The Science:

When a Bowen move is done, a few things occur. The therapist's hands will first impact the stretch receptors, then the pressure receptors in the body with a cross-fiber friction. When we stimulate the fibers in these points that align with nerve plexuses, fascial structures, and acupoints, we create a piezoelectric effect in the tissues, stimulating the fibers and attracting hydration to the area. This flushing of hydration brings nutrients to the surrounding tissues and allows for tissue repair, increased mobility and reduction of tension and pain. The breaks experienced during a Bowen session allow the piezoelectricity to stimulate the tissues without overstimulating them.

In addition to this, the Bowen moves stimulate a parasympathetic nervous response, or rather our "rest and digest" branch of our nervous system gets turned on. - Our autonomic nervous system can be categorized into two branches: the sympathetic and parasympathetic. Our sympathetic nervous response is also known as our "fight, flight, or freeze" response. When in a sympathetic nervous response, our energy is redirected to alertness, as our focus is to survive. The energetic and biological pathways that heal the body are turned off so that energy can be budgeted on the task at hand. From an evolutionary standpoint, this is a great feature, but in a world where we receive more stimulation in one day than humankind used to receive in a lifetime, it's difficult for our nervous system to understand that we are not in current threat of immediate danger.

Bowen Therapy gently guides the body back into a parasympathetic state, once again allowing the pathways for restoration to open and flow.

My Personal Journey with Bowen Therapy:

My journey with Bowen Therapy began when I first heard my massage instructor say, "I can't explain how it works, but it's magical." My interest was peaked immediately.

Flash forward to the day I tested for my massage license. As I was leaving my testing site, smiling ear to ear with the news of passing, I happened to look up to see a sign reading,

"Zen From Within - Bowen Therapy".

I knew I found the starting point of my next chapter.

After learning about Bowen and knowing I was interested in it, I got to truly understand it’s power when I was experiencing jaw pain as a result of some TMJ disorder. I had been experiencing the pain for months; it had progressed to jaw deviation causing my teeth to no longer touch. As a massage therapist, I would work on it daily, only to experience slight relief or relief only lasting for a few days.

When I finally booked for Bowen Therapy I arrived to my appointment eager and curious. The therapist talked to me about how she believed my pain was caused by an imbalance in my hips and that she believed working my hips would be more effective. I trusted her and trusted the process and so, the hips we treated.

Following my appointment I felt highly relaxed and the pain had subsided some. I was grateful for some relief but wasn't surprised to still experience a persistent awareness of discomfort. However, after a very deep sleep, I awoke the next morning to my jaw being in perfect alignment with my teeth touching completely! After months of suffering I had lasting and profound relief from the first session and without even touching my jaw!

Since then I have kept Bowen Therapy as a part of my own self care routine.

In September of 2021 I had the opportunity to begin my Bowen training, and I went full force in the direction of my certification. I trained under the guidance of Mary Martorano and in January of 2023 I completed the certification process and became a fully certified Bowen Therapist. .

All of this with extra special thanks to my mentor, Melita Mollohan - Holistic Health Practitioner and founder of Zen From Within, without whose guidance I would not be the practicing Bowen Therapist I am today.

The Process:

Less is more, but there are still no quick fixes. We may experience quick relief, but diving to the root of the issue will take time.

When addressing discomfort in our bodies, we have to ask ourselves not, "What did I do?", as if our pain comes from any one thing that happened, but a better question would be, "What have I been doing?"; realizing that a lifetime of strain has occurred in any given point of musculature.

As is such, one session of Bowen is not going to unwind a lifetime of tension patterns in our bodies. This is why we will be encouraged to book 3 consecutive appointments when beginning our journey with Bowen. This grants our bodies the grace and time to glide more into balance. Following the 3rd session in the series we would then assess progress and re-evaluate our treatment plan or maintenance plan moving forward.

During your session, you will lay, clothed, on a table. Gentle moves will be made based on the goal we are trying to achieve. After the moves are made, the therapist leaves the room and your body is left to process the information it just received. This continues until the session ends. Typically, great relaxation is achieved within minutes of the beginning of session.