Learn Bowen Therapy online

Online learning has exploded in popularity. Offering convenience, flexibility, and the opportunity to learn at your own pace from wherever you are, online classes have made learning more accessible than ever before. 

Should I learn Bowen Therapy online? 

Firstly, we don’t teach the practical components of the Cert IV or Diploma in Bowen Therapy online. (Theory, however, is offered by distance learning.)

Why not?

The hands-on component of learning Bowen Therapy is vital. 

Bowen Therapy is learned by doing and feeling, not by watching.

While observation is important in learning Bowen Therapy (the founder of Bowen Therapy, Tom Bowen, taught by allowing people to observe him in clinic), it’s not the whole picture. 

The moves in Bowen Therapy are unique, specific to Bowen Therapy, and not at all similar to massage or other forms of bodywork. (You can read more about why Bowen Therapy is not massage here.) 

Unlike massage, where the techniques are learned and applied broadly over the body, each Bowen move or procedure is slightly different. While the moves share a common theme, each move is done in a precise location, and the pressure, depth, and speed will vary according to the structures being worked on and the effect the therapist is aiming for. Practising under supervision is vital to ensure the best results for your future clients. Good results = happy clients = more referrals = success in your Bowen Therapy business! 

The only way you can actually learn the moves in Bowen Therapy is to do them. With live feedback from your trainer and client. Watching a video demonstration of a Bowen Therapy move is not the same as actually doing a Bowen Therapy move. 

Consider:

• Would you trust a hairdresser to cut your hair if they’d only watched videos of how to cut?

• Or even more unimaginable, would you trust a surgeon to operate on you if they’d never been supervised while working on a real body? 

Developing what we call “keen tissue sense” is essential in Bowen Therapy. It’s the ability of the Bowen Therapist to accurately sense the level of tension in the tissue being palpated or observed. It’s difficult to teach this thoroughly online or without hands-on supervision. 

Bowen Therapy can trigger observable responses in clients’ bodies. Twitches, tremors, involuntary movements, and sometimes even tears can happen as muscles and tissues release. Witnessing these up close in a safe and supervised classroom environment will equip you to understand and handle them.  

Even if you managed to learn the basics of the Bowen move in an online class, without proper supervision, it would be easy to develop poor habits that can be hard to reverse and relearn. Habits that could harm your body or your clients’ bodies. 

The bottom line is that not all Bowen Therapy courses are created equal. 

Thorough research is essential before you select the Bowen Therapy course that’s right for you. 

You won’t get the same benefit or level of instruction from a short online course as you would from a 12-18 month nationally recognised Certificate IV qualification or 1-2 year Diploma qualification.  It’s important to consider whether learning online will give you a good grounding in the techniques to practise confidently and successfully.  It’s equally important to consider whether you’d actually enjoy online classes. Not all learners flourish in online settings. 

Why study with Bowen Training Australia?

We offer the only nationally recognised training in Bowen Therapy in Australia. 

Nationally accredited courses are developed and quality-assured by industry experts. Completing our training allows you to join a professional association such as Bowen Association Australia, obtain insurance and practise as a Bowen Therapist in Australia.

Study is available part-time with weekend workshops, distance learning (theory), and pay-as-you-go fees. Government funding is available to eligible applicants. 

Our classes are kept small so you’ll receive personal attention from your trainer. 

Hands-on learning starts right from Module 1. You’ll learn the basics of the Bowen move by practising on your fellow students in your very first weekend workshop. You’ll practise and refine the move in class and out of class as you complete 100 log book hours on a minimum of 10 people (and a further 150 hours in the Diploma.)

Our experienced trainers are also successful Bowen Therapists and industry professionals. You’ll have the opportunity to pick their brains on all aspects of running a business as a Bowen Therapist. The casual conversations that happen during breaks with your trainer and fellow students can contribute so much to your learning. Students often have their own real-life examples or case histories that can really deepen your learning. 

Set yourself up for long-term success as a Bowen Therapist with our comprehensive Bowen Therapy training.

You can download a course outline here, find a trainer near you here, or find a class near you here.

Certificate IV in Bowen Therapy 10846NAT and Diploma of Specialised Bowen Therapy 10847NAT are nationally recognised qualifications delivered by Bowen Training Australia RTO41134. Continuing education workshops are not part of this nationally recognised training, however most are Bowtech-accredited and eligible for CEU points with Bowen Association Australia.