The original Bowen technique, also known as Bowenwork (USA) and Bowtech (Australia and the United Kingdom) was developed by the late Thomas Bowen in Geelong, Australia. He began studying sports therapists and trainers in the 1950s, which led him to develop his own unique form of bodywork.
Bowen had an innate ability to observe an individual’s posture and movement and then accurately determine the root cause of their pain. According to a 1975 survey of alternative health practitioners performed by the Victorian government, Thomas Bowen was doing 13,000 treatments a year. In 85% of his cases, the problems for which the individuals had sought treatment had been completely resolved.
Thomas Bowen only allowed a few individuals to observe his work. Ossie Rentsch was one of them, and with Bowen’s approval, he documented the work. With the help of Bowen’s secretary, Rene Horwood, Ossie was able to document a true representation of the original technique. Honoring Mr. Bowen’s request to make his work known worldwide after his death, Ossie and Elaine Rentsch founded the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia in 1987. Currently, the original Bowen technique is being taught in over 25 countries.
When asked how he came up with his unique form of bodywork, Tom Bowen replied, “It is a gift from God.”
