Bowen Background
THE BOWEN TECHNIQUE (Bowtech) was developed by the late Tom Bowen in Australia. Tom Bowen (1916-1982) devoted a lifetime, in Geelong Australia, to developing this gentle and innovative approach to bringing the bodies own healing abilities into action. After serving in World War 2, he became interested in way to alleviate human suffering and began to notice that certain moves on the body had particular effects. The Bowen Technique is unique in that it was developed without its originator having any previous training in any modality or discipline. In fact, he frequently stated that is work was “simply a gift from God.” Over a period of several years he developed the system as it is used today.
Bowen was extremely busy in his clinic and was verified by the 1975 Victorian government inquiry into alternative health care professionals. The study documented Bowen treating more than 13,000 patients a year.
In 1974, while attending a National Health Conference in Adelaide, Australia, Tom Bowen was introduced to Osteopath and Natural Therapist, Oswald Rentsch. Rentsch knew nothing of Bowen´s work, yet he asked if he could train with Bowen. During the next two and a half years Rentsch and his wife, Elaine carefully studied and documented Bowen´s technique. Bowen had no notes, charts or manuals that could be copied, but with the help of Bowen´s receptionist, Rene Horwood, they produced a true representation of the original technique. They began utilizing Bowen´s methods in their clinic in Hamilton, Victoria, Australia. At Bowen´s request, it was not to be until after his death that Ossie and Elaine began teaching his technique.