The articles listed on this page give an overview of Bowenwork from a variety of perspectives. They are listed in three groups, according to the types of publications in which they originally appeared:
- Newspapers, magazines, and newsletters written for the general public
- Trade or academic journals within various health professions
- Journals and newsletters written for Bowenwork students and practitioners
In order to make it easier for you to find information of particular interest to you, we have summarized the contents of each article. These synopses start right after the publication information that includes title, author(s), publication name, date and page range. Each synopsis ends with the number of pages needed to print that article.
The citations within each group are listed alphabetically by author’s last name.
We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Write to Librarian@AmericanBowen.Academy.
FOR A GENERAL AUDIENCE
| The gentlest, most effective pain relief ever. Robert J. Rowen's Second Opinion Newsletter, July 2003, XIII:7, pp 1-5. ** Alternative physician describes his initial experience of observing a demonstration of Bowenwork and, later, four anecdotes about his early applications of Bowenwork after studying it with Sandra Gustafson. 4pp |
| Bowen therapy results are profound. Hali Fitzpatrick. Mosaic Magazine, summer 2011, p 15. ** Canadian grandmother, seeking help for her autistic grandson, gets hooked on Bowen during a class where he is a demonstration "client." His response -- plus the results of a few Bowen moves on her own painful elbow -- inspire her to learn Bowenwork. 1p. |
| When scientists saw the mouse heads glowing, they knew the discovery was big. David Kohn. The Washington Post, May 21, 2017. ** The discovery that lymphatic vessels extend into the brain offers another possible mechanism of action to explain the surprising results sometimes obtained with Bowenwork. 3pp |
| Peaceful bodies: health and wellbeing through Bowenwork. Pamela Pendlebury. Monadnock Living, fall-winter 2014, pp 18-19. ** Practitioner's observation that children typically require much shorter and fewer Bowenwork sessions than adults for similar issues. 2pp |
| Bowenwork: alternative therapy for concussion. Stephen Stamp. Inside Lacrosse, Nov 21, 2011. ** The accumulation and resolution of multiple concussions suffered by high school lacrosse player Nathan White. 3pp |
| Bowen technique for back pain and other conditions. Liz James. Positive Health Online, issue 143, Jan 2008. ** UK practitioner describes two cases in which multiple complaints cleared up while addressing only a small subset. 2pp |
FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
| Accelerated healing response: the Bowen technique can complement traditional PT. Dan Amato. Advance for Physical Therapists and PT Assistants, Oct 2001, pp 35-37. ** Factors that slow post-injury rehabilitation and ways in which Bowenwork engages built-in physiological processes to promote healing. Discusses several proposed mechanisms of action and includes some physical therapists' experience with Bowenwork. 17 references. 3pp |
| Bowenwork for migraine relief. Sandra Gustafson. Massage Therapy Journal, fall 2015, p 94. ** A life-long pattern of multiple migraine attacks tapered to zero during 14 Bowen sessions, as did the client's severe neck pain from two auto accidents. At the end of the four-month series, her initial ibuprofen use had dropped from 10-12 200mg tablets per day to zero. 1p. |
| Bowenwork: gentle touch, impressive results. Sandra Gustafson. Massage, Feb 2013, pp 54-58. ** General introduction, information about training and venues where Bowenwork is practiced. 5pp |
| Bowenwork: bodywork without the work. Sandra Gustafson. Massage & Bodywork, May/June 2010, pp 54-63. ** Focus on women's health within a naturopathic practice and the gentleness of the work on both client and practitioner. 8pp |
| Bowenwork for pain: a winner, hands down. Cheryl Kasdorf. Naturopathic Doctor News & Review, July 2013, pp 15ff. ** Naturopath explains how several physiological "laws" explain the body’s response to Bowenwork. Five brief cases involving pain (anywhere from feet to jaw) illustrate the range of common patterns of response. 7pp |
| The Bowen technique. Vicki Mechner. Massage, Nov/Dec 2003, pp 102-107. ** Includes details about the history of the development of Bowenwork. Quotes Bowen practitioners who had practiced massage before learning Bowenwork and massage clients about their first Bowenwork sessions. 5pp |
| The Bowen technique: mechanisms for action. John Wilks. Journal of Australian Traditional Medicine Society, March 2013, Vol 19, E1, pp 33–35. ** A discussion of neural and fascial structures in the body through which the Bowen technique achieves its results. 14 references. 3pp |
FOR BOWENWORK PRACTITIONERS
| Bowenwork for people living with cancer. Sandra Gustafson. Bowen Hands, June 2015, p11. ** Information about the safety of Bowenwork for clients diagnosed with cancer. 1p |
| A letter from Queensland. Sandra Leahy (now Gustafson). Bowen Hands, Spring 1994, pp 14-15. ** Two anecdotes about use of the Respiratory procedure in a controlled intensive care emergency environment, for asthma and whooping cough. A discussion of parallels between Bowenwork and homeopathy. 2pp |
| Setting the record straight. Vicki Mechner. American Bowen Academy newsletter, Dec 2016. ** Correcting seven common but erroneous statements about the development of the Bowen Technique as expressed in one particular online article. 9pp |
| Modern science validating complementary therapies. James Oschman. Presented at the Bowtech International Conference, Winchester, UK, October 25-26, 2008. Transcribed in three issues of Bowen Hands, March, June and Sept, 2009, each pp 3-5. ** An overview of theory and cutting-edge research in physics (e.g., low-intensity magnetic fields, resonance) and their application to the practice of Bowenwork. 9pp |
| Healing from an energetic perspective with Bowen, Margaret Spicer. Bowen Hands, June 2015, pp 22-23. ** A perspective on the relationship between innate intelligence, meridians, subtle-energy anatomy, healing and clients' awareness. 2pp |
