Bowen Therapy: Holistic Pain Management, Anxiety and Stress Relief
Hey skin addicts! September is gave us major January vibes, we were all finding our new routines, booking the appointments we had been putting off all summer, and prioritizing our health and wellness a little more, in addition to mourning the final days of summer. There is a good chance your sympathetic nervous system is a little out of whack right now. Does flight, fight or freeze resonate with you at all? It’s okay, a lot of us are stuck in this state this time of year and it’s perfectly normal to need a little (or a major) nervous system reset. That’s where the healing powers of Bowen Therapy come in. Whether your stress is manifesting as physical pain, digestive upsets, anxiety or chronic fatigue, Bowen Therapy puts you back into a state of rest and digest so you can calm down, relax, and heal.
How Bowen Therapy Works
Initially developed in Australia by Tom Bowen, Bowen Therapy is all about restoring the mind-body feedback loop. When our nervous system is stuck in its sympathetic state, the communication between the mind and body becomes blocked. Most of us are chronically operating from the sympathetic state, simply due to the nature of today’s world and demands. In order to heal and reduce stress, pain, and anxiety, the body needs to fall into a state of rest and relaxation, allowing the parasympathetic nervous system to take over. Once the body moves into its parasympathetic state, the appropriate connections can be made to enable the body to heal.
Through intentional touch, pressure, and movements on various pressure points of the body, healing signals are sent from the muscles, tendons, and tissues to the brain restoring the body’s feedback loop. There are several periods of rest throughout the treatment in between the physical touch. These periods allow the mind and body to listen to the feedback loop, start communicating once again, and start the healing process.
Who Can Benefit From Bowen Therapy
Bowen Therapy is for individuals of all ages who feel their body’s homeostasis is out of alignment. This imbalance can manifest as physiological symptoms, psychological symptoms or both. Common symptoms that drive individuals to choose Bowen Therapy include:
Anxiety
Chronic stress
Mild depression
Chronic or acute pain including back, knees, shoulders and neck, etc.
Chronic headaches or migraines
Digestive upsets
Chronic fatigue
Insomnia
How Bowen Therapy Differs From Massage Therapy
Bowen Therapy can often can be confused with massage therapy, but the two are very different. While massage therapy is consistent pressure directly on the skin using oil to knead out tight muscles, Bowen Therapy consists of switching between intervals of light touch and leaving the room while the patient remains clothed for the entire treatment. Bowen therapy also mainly targets the nervous system, while massage focuses more on the physical body. It is, however, possible to feel some residual soreness the day after Bowen, similar to massage therapy.
Bowen Therapy at Natology
For your Bowen Therapy treatment, you can expect a quiet, dimly lit room intended to calm your senses and encourage your mind body to surrender in a safe space. The bed is heated for additional comfort and relaxation. It is recommended that you arrive in breathable clothing like leggings and a t-shirt for your comfort and to allow our naturopathic doctor to easily perform their touch techniques. For the ultimate experience, it is best to have a Bowen therapy session at a time where you can go home and rest after, as it is a deeply relaxing treatment.
Bowen Therapy is a gentle yet deceivingly powerful approach to holistic mind body wellness. Its relaxation benefits, coupled with its ability to restore homeostasis and move the body out of fight, flight, or freeze, make it one of Natology’s most versatile healing treatments.
