The History of the Bowen Technique

What is the Bowen Technique?

The Bowen Technique is a relatively new form of light touch therapeutic body work.  It originated in Geelong, Australia in the mid 80s’ before making its way to the UK in the 90’s. Now, the technique is sought after, taught and practiced in a great many countries around the world. 

Where did the Bowen Technique come from?

The name is derived from the developer, Thomas Ambrose Bowen (1916-1982). Tom was a labourer and also a self-trained remedial therapist, who called himself an Osteopath. 

In 1957 Tom was working full time at a cement works and treating people by night. He would often work into the early hours, treating clients for free. Mr Bowen would regularly make home visits to treat sick children and elderly people who were unable to travel. Tom eventually began accepting donations, but maintained that children would continue to be treated for free. This plus improving the quality of life for people with disabilities, remained to be his priority.

Tom continued to develop his skills through his involvement with several local football clubs. As his therapeutic ability grew, so did his client base, and by 1973 he had an assistant, and was averaging 65 clients per day.

How did the Bowen Technique Evolve and Grow?

Tom Bowen allowed a chosen group of six people to observe him during his 23 years in clinical practice. He never ‘taught’ them as such, and as Toms work was constantly changing and evolving, each individual witnessed Toms work at a different stage in the process.  In addition to this, each of these six men had different backgrounds, so naturally their interpretation varied depending on their own knowledge and experience.

In the early 90’s, the Bowen Technique arrived in the UK. Initially it wasn’t that popular, but after an article in the Daily Mail in 1994, people began actively seeking both Bowen and training courses. Since then thousands of people have discovered the power of the Bowen Technique, and have had their lives transformed by both the treatment and the training program.

Studies into the reason for using light touch and why breaks are so important, have grown, as has our understanding of the connective tissue known as fascia, and so more people are beginning to recognise the potential benefits of the light touch, highly effective, non invasive therapy known as the Bowen Technique.

Who are the College of Bowen Studies?

The College of Bowen Studies became a limited company in 2019 and is managed by Colin Murray and Jo Wortley. It has undergone many changes in recent years and is now moving from strength to strength, collaborating with likeminded Tutors, professionals and industry leaders, to bring the very best in training and resources to its students.

We believe that the Bowen Technique is a powerful, transformational tool. It is easy to learn and simple to apply.

The College of Bowen Studies is dedicated to providing world class Bowen training, and making the Bowen Technique the therapy of choice for people in pain.