Gillian La Haye

What is Bowen?
Bowen is a most effective, non-invasive form of bodywork therapy.
The therapist makes a precise series of firm but gentle moves over connective tissue (muscles and ligaments) with thumb and fingers. The touch is light, not manipulative, and is suitable for anyone from newborn babies to the very elderly, from the very fit sportsman, to the critically ill.

How does Bowen work?
Research shows that from the very first Bowen moves made on the lower back, the brainwaves dip, allowing the body and mind to relax almost into sleep; such relaxation allows the body to respond to the brain’s command to search for imbalances in the system and to make the necessary adjustments to correct any disorders. The Bowen moves release energy, reducing muscle spasm, increasing blood supply and lymphatic drainage, toxins are cleared from the body. Once the body’s natural pathways are cleared, the body is more readily able to heal itself.

How will I feel after a Bowen treatment?
You will feel relaxed and probably have more energy; many people report a deep sense of well-being and greater concentration and focus. By following some simple guidelines after the treatment we will work together towards relief for any symptoms or conditions you may have. It is advisable if possible not to plan to play any serious sport immediately after a Bowen, or to go to the theatre, cinema, concert or opera or attend a lengthy meeting where you will be sitting for long periods of time.

How many treatments are required?
This varies from person to person, however, once I have been able to assess your needs some indication will be possible. It may be described as though the body is rather like a bowl into which we are ‘pouring’ Bowen. We cannot tell how deep the bowl is, nor how long it will take to fill. When the ‘bowl’ is full it ‘overflows’ and relief is achieved. In a few cases, this may happen after just one treatment, or it may take several. I will advise you on spacing and frequency of treatments as we go along, bearing in mind both your health needs and the financial implications on your behalf.

Will the condition return once I stop having Bowen?
We usually space treatments out gradually, so that your system is able to maintain the positive changes which have taken place naturally. Many people like to return on a regular basis every 5 - 6 weeks for a ‘top-up’ session in order to make sure that they remain on top form with the good health and vitality Bowen has restored to them.

What are the positive benefits of Bowen?
As well as the benefits already mentioned, Bowen strengthens the immune system and people find that they have more energy and significantly fewer colds and bouts of ‘flu etc. People who are used to colds settling on the chest, or tiredness leading to migraine, stress to IBS etc. find that these ailments no longer afflict them, and that the cold, tiredness or stress pass quickly without taking root.
Bowen is a very supportive therapy; in my clinic I often hear the comment “I feel supported on the inside” – I have been known to describe Bowen as an internal corset! I also hear very regularly the comment “Because of my condition I may never be completely free from pain but with Bowen I can cope now.”
Bowen treats the whole person, so when seeking treatment for headaches, for example, you might discover that you no longer suffer from mouth ulcers, or seeking help for asthma, you find that your previously high blood pressure drops to normal.

Bowen’s ‘Ace card’
is the fact that conditions successfully treated will usually not return unless re-injury occurs. If this happens, with a few glasses of plain water, the brain will remember the Bowen re-training it received, and the recurring symptoms will simply vanish within a few hours.

Are there any disadvantages or side-effects?
Sometimes a first Bowen treatment may cause tiredness on the day of treatment; very occasionally symptoms may temporarily worsen or move around. If this occurs it is important to inform your therapist as soon as possible. The good news is that in the case of some unpleasant reaction – which I am glad to say is extremely rare - there is a set of Bowen moves which are kept precisely for this event. It is my custom whenever it is considered necessary and when it is possible to do so, to visit the person in their own home to perform these simple moves to eliminate the reaction. In my experience the disturbance disappears very quickly.

What is involved in Bowen treatment?
I will ask you some general questions about your health background and invite you to tell me about the condition which has brought you to Bowen. I will explain exactly what I shall be doing and what you may expect. I have a treatment couch on which you lie for your treatment; you may remain in light clothing and I will ensure that you are warm and comfortable.
Bowen moves are made in short series between which I will leave the room for a couple of minutes to allow you to relax, and the Bowen messages to pass through your system without distractions. You may experience warmth, tingling or a feeling of heaviness, some people doze off – it is certainly very relaxing. After the treatment I will help you up, give you a glass of water, allowing you time to ‘come to’. I will give you a few guidelines and we will make a further appointment. The first appointment takes about an hour and a half, for subsequent appointments allow an hour.

What do doctors think about Bowen?
We are fortunate to have some GP Bowen therapists in this country, and an increasing number of GP practices and hospital departments are introducing Bowen into their treatment regime, precisely because it is so effective. Fortunately doctors are beginning to welcome therapies which can help their patients and offer an alternative to expensive and sometimes harmful drugs.
Interestingly, Bowen can help greatly with recovery from an anaesthetic, healing after birth or any surgical procedure, side-effects of chemotherapy and other medical treatments.
Bowen is not a diagnostic therapy; it treats the person, not a named condition, nor individual symptoms, nor does it matter whether your clutch of symptoms has a name or not. Your GP will diagnose, your Bowen therapist will not.
Similarly, a Bowen therapist will never change, reduce or recommend that you stop taking medication which has been prescribed for you by your doctor. In fact if you ask him or her about doing so, they will always refer you back to your doctor for advice on this matter.


Is Bowen suitable for children?
Most certainly. Many children require only one treatment, sometimes even for deep-rooted and chronic conditions such as eczema or asthma. Infantile colic is relieved very simply and in the case of asthma, the parent can be shown a single Bowen move as a first aid treatment to arrest an on-coming attack, although in this case medical help should always be sought.
Babies and very young children are often treated in their parents’ arms or on the lap, and I treat the occasion as a fun time. The breaks between groups of moves are not necessary for young children, there is nothing alarming, no pain, discomfort or separation from the parent.
It should be noted that in the UK it is a statutory requirement that a parent or guardian seek conventional medical advice for any child’s ailment.

The history of Bowen
Pioneered by Tom Bowen, an Australian, who was seeking help for his wife’s asthma*.
He was not a therapist, but worked alongside other practitioners learning various methods. He began to practise in 1959 in the evenings after work, and his very effective method became so popular that he opened his own clinic and by the mid-1970s was treating several thousand patients a year single-handed. He constantly learned more and developed his method of treatment and continued to develop it until his death in 1982. He taught ‘what he knew’ to a handful of therapists over time, and these people have developed it further and continue to teach different variations of it throughout the world.

Conditions which are known to respond to Bowen
As described above, as well as kick-starting your own healing mechanism, Bowen will gently energise and balance the system producing a sense of relaxation and well-being, it boosts the immune system, releases toxins from the tissues and enhances energy levels, thus contributing to general health and well-being. Bowen treats the whole person, but, of course, most people visit the therapist with a specific set of symptoms or conditions for which they want some relief.

The following are just some of the conditions which are known to have responded well to Bowen:

In Pregnancy: Back pain, vomiting, aching and restless legs, varicose veins, buttock pain, breast pain, tension and headaches, heartburn etc

In babies and children: Colic, restlessness and unsettled patterns, respiratory problems*, thrush, ADD, ADHD, behavioural problems, autism, bed-wetting, cerebral palsy

Circulatory: High blood pressure, varicose veins, angina, tachycardia, lymphatic disorders

Digestive: Indigestion, stomach ulcer, hiatus hernia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulosis, liver and gall bladder problems, infantile colic, dietary disorders, mouth ulcers, halitosis

Gynaecological: Pre-menstrual tension, period pain, breast pain, fibroids, endometriosis, pelvic pain, cystitis, infertility, menopausal symptoms, vaginismus, vestibulitis

Immunity: Allergies, recurrent infections, ME, chronic fatigue

Nervous System: Stress, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, migraine, stomach migraine, shock, insomnia, tics, bereavement, low self-esteem, agoraphobia, claustrophobia, Parkinson’s Disease

Muscular and skeletal: Sciatica, back pain, buttock pain, pelvic pain, lumbago, sports injuries, frozen shoulder, neck restriction and stiffness, whiplash, arthritis, rheumatism, cramp, RSI, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, aching knee and other joints, plantar fasciitis

Respiratory*: Bronchial disorders, pneumonia, asthma, hayfever, sinusitis, catarrh, persistent sore throats and colds

Skin: Eczema, psoriasis, urticaria

Urinary: Cystitis, thrush, UTI, prostate, bed-wetting, incontinence

Disabilities resulting from congenital conditions, accidents, strokes etc
Bowen may help to bring about remarkable improvement in the quality of life for people suffering in this way. The therapist works closely with the other health professionals concerned in these circumstances.


CONSULTATION FEES available on request

*Please also see on this website the page entitled 'Asthma Bowen Clinic'

For further information about Bowen check out the Bowen Therapists' European Register website on www.bter.org click here to go straight there.

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