
Bowen Therapy & NST
Tom Bowen discovered that there is a particular cycle in the body which must be free to operate unimpeded, if the individual is to enjoy good health and balance. Whilst he discovered that this cycle was perceptible at an energetic level he was equally aware of its physical components , namely the sacrum, coccyx, cranium and Temporomandibular Joint complex and the dural membrane, which connects them to make them a functional unit.
Bowen therapy is a form of bodywork that involves gently stretching the fascia — the soft tissue that covers all your muscles and organs — to promote pain relief and a decrease in inflammation. Treatment is performed fully clothed over an approximately 45-60 minute period of time. Gentle movements are performed followed by a period of no touching for integration for approximately 2-4 minutes. Most clients feel significant changes in their pain in 3-5 treatments spaced 7-14 days apart.
The total number of sessions you will need will depend on various factors, including:
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your symptoms
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the severity of your condition
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your response to the therapy
Specifically, this form of therapy uses precise and very gentle, rolling hand movements. These motions focus on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, along with the fascia and skin around them as well as the nerves that stimulate these areas. Bowen therapy is widely used for infants for colic or the frail elderly with great success due to its gentle hands-on technique.
Treatment stimulates the autonomic nervous system. It is said to inhibit the sympathetic nervous system (your fight-or-flight response) and activate the parasympathetic nervous system (your rest-and-digest response).
Bowen therapy is used to treat a variety of ailments. Generally, it’s done to relieve pain and increase motor function as well as range of motion. Depending on the underlying symptoms, it may be used as a complementary or alternative treatment.
Bowen may be used to treat the following: Frozen shoulder; headaches/migraines; back pain, neck pain, Jaw related issues (TMD), knee injuries, plantar fasciitis, carpel tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression and/or emotional stress. Also pain can be controlled due to respiratory conditions like asthma, gastrointestinal disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and cancer treatments.
Do Clients feel side effects from Treatment? Due to the inner healing process and body's detoxification post treatment, occasionally clients can feel symptoms of adjustment such as : Headache, tingling, fatigue, soreness, flu-like symptoms, increased pain or pain in another part of the body. Most of these feelings if experienced subside within 24-72 hours.
The Bowen Technique is a gentle therapy that is applied to areas of the body, using thumbs and fingers in a specific process or order.
The move is a rolling-type move of the thumbs and forefingers, and is designed to stimulate nerve pathways which allow a ‘conversation’ to take place between different nervous systems of the body. Between each set of moves, the therapist leaves the room to allow the communication process to take place. These breaks increase the effectiveness of each subsequent set of moves. The move does not slide or flick over the surface of the skin, but uses the slack in the overlying skin to move over the underlying tissue, so each move covers a small area, defined by how far an individual’s skin can move over a targeted area. Bowen is very gentle and suitable for all ages.
NST (Neurostructural Integration Technique) is newer modality of the original Bowen Technique. This combines very particular specialized movements to create an effect on the body with a resulting "unravelling" of the body's fascial binding. NST uses a combination of neurological and energetic blockage releases which in comparison to Bowen Therapy alone, has proven to be more dynamic, and a more effective treatment with faster implementation and results are distinctively better.
Cupping

Cupping therapy might be trendy now, but it’s not new. It dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. One of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, the Ebers Papyrus, describes how the ancient Egyptians used cupping therapy in 1,550 B.C
There are different methods of cupping, including dry and wet. A more modern version of cupping uses a rubber pump instead of fire to create the vacuum inside the cup. Sometimes therapists use silicone cups, which they can move from place to place on your skin for a massage-like effect.This causes your skin to rise and redden as your blood vessels expand. The cup is generally left in place for up to 3 minutes.
Cupping has been used to treat a wide variety of conditions. It may be particularly effective at easing conditions that create muscle aches and pains. The cups are applied to major acupressure points to assist in treating digestive issues, skin issues, coughs, acne, back pain from lumbar disc issues and neck problems. Cupping increases circulation and encourages tissues to release toxins. Come see Diane for a relaxing and therapeutic session today!