow of bodily fluids, thus hydrating the fascia, which must be moist to remain flexible. If an injury occurs fascia can become tight and restricted. It possesses the ability to respond to stress without any conscious command from our brain, and contract independently of the muscles it surrounds. Extra layers may be formed by the body in a protective mechanism, and as it thickens the area loses it’s flexibility and elasticity. Chronic stress will fuse the connective tissues together in an attempt to protect the underlying muscle. This will often result in accumulation of dense fascia, and/or scar tissue. In addition the fascia can also cause skeletal misalignment and structural problems from muscle spasms.

Aggravation of tension

Contractions in the muscular skeletal system will impair movement, circulation and lymphatic flow and can inhibit the flow of nutrients and waste products to and from the tissues, leading to a build up of toxins, poor blood supply or trapped nerves. Often compromised fascia can be more responsible for muscle tension and pain than the muscles themselves.

Animals have fascia just like us and are equally prone to injuries and impairments effecting the fascia. Horses are athletes and as well as the injuries they may pick up in their day to day or doing a sport, they also have the added burden of carrying a rider and the possibility of ill-fitting tack. A horse has evolved to be in almost constant motion, and stabling for extended periods effects horses physiology, including lymphatics, endocrine system and fascia.

Sign up for special promotions

Sign up Form

Contact & other Links

‭Whatsapp: +971 56 3458698‬

genevievegodward@yahoo.com

Dubai Bowen Therapy

Equine Bowen Therapy

Privacy Policy

Client Information Forms

Women's Form

Men's Form

Child's Form