Who can Bowen help?
People of any age or stage can benefit from a rebalance, and so, of course, can horses of all disciplines and levels of performance.
See this link for more information specific to people FAQs – NST Bowen (human), and here for equine information Equine Bowen
What is Bowen therapy?
In the late 1950s, Tom Bowen, an Australian osteopath, discovered that the sacrum, coccyx, cranium, and temporomandibular joint complex (TMJ) and the dural membrane of the spine formed a critically functioning unit in the body. Disruption to this unit resulted in ill health.
By releasing stress at a very deep level, via its calming effect on the Autonomic Nervous System, Bowen sets the scene for the body to heal itself.
Unlike many other hands-on therapies, Bowen does not attempt to force change. Rather, through gentle finger and thumb movements using specific acupressure points and lymphatic drainage routes, it asks the body to recognise and make the changes necessary to bring it back to physiological equilibrium.
The rolling Bowen moves over soft tissue, tendons and muscle encouraging re-balancing and re-alignment of the body. This promotes improved working of the circulation, lymphatics and muscle condition allows the self-healing process to continue for several days following the treatment.
One unusual feature of the technique is the short rests during the treatment when the practitioner leaves the client which gives time for the body to respond to the very precise and effective stimulation of the gentle moves before moving on to the next set of instructions or moves. Working too much on the body just overloads the system – like opening too many applications on your computer. Too much information just slows the whole process down and it may even crash where the body doesn’t respond, since too much was asked of it in one treatment session.
The moves can be applied either directly on the skin or through light clothing.
The gentle nature of Bowen means it is particularly effective for all ages including babies & children and the elderly.
Neurostructural Integration Technique (NST) is an advanced form of Bowen and Spinal Therapy and sometimes referred to as soft tissue osteopathy. It is based on the later work of Tom Bowen, which some people consider to be his more profound and effective work. It does not aim to replicate exactly what Bowen was able to do, as his own work continually evolved throughout his practice until his death, and today’s NST practitioners also cause the system to evolve as they learn new things about the human body.