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Bowen Therapy aka NST (Neurostructural Integration Technique) |
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VERY SIMPLY... Bowen Therapy is a wonderful, gentle therapy that helps to reset the muscles. This allows the body to go back to the way it should be. The movement used is a simple rolling movement over the muscles and tendons that leave the recipient deeply relaxed and often pain free within just a few sessions. Click here to get your free Bowen Therapy Foundation Course Manual For a more detailed explanation of how Bowen works, read on!
This article was taken (with permission from the author) from www.advancedbowentherapy.com . Regulating the Autonomic Nervous System with Bowen Therapy by Marina Perone, RMT There are dozens of interpretations of Bowen Therapy currently circulating the world these days. Most are good and some better than others, however they all are basically working with the same underlying mechanisms and I endeavor to explain these mechanisms in my article below. The understanding of these mechanisms by the therapist will start a process of stepping out of recipe "mode" and into more free-flowing mode, which should be the goal of all people using Bowen Therapy or any other manual therapy. Reading the body is imperative, and it all starts with understanding anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology (or how the body moves and is supposed to move). WHAT IS THE MEDIUM OF HEALING? The main principle and belief that we are utilizing in Bowen Therapy is that the body is able to heal itself, we believed that good medicine was to assist the body's natural ability to repair and regulate itself and that bodily dysfunction were the result of disturbances in the tissues. The underlying mechanism is that 'Structure governs Function', and that disturbances of structure at any level within the body will restrict the functioning of the body as a whole. These disturbances can lead to compensations, which can lead to acute or chronic pain. Thus, our goal as therapists is to restore the structural integrity in the body in order to restore its optimum function. Tom Bowen developed a simplistic "move" consisting of rolling type action over muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerve endings, and bone that caused a major physiological shift from sympathetic tone (fight or flight) to parasympathetic tone (rest and digest) in the body. We have heart rate variability charts that confirm this shift happens during and after a Bowen Therapy session. When sequenced in a certain manner, all sorts of symptoms related to certain conditions seemingly disappear, and the body was able to move from dysfunction to optimal homeostatic balance - a sign of true healing. The body is always regulating towards homeostasis, however problems arise when there too many compensations that we are trying to regulate around. The body then becomes overtaxed, unable to draw on resources to maintain these lesions and thus begins to degenerate. Spending too much time in this state can lead to chronic degeneration. For this reason it may require more than simply a few sessions to undue all the effects of long-term stress on the body. Tom Bowen, it was said, also believed in the universal life energy called Chi. In traditional Chinese medicine, this energy must flow freely throughout the body in order to assure a state of maximum health. Bowen's gift was to discover a system of mobilization to re balance the natural flow of energy. Some of the earlier explanations of Bowen Therapy, revolved around Tom's concept of blocking and opening moves. He believe that by putting two blocking moves in a certain area they would be energetically sectioned off from the rest of the body temporarily, and that opening moves in between would cause a vibration within the tissues to reverberate between the two blockers and thus cause a change in tensional levels. Tom Myers (aithor of the Anatomy Trains), and other such fascial practitioners speak quite a bit about the piezoelectric effect of fascial work. The Bowen move, genius in it's simplicity, actually causes a build up of this piezoelectric charge and then subsequent discharge onto the tissues being manipulated and sets the process in motion. Tom Bowen, however, never really explained how he came up with his remarkable healing modality nor how and why it worked so well. As he never wrote anything about his work, we are left with several theories and what 6 of his boys (apprentices) observed during their apprenticeship at Bowen's clinic. Advanced Bowen Therapy is based on exploration with this move using a more detailed understanding of some of the concepts presented above. A sound understanding of the physiology underlying the work is explored and the move and it's sequences further experimented and explored, until the practitioner is able to understand how to read the body and apply the move as NEEDED, rather than in pre-set recipes. The advanced concepts of this system have been synthesized by two Vancouver based Registered Massage Therapists - Johnny Perone and Marina Katinic into a system now being taught to professional therapists world-wide. "The affects on the body primarily through two of its main regulatory systems (the nervous system and the energetic system) to bring it back to a state of optimal balance and homeostasis." - Marina Katinic, RMT Some of the systems at work are highlighted below, and fully elaborated upon in Core and Advanced trainings: The Autonomic Nervous System Re-balancing top This may be the most important aspect of the therapy. By allowing the body to return to a rest and digest state (Parasympathetic) we give it the opportunity to begin the healing and repair process. The autonomic nervous system controls over 90% of bodily functions (cardiac, respiratory,peripheral circulation, reproductive, endocrine, gastrointestinal... ) and is very susceptible to stress and emotional states . Most people living in our modern "civilized" society are in a constant state of high stress and sympathetic over-stimulation. This could explain why so many people can't heal, or experience incomplete recovery from sickness or injuries. For healing to happen the organism need to shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic dominance and for this to happen it needs time and space to literally unwind and digest physical and emotional stress. This is what the Bowen Technique does. "This Technique is an antidote to modern living for both the practitioner and the patient!!!" - BC Chiropractor During a treatment it is very common that a patient will quickly fall asleep, drop in a deep state of relaxation or drift into a pleasant state of being. Often loud peristaltic sounds can be heard just after doing a move. This is most often the gastro-intestinal reflex, which is a sign that the body is moving into a more parasympathetic mode. When this happens, the organism as a whole is letting go of tension at a very deep level. Other notably phenomena include brief unconscious muscular movements, increase in saliva, and rapid eye movement. All these indicate a deeper parasympathetic flux is in motion. Emotional Component Another interesting benefit of this Autonomic Nervous System re balancing is that clients report a change in their response to stressful situations where they don't feel as pulled into other people's drama or as reactive to their own, as if they are more detached and a neutral observer. It is not uncommon for people to have major psychological or emotional breakthrough following sessions. Usually these breakthroughs are precisely what was needed in that moment for the client to make a remarkable healing insight. That is, the insight is very much responsible for the healing, and the session a vehicle for accessing that insight. Bruce Lipton speaks very strongly of his discoveries in cellular biology, and the link to beliefs and emotions. Treatments can reach this level of tension-related ailments and help those receiving the treatment to connect with whatever underlying problems might be causing the dysfunction (symptoms). The Stretch Reflex is put to use top In most cases moves are done directly on muscles, at either their attachment points (highly innervated by proprioceptors) are on the muscle belly itself. This manipulation of the Golgi Tendon Organ and Muscle-Spindle, directly informs the nervous system as to the state of tension, the muscle length, or the actual stretch in the tissue. The receptors are actually being challenged during the "rolling" part of the move, whereas the piezoelectric effect is being stimulated during the "stretching" part of the move. Together the move takes advantage of two physiological mechanisms in the body to create the change we are seeking. In many cases of pain, the pain-gate mechanism is hyper stimulated from what it either considers a problem, or memory of a problem long ago. The changes in proprioceptive information stimulated by the Bowen move can disrupt such a pattern and reduce the nocioceptive information being sent to the nervous system. Joint proprioreceptors called into action Moves that are done directly over joints, and through joint capsules will also take advantage of the many joint proprioceptors in advising the body of it's current position and tension levels. The direct stimulation of these proprioceptors will be received by the nervous system and invite the normalization of the joint functions and joint specifically stimulated. Neuro-lymphatic points and lymphatic circulation The move itself, especially when done over neuro-lymphatic points can stimulate lympathic drainage. In addition, the setting in of a strong parasympathetic response also creates greater ability for the lymphatic system to drain. The overlap of systems being stimulated to work is clearly being done through the ANS, however these systems are not independent of the other and work in unison. This explains the detox effect that is initiated after Bowen Therapy sessions. The result is a stimulating and strength increasing effect on our musculature system. Segmental viscerosomatic / somatovisceral spinal reflexes As our first principle that structure governs function, we also must be aware that function maintains structure, therefore both structure and function are dependent and influence the other. Muscular imbalances not only tax our organs in order to maintain the excessive tension by drawing unnecessary resources, but also create a lot of toxic by-products which will further tax or our digestive and eliminatory systems. Being stuck in a sympathetic flow for too long cuts off major blood supply to our organs and delivers it to our muscles, thereby starving our organs of the materials they need to function properly and furthering the negative loop of dysfunction. By restoring balance to the ANS through a triggering of "rest and digest" we bring blood supply back to the organs so they can do their job un-impeded. In many Bowen methodologies moves are done along the spine and over the erector muscles at points where autonomic ganglia exist which enervate our major organs. It was said that Tom believed the use of these moves would address many complaints that people had due to regulation of the organ systems. In many instances patients will return with feedback that other complaints, other than the initial one they came in for, have been addressed and cleared. This is the power of the control our ANS has over our body. Trigger points top Many of the moves can be done over trigger point locations. Referred pain from trigger points are often addressed with some basic sequences and alleviated, which improve joint mobility and muscle coordination. It is also likely that these trigger points are caused by "Residual Muscle Tension", a term coined by somatic practitioner and educator Thomas Hanna, which can lead to "Sensory Motor Amnesia". Sensory Motor Amnesia is a situation where the body, due to trauma (real or imagined: physical, emotional, or nutritional) has found itself in a cycle of memory loss, or movement loss. As the body is a remarkable adaptable organism, this loss of "sensation" leading to motor changes results in tissue becoming compromised at a deep cellular level and the macro level is usually the last to know. When it does become too repetitive for the body to handle, the pain-gate is alerted and the person will 'feel" this signal that something is wrong. Trigger points can be seen as the end result of this vicious cycle, and thus not something that need to be treated as a separate to the whole. There is no doubt that trigger point therapy is very useful and therapeutic, but again the therapist is treating the symptom and not the cause. Changes at the deeper level, the cellular level, that cause a re-hydration effect on the body (such as is the case with ABT treatments) will invariably take care of this trigger point phenomenon in almost all cases. The Fascia The father of Osteopathy, Andrew Taylor Still had this to say about Fascia: "I know of no part of the body that equals the fascia ... In every view we take of the fascia a wonder appears. The part that fascia takes in life and death gives us one of the greatest problems to solve. It surrounds each muscle, vein, nerve and all the organs of the body ... By its action we live by its failure we die. Each fiber of all muscle owes its pliability to that yielding septum washer that allows all muscles to glide over and around all adjacent muscles and ligaments without friction of jar. It not only lubricates but gives nourishment to all parts of the body. (In fascia) ... can be found all disturbing causes of life, the places in which diseases germinate and develop the seeds of sickness and death ... I write of the universality of fascia to impress the reader with the idea that this connection substance Must be free at all parts to receive and discharge all fluids, and to appropriate and use them in sustaining animal life, and eject all impurities, that health may not be impaired by dead and poisonous fluids. A knowledge of the universal extent of the fascia is imperative, and is one of the greatest aids to the person who seeks the causes of disease. The fascia and its nerves demand his attention, and on his knowledge of them much of his success depends."
Fascia's main role is to connect the body, which is why it is also known as connective tissue. This matrix, or web of connective tissue literally connects the body from head to toe, as Thomas Meyers eloquently illustrates in his book 'The Anatomy Trains'. Fascia connects everything in the body: muscles, nerves, organs, bones, ligaments and tendons are direct continuation of fascial coverings of muscles. Restrictions in the fascia play a major role in muscle coordination, motor-firing patterns, flexibility, postural alignment and overall structure and function. Fascia is also the domain where memories of trauma (physical or emotional) are stored. The fascia reacts to trauma by shortening, contracting, torquing and dehydrating. This is why when fascial restrictions are relieved with Bowen Therapy, there can also follow a emotions or memories initially stored at the time of the injury. The alleviation of adhesion's improves posture, flexibility, freedom of movement, and lightens the mind as well. . Acupuncture points and meridians: top According to many TCM practitioners and Acupuncturists, many Bowen moves correlate with meridian points. The Traditional Chinese Medicine theory puts blocked energy at the source of many disease processes, and thus the freedom of energetic flow is imperative for good health. Many clients sensitive to this flow will report that they feel movement of energy throughout their body directly after the stimulation of several points with Bowen moves, and therefore Bowen Therapy can also stimulate circulation of energy (Chi or Life Force) and clears energetic blocks. The application of the move is much different than traditional stimulation of acupoints, and in many cases a move will overlap several points altogether. Many Acupuncturists who have taken our workshops could correlate the indications of many "moves" with similar indication for the use of the corresponding acupuncture points. These Acupuncturists have also noticed that the speed of acupuncture pulses also improved dramatically when assessing with pulse diagnosis directly after applying several Bowen moves to these acupuncture points. Most of the moves from the core courses are done directly on the bladder meridian, which also has a major effect on the internal organs. The overlap of the fascial and meridian system can help to explain the strong energetic component of the work and its balancing effect on the internal organs, through sound physiological means. The Rest Periods One of the most important aspects of this therapy is the proper use of "rest" or "integration" periods where the therapist actually leaves the client to internalize or integrate the stimulation that the therapist has initiated. These periods are imperative to success of the work, as it allows for a wave of changes to occur systematically rather than all at once. The body's Central Nervous System receives, interprets, and then sends out the changes during these "integration" periods, which increase the efficacy of the therapy as a whole. The momentum from these changes continue to catalyze the reactions, which result in an overall resetting effect on the whole organisms tone - especially in the muscular system. The therapists understanding of anatomy and physiology will enhance their learning curve. In addition, the understanding of the concepts presented within will free the therapist from recipe formula's (that do work well) into a more free-flowing treatment, actually addressing the individuals specific needs rather than globally setting in a therapeutic intent hoping that it will somehow reach the problem area. Those that wish to explore these concepts further are invited to visit the website below. (c) This article is copyright 2004, 2005 and it is for personal and developmental use only. It is not permissible to store this message in part or in whole, or use it in conjunction with any existing Bowen Therapy or Manual Therapy teaching or instructional material.
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