©2007 Simply Bowen/Maria Lofquist All Rights Reserved
Testimonials
Maria Lofquist has been treating clients with Bowenwork since 2007 and welcomes you to explore and discover how this unique therapy can improve the quality of your life.
Maria Lofquist has been treating clients with Bowenwork since 2007 and welcomes you to explore and discover how this unique therapy can improve the quality of your life.
©2007 Simply Bowen/Maria Lofquist
Simply Bowen
Bowen Therapy in Minnesota
With Maria Lofquist
With Maria Lofquist
OLD SPORTS INJURY FINDS RELIEF WITH BOWEN
My experience with the Bowenwork Therapy has been a positive one. I primarily sought the help of the Bowen therapy because of lower back, hip and tailbone pain due to a sporting injury from some time ago. I have found Bowen to be very helpful.
Skeptical by nature, I initially didn’t really know what to expect never having had Bowen therapy before, but was willing to try it out. It claimed to be very gentle, which was necessary for me, as I was very sensitive to touch of any kind due to the pain I was in.
My first appointment was very comprehensive. Maria is very knowledgeable and was understanding and caring about my condition and pain. She explained the techniques well and made me feel comfortable throughout the process. Since then, over the time I have been getting Bowen, this subtle technique has improved my condition gently.
I have found Maria to be resourceful and a wealth of knowledge about wellness and wellbeing. She has a helpful personality with mindfulness of the individual, a good listener, encouraging and supportive. She is very intuitive at understanding a person and finds ways to personally relate to the client and tailor her work to fit their needs. What surprised me was to find Bowen works on so much more than just structural things, such as organ function, digestion and soft tissue too. I got much more from this treatment than I originally thought I would.
Bowen is not like anything else I have experienced and I would recommend anyone to try this unusual treatment out, as it is hard to explain exactly what it does. The treatment is very gentle. You can feel energy moving in your body. The results are gentle and progressive, but they are profound. There is no jarring moves or invasive manipulations. I could not have done anything else to get relief and am very glad I tried it out. With Bowen, slowly but surely your body relaxes, eases and pain fades away.
Jeff H.
Shakopee, MN
My experience with the Bowenwork Therapy has been a positive one. I primarily sought the help of the Bowen therapy because of lower back, hip and tailbone pain due to a sporting injury from some time ago. I have found Bowen to be very helpful.
Skeptical by nature, I initially didn’t really know what to expect never having had Bowen therapy before, but was willing to try it out. It claimed to be very gentle, which was necessary for me, as I was very sensitive to touch of any kind due to the pain I was in.
My first appointment was very comprehensive. Maria is very knowledgeable and was understanding and caring about my condition and pain. She explained the techniques well and made me feel comfortable throughout the process. Since then, over the time I have been getting Bowen, this subtle technique has improved my condition gently.
I have found Maria to be resourceful and a wealth of knowledge about wellness and wellbeing. She has a helpful personality with mindfulness of the individual, a good listener, encouraging and supportive. She is very intuitive at understanding a person and finds ways to personally relate to the client and tailor her work to fit their needs. What surprised me was to find Bowen works on so much more than just structural things, such as organ function, digestion and soft tissue too. I got much more from this treatment than I originally thought I would.
Bowen is not like anything else I have experienced and I would recommend anyone to try this unusual treatment out, as it is hard to explain exactly what it does. The treatment is very gentle. You can feel energy moving in your body. The results are gentle and progressive, but they are profound. There is no jarring moves or invasive manipulations. I could not have done anything else to get relief and am very glad I tried it out. With Bowen, slowly but surely your body relaxes, eases and pain fades away.
Jeff H.
Shakopee, MN
• OLD SPORTS INJURY FINDS RELIEF WITH BOWEN
• BOWEN: NON-INVASIVE GENTLE AND EFFECTIVE
• BOWEN: WORTH MORE THAN IT COSTS
• BOWEN: AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE
• CHRONIC PAIN GONE WITH BOWEN THERAPY
• REVERSING PHYSICAL PAIN
• BOWEN: POST PREGNANCY
• BOWEN FOR HEARTBURN AND TMJ
• BOWEN INSTEAD OF SURGERY
• BOWEN VS OTHER THERAPIES
• BOWEN CORRECTS LIFE LONG HUNCHED SHOULDERS/SPINE
• BOWEN - THE ESSENTIAL PART OF OSTEOPOROSIS HEALTHCARE PLAN
• SKEPTIC AVOIDS SURGERY AND FINDS PAIN RELEIF AFTER JUST 3 TREATMENTS
• TMJ AND BOWEN
• BOWEN RELEASES GRIEVING
• YOUNG ATHLETE AVOIDS SURGERY AND RESTORES LIFE WITH BOWEN
• LYME’S DISEASE - BOWEN CAN HELP IN RECOVERY
• BOWEN: NON-INVASIVE GENTLE AND EFFECTIVE
• BOWEN: WORTH MORE THAN IT COSTS
• BOWEN: AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE
• CHRONIC PAIN GONE WITH BOWEN THERAPY
• REVERSING PHYSICAL PAIN
• BOWEN: POST PREGNANCY
• BOWEN FOR HEARTBURN AND TMJ
• BOWEN INSTEAD OF SURGERY
• BOWEN VS OTHER THERAPIES
• BOWEN CORRECTS LIFE LONG HUNCHED SHOULDERS/SPINE
• BOWEN - THE ESSENTIAL PART OF OSTEOPOROSIS HEALTHCARE PLAN
• SKEPTIC AVOIDS SURGERY AND FINDS PAIN RELEIF AFTER JUST 3 TREATMENTS
• TMJ AND BOWEN
• BOWEN RELEASES GRIEVING
• YOUNG ATHLETE AVOIDS SURGERY AND RESTORES LIFE WITH BOWEN
• LYME’S DISEASE - BOWEN CAN HELP IN RECOVERY
BOWEN: NON-INVASIVE GENTLE AND EFFECTIVE
I slipped and fell on the ice landing on my behind. I was embarrassed and got up too quickly which made me realize I was in shock too. I thought the pain would just go away but after a couple of days it was apparent that I had really hurt myself and needed help.
I made an appointment at the chiropractor. He told me my tailbone was off and the only specific adjustment chiropractic had to offer was “internal”. I declined.
A friend of mine recommended I go to Maria for Bowen. She had had Bowen to treat a misaligned tailbone with great success. I wasn't sure because I had never heard of Bowen and didn't know if it would work or if I would have to keep going back for more and more treatments.
My friend explained how Bowen was non-invasive and would not require ongoing treatments for the rest of your life, because it actually worked.
I was still in pain and had trouble sitting and lying down. I had to do something and I didn't want to go back to the chiropractic option so I decided to give Bowen a try.
Maria was very easy to work with. She was very thorough in explaining the process and answering my questions. The treatment was non-invasive and very gentle. It was not what I expected, but I am not really sure what I expected it to be. But it did work!
I now would recommend Bowen to anyone who needs a non-invasive, gentle but effective solution to pain.
Daphne G.
Blaine, MN
I slipped and fell on the ice landing on my behind. I was embarrassed and got up too quickly which made me realize I was in shock too. I thought the pain would just go away but after a couple of days it was apparent that I had really hurt myself and needed help.
I made an appointment at the chiropractor. He told me my tailbone was off and the only specific adjustment chiropractic had to offer was “internal”. I declined.
A friend of mine recommended I go to Maria for Bowen. She had had Bowen to treat a misaligned tailbone with great success. I wasn't sure because I had never heard of Bowen and didn't know if it would work or if I would have to keep going back for more and more treatments.
My friend explained how Bowen was non-invasive and would not require ongoing treatments for the rest of your life, because it actually worked.
I was still in pain and had trouble sitting and lying down. I had to do something and I didn't want to go back to the chiropractic option so I decided to give Bowen a try.
Maria was very easy to work with. She was very thorough in explaining the process and answering my questions. The treatment was non-invasive and very gentle. It was not what I expected, but I am not really sure what I expected it to be. But it did work!
I now would recommend Bowen to anyone who needs a non-invasive, gentle but effective solution to pain.
Daphne G.
Blaine, MN
BOWEN - WORTH MORE THAN IT COSTS
After a long year of financial and medical challenges, my husband and I were just beginning to make headway again when I became plagued with a crippling pain down my left leg and into my foot. Mobility was challenging. I tried massage but that seemed to make it worse.
A friend of mine suggested Bowen. I was reserved about it because I was still worried about our pennies and didn't know how much this Bowen would cost.
After just one treatment my concern about the cost of Bowen was forgotten. It turned out that it was cheaper than some massages I've had, and it worked!
After 3 treatments my pain is all gone now and if it had cost twice what I paid it would have been worth it since I got so much back - my life! I learned a valuable lesson too: it is not the straight out cost of something that matters as much as the value you receive for what you paid.
Bowen is awesome value for the money and I look forward to exploring other ways Bowen that may help me in my health journey.
Thank you!
Josie P.
Moundsview, MN
After a long year of financial and medical challenges, my husband and I were just beginning to make headway again when I became plagued with a crippling pain down my left leg and into my foot. Mobility was challenging. I tried massage but that seemed to make it worse.
A friend of mine suggested Bowen. I was reserved about it because I was still worried about our pennies and didn't know how much this Bowen would cost.
After just one treatment my concern about the cost of Bowen was forgotten. It turned out that it was cheaper than some massages I've had, and it worked!
After 3 treatments my pain is all gone now and if it had cost twice what I paid it would have been worth it since I got so much back - my life! I learned a valuable lesson too: it is not the straight out cost of something that matters as much as the value you receive for what you paid.
Bowen is awesome value for the money and I look forward to exploring other ways Bowen that may help me in my health journey.
Thank you!
Josie P.
Moundsview, MN
BOWEN: AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE
Two friends recommended that I try Bowenwork out. I really wasn't sure about it, but I was kind of curious to see what it had to offer and how it could help me, so I made an appointment.
My treatment was great! It was a very interesting process. I wasn't skeptical - I was just really intrigued to see what would happen. With every “move” Maria did on me I had a different sensation - my body was being communicated to and it responded in interesting ways. It was really not like anything else I had ever experienced before - it is very unique. I would describe it as very deep work - very subtle but very deep.
In working with Maria, I found her to be warm and comforting. She has a way of just really tuning into what is going on with you, kind of getting at the root of what's going on with someone physically, emotionally and/or spiritually, which is basically why people are seeking help and doing work on themselves. She has a very comforting warm manner and is very easy to get to know quickly and be relaxed around, which I think very important in any healing work.
Maria explained to me that Bowen sessions build on each other so the last session becomes the foundation for the next session. It is a progressive approach to healing allowing the body time to adjust to the changes before adding more to it. I understand and like that principle, so I am looking forward to coming back for follow-up treatments and see how things will progress and really excited and looking forward to continued results.
Anyone who is sitting on the fence about whether or not to try Bowen should just try it - it's hard to describe, but one thing is for sure: it is an amazing experience!
Amy A.
Minnetonka, MN
Two friends recommended that I try Bowenwork out. I really wasn't sure about it, but I was kind of curious to see what it had to offer and how it could help me, so I made an appointment.
My treatment was great! It was a very interesting process. I wasn't skeptical - I was just really intrigued to see what would happen. With every “move” Maria did on me I had a different sensation - my body was being communicated to and it responded in interesting ways. It was really not like anything else I had ever experienced before - it is very unique. I would describe it as very deep work - very subtle but very deep.
In working with Maria, I found her to be warm and comforting. She has a way of just really tuning into what is going on with you, kind of getting at the root of what's going on with someone physically, emotionally and/or spiritually, which is basically why people are seeking help and doing work on themselves. She has a very comforting warm manner and is very easy to get to know quickly and be relaxed around, which I think very important in any healing work.
Maria explained to me that Bowen sessions build on each other so the last session becomes the foundation for the next session. It is a progressive approach to healing allowing the body time to adjust to the changes before adding more to it. I understand and like that principle, so I am looking forward to coming back for follow-up treatments and see how things will progress and really excited and looking forward to continued results.
Anyone who is sitting on the fence about whether or not to try Bowen should just try it - it's hard to describe, but one thing is for sure: it is an amazing experience!
Amy A.
Minnetonka, MN
REVERSING PHYSICAL PAIN
I first heard about Bowen when working on a job in Maine. I had gone to a massage therapist and she had helped me out but she said I really needed to check out Bowen. The next time I was back in Maine I went to the Bowen-worker she recommended. She then gave me Maria's name to look into it and continue treatments when I got back to Minnesota and since it seemed to help, that is what I did.
I had gone through a series of accidents about 6 years ago. As a result of that, over the past 6 years, I've probably spent $50K - $60K on every different kind of practitioner known to man other than surgery, looking for relief from my pain. I finally ended up with Bowen and am glad I did.
So far I've had 5 treatments. It is very subtle work but it really has helped me. The main thing I have noticed is for the last couple of years I haven't really been able to sleep in a bed - I've been sleeping with a wedge supporting me up. But now, since I've been doing Bowen, I've been able to sleep in a bed, flat on my back, like regular people do. So that's kind of a treat. I'm hoping I can turn it around so I'm as healthy as I was 6 years ago. I've tried a couple of different Bowen workers and it seems like Maria is down to earth, into plants and nature and she just kinda clicked with me - they are my interests also.
Duane L.
Chaska, MN
I first heard about Bowen when working on a job in Maine. I had gone to a massage therapist and she had helped me out but she said I really needed to check out Bowen. The next time I was back in Maine I went to the Bowen-worker she recommended. She then gave me Maria's name to look into it and continue treatments when I got back to Minnesota and since it seemed to help, that is what I did.
I had gone through a series of accidents about 6 years ago. As a result of that, over the past 6 years, I've probably spent $50K - $60K on every different kind of practitioner known to man other than surgery, looking for relief from my pain. I finally ended up with Bowen and am glad I did.
So far I've had 5 treatments. It is very subtle work but it really has helped me. The main thing I have noticed is for the last couple of years I haven't really been able to sleep in a bed - I've been sleeping with a wedge supporting me up. But now, since I've been doing Bowen, I've been able to sleep in a bed, flat on my back, like regular people do. So that's kind of a treat. I'm hoping I can turn it around so I'm as healthy as I was 6 years ago. I've tried a couple of different Bowen workers and it seems like Maria is down to earth, into plants and nature and she just kinda clicked with me - they are my interests also.
Duane L.
Chaska, MN
CHRONIC PAIN GONE WITH BOWEN THERAPY
For some years I had suffered from chronic headaches, neck pain and muscle tension. My sister in law who had chronic back pain suggested I try Bowen therapy out as it had helped her.
After about six treatments of Bowen I have more energy, am much more relaxed and have less muscle tension. I've gone 2 ½ weeks without a headache which for me is unheard of. I am much calmer in general.
I was doing regular massage therapy previously and I feel like this gives me quicker and longer lasting results. Other treatments in the past have not been very helpful as compared to this such as acupuncture, chiropractic, or medication. I'm feeling happier and calmer.
Now I just come for Bowen about once a month as a treat and for a tune-up.
I didn't know how Bowen was going to help me when I started but I found Maria to be understanding, very intuitive and she is just great at what she does.
Cinda M.
Eden Prairie, MN
For some years I had suffered from chronic headaches, neck pain and muscle tension. My sister in law who had chronic back pain suggested I try Bowen therapy out as it had helped her.
After about six treatments of Bowen I have more energy, am much more relaxed and have less muscle tension. I've gone 2 ½ weeks without a headache which for me is unheard of. I am much calmer in general.
I was doing regular massage therapy previously and I feel like this gives me quicker and longer lasting results. Other treatments in the past have not been very helpful as compared to this such as acupuncture, chiropractic, or medication. I'm feeling happier and calmer.
Now I just come for Bowen about once a month as a treat and for a tune-up.
I didn't know how Bowen was going to help me when I started but I found Maria to be understanding, very intuitive and she is just great at what she does.
Cinda M.
Eden Prairie, MN
BOWEN FOR HEARTBURN AND TMJ
I first heard about Bowen through my Dad. He had met Maria and told her I was having issues with heartburn. I hadn't met Maria yet but she passed along a Bowen move to my father, to use on me. I was amazed at how it worked. Heartburn is a burning feeling that goes up the middle of you like a rising thermometer. The next time I had the burning again I tried that one little Bowen move and instantly felt the fire going down - it was pretty wild! I was so impressed with the one little move, I decided to make an appointment and come in for a real treatment myself.
It was my intention to begin regular Bowen treatments to treat TMJ problems I had had for a long time. But TMJ wasn't the first thing I got treated for. My treatment began on my tailbone.
I was aware my tailbone was not in place and had gone to chiropractic for 1 ½ - 2 years trying to get it fixed but it still hurt. Maria picked up that it was off and after one Bowen treatment the pain was gone. I was amazed again! With a few more treatments the TMJ was fixed as well.
Over the years since, I have continued to have Bowen treatments on an as need basis and really enjoy the treat they are. Bowen is totally different to anything else out there. It is very gentle and very effective. It is relaxing and not at all invasive like other therapies are. I used to get massage to relax but Bowen just does it better.
Bowen is an unusual therapy and hard to explain. Maria reads and listens to the signs from your body and then she does what it asks her to do. It isn't her that directs the treatment it's your body. That's what is so special about it. So the best thing to do is relax your mind and go with the flow - the Bowen will activate the brain to heal the body and it will know what to do.
I would recommend Bowen to anybody, but I would especially recommend it to people who have tried everything in vain and basically feel they are throwing good money after bad because they don't know what else to do. Give Bowen a try and trust it.
Gina G.
South St. Paul, MN
I first heard about Bowen through my Dad. He had met Maria and told her I was having issues with heartburn. I hadn't met Maria yet but she passed along a Bowen move to my father, to use on me. I was amazed at how it worked. Heartburn is a burning feeling that goes up the middle of you like a rising thermometer. The next time I had the burning again I tried that one little Bowen move and instantly felt the fire going down - it was pretty wild! I was so impressed with the one little move, I decided to make an appointment and come in for a real treatment myself.
It was my intention to begin regular Bowen treatments to treat TMJ problems I had had for a long time. But TMJ wasn't the first thing I got treated for. My treatment began on my tailbone.
I was aware my tailbone was not in place and had gone to chiropractic for 1 ½ - 2 years trying to get it fixed but it still hurt. Maria picked up that it was off and after one Bowen treatment the pain was gone. I was amazed again! With a few more treatments the TMJ was fixed as well.
Over the years since, I have continued to have Bowen treatments on an as need basis and really enjoy the treat they are. Bowen is totally different to anything else out there. It is very gentle and very effective. It is relaxing and not at all invasive like other therapies are. I used to get massage to relax but Bowen just does it better.
Bowen is an unusual therapy and hard to explain. Maria reads and listens to the signs from your body and then she does what it asks her to do. It isn't her that directs the treatment it's your body. That's what is so special about it. So the best thing to do is relax your mind and go with the flow - the Bowen will activate the brain to heal the body and it will know what to do.
I would recommend Bowen to anybody, but I would especially recommend it to people who have tried everything in vain and basically feel they are throwing good money after bad because they don't know what else to do. Give Bowen a try and trust it.
Gina G.
South St. Paul, MN
BOWEN: POST PREGNANCY
I first heard of Bowen maybe 10-15 years ago. Someone was telling me about how they would just touch certain parts of your body and then allow your body to adjust itself. I didn't catch the name of the technique so I've been looking for it for years because it just sounded wonderful. Then I found a chiropractor that knew what I was talking about when I asked, and she set me up with Maria.
I liked that it was a non-invasive way to work with the body - it wasn't forcing the body to do things, it was working with the body to allow its own healing. I came in primarily for lower back pain and neck pain which I've been plagued with for a long time and chiropractic hasn't really quite done it for me. I had had some relief but not as much as I would have liked. Although I don't know what originally caused the pain it was probably exacerbated by pregnancy.
I love the Bowen treatment. The first treatment I had was one week after my baby was born via caesarian section. It was amazing to be just gently touched in certain areas and then I felt a sensation of the hips opening up and tilting under. So much pressure released at that moment - it was really nice!
Then I felt this beautiful cooling sensation wash over the uterine area - it was this cool soothing feeling which continued even after my Bowen treatment was over - it was so lovely.
My baby was born premature and Maria suggested that being a preemie and a caesarian birth she lacked certain things regular babies would have experienced - Bowen could help with that and avoid challenges she might otherwise have later in her life. She was only a ten days old but Bowenwork is so gentle and only one treatment was needed. What was really cool is that after the last move Maria made on her head, my baby looked up at us both with the biggest smile you can imagine - she was glowing with pleasure!
As for my lower back and neck - that eased and the pain is gone from there too without any jarring or discomforting adjustments. I feel strong again.
The surprise for me about Bowen was that I have been working on some spiritual and emotional healing and had become stuck with a particular issue. I had been feeling very resentful towards someone and couldn't get passed it. My normal protocol of resolving things like this wasn't working for me. I mentioned it to Maria and after my next Bowen treatment it just really opened up the way for me and made the process so easy to take care of. I was so relieved.
I'm really excited to have the rest of my kids come and get some relief from Bowen - help on the emotional and the physical levels and dealing with things we can't even come up with. Maria knows and the body knows what it needs and can sort things out itself and I think that is genius.
I love Maria's accent - she is so delightful. She brings in this air of positivity and excitement and it's just a real honor to be treated by her. She makes the whole healing process exciting, safe and wonderful!
Thank you Maria!
Eve B.
Minnetonka, MN
I first heard of Bowen maybe 10-15 years ago. Someone was telling me about how they would just touch certain parts of your body and then allow your body to adjust itself. I didn't catch the name of the technique so I've been looking for it for years because it just sounded wonderful. Then I found a chiropractor that knew what I was talking about when I asked, and she set me up with Maria.
I liked that it was a non-invasive way to work with the body - it wasn't forcing the body to do things, it was working with the body to allow its own healing. I came in primarily for lower back pain and neck pain which I've been plagued with for a long time and chiropractic hasn't really quite done it for me. I had had some relief but not as much as I would have liked. Although I don't know what originally caused the pain it was probably exacerbated by pregnancy.
I love the Bowen treatment. The first treatment I had was one week after my baby was born via caesarian section. It was amazing to be just gently touched in certain areas and then I felt a sensation of the hips opening up and tilting under. So much pressure released at that moment - it was really nice!
Then I felt this beautiful cooling sensation wash over the uterine area - it was this cool soothing feeling which continued even after my Bowen treatment was over - it was so lovely.
My baby was born premature and Maria suggested that being a preemie and a caesarian birth she lacked certain things regular babies would have experienced - Bowen could help with that and avoid challenges she might otherwise have later in her life. She was only a ten days old but Bowenwork is so gentle and only one treatment was needed. What was really cool is that after the last move Maria made on her head, my baby looked up at us both with the biggest smile you can imagine - she was glowing with pleasure!
As for my lower back and neck - that eased and the pain is gone from there too without any jarring or discomforting adjustments. I feel strong again.
The surprise for me about Bowen was that I have been working on some spiritual and emotional healing and had become stuck with a particular issue. I had been feeling very resentful towards someone and couldn't get passed it. My normal protocol of resolving things like this wasn't working for me. I mentioned it to Maria and after my next Bowen treatment it just really opened up the way for me and made the process so easy to take care of. I was so relieved.
I'm really excited to have the rest of my kids come and get some relief from Bowen - help on the emotional and the physical levels and dealing with things we can't even come up with. Maria knows and the body knows what it needs and can sort things out itself and I think that is genius.
I love Maria's accent - she is so delightful. She brings in this air of positivity and excitement and it's just a real honor to be treated by her. She makes the whole healing process exciting, safe and wonderful!
Thank you Maria!
Eve B.
Minnetonka, MN
BOWEN INSTEAD OF SURGERY
I had been going to a series of doctors and chiropractors etc, and finally through two MRI's. I was then diagnosed with spinal stenosis and the pain was horrible. Even when I'd take oxycodone with acetaminophen in it, it still wasn't knocking the pain the way I thought it should be cut down. The doctors wanted to do surgery and I really didn't want to do that. It was my dear wife who told me about Maria and her marvelous work. She had been to Maria for some treatment and was very satisfied, so I said “Alright - I'll try it”.
I am still amazed at this Bowen because starting out, results were so gradual then it totally surprised me. Here I was slowly getting better, but still in a horrible pain. Then all of a sudden one day, its fine - the pain was gone. I don't know how else to talk about it. I can only say - it's almost like a miracle.
The Bowen treatment is the most gentle thing I've ever seen in my life. I never expected it at all. I think that's what probably surprised me the most. How can something so gentle produce such amazing results?
Doctors would ask “from 1-10 what's your pain level?” Normally throughout the day I would fluctuate around 3 or 4. But invariably from around 4-4:30pm onwards it would spike up to a 10 and I'd be almost crying it was so bad. How I lived through that I don't know. I would have to take oxycodone just to get through the night or I'd wake up, I don't know how many times, in severe pain.
And that pain can make a man grumpy too. Now that I am out of pain I am not grumpy and can be more loving.
I would absolutely recommend Bowen - yes! It frustrates me because I don't know how to describe it. The procedure is so innocuous you ask “What is it?” Nothing really - but yet it creates this miracle that got rid of this stupid pain.
I've been coming to Maria now for about 2 months. It has been a natural progression the way it’s been helping me. It's to the point now that I think “Oh Gosh! I won't be able to see Maria anymore - and I just love her - that's basically it.
Every day when I get up and then even during the day - I keep asking myself the question
“When am I going to start hurting again?” And thank goodness I don't - that's why I'm so delighted with the Bowen. It works like a charm - it's really something else.
John L.
Minnetonka, MN
Aged 83
I had been going to a series of doctors and chiropractors etc, and finally through two MRI's. I was then diagnosed with spinal stenosis and the pain was horrible. Even when I'd take oxycodone with acetaminophen in it, it still wasn't knocking the pain the way I thought it should be cut down. The doctors wanted to do surgery and I really didn't want to do that. It was my dear wife who told me about Maria and her marvelous work. She had been to Maria for some treatment and was very satisfied, so I said “Alright - I'll try it”.
I am still amazed at this Bowen because starting out, results were so gradual then it totally surprised me. Here I was slowly getting better, but still in a horrible pain. Then all of a sudden one day, its fine - the pain was gone. I don't know how else to talk about it. I can only say - it's almost like a miracle.
The Bowen treatment is the most gentle thing I've ever seen in my life. I never expected it at all. I think that's what probably surprised me the most. How can something so gentle produce such amazing results?
Doctors would ask “from 1-10 what's your pain level?” Normally throughout the day I would fluctuate around 3 or 4. But invariably from around 4-4:30pm onwards it would spike up to a 10 and I'd be almost crying it was so bad. How I lived through that I don't know. I would have to take oxycodone just to get through the night or I'd wake up, I don't know how many times, in severe pain.
And that pain can make a man grumpy too. Now that I am out of pain I am not grumpy and can be more loving.
I would absolutely recommend Bowen - yes! It frustrates me because I don't know how to describe it. The procedure is so innocuous you ask “What is it?” Nothing really - but yet it creates this miracle that got rid of this stupid pain.
I've been coming to Maria now for about 2 months. It has been a natural progression the way it’s been helping me. It's to the point now that I think “Oh Gosh! I won't be able to see Maria anymore - and I just love her - that's basically it.
Every day when I get up and then even during the day - I keep asking myself the question
“When am I going to start hurting again?” And thank goodness I don't - that's why I'm so delighted with the Bowen. It works like a charm - it's really something else.
John L.
Minnetonka, MN
Aged 83
BOWEN VS OTHER THERAPIES
I had been getting chiropractic, massage therapy and cranial sacral therapy on a regular basis. I liked the cranial sacral but Chiropractic really didn't help. Then I read a book about a gentleman who had Parkinson's disease, which I have been diagnosed with, and he talked about using Bowen treatments as part of his healing process. I must admit that I was skeptical because until something is proven to me I tend not to trust it blindly. I decided to give it a try and to my delight, Bowen did prove to me that it was more beneficial and effective than a chiropractic treatment. It was much easier on my system and my body - and it worked!
I think the Bowen Therapy has helped me in different ways too. It’s very subtle and it’s slow. I feel very relaxed. I like the gentleness of it. It's not real harsh adjustments like chiropractic yet I have found it to be effective. And it replaces the need for all of the other three therapies put together.
Maria is great too. She is patient with me, gentle and listens to what I have to say.
Comparing Bowen to chiropractic, I think to myself “Why would anyone want to go and have a chiropractic treatment when it is so harsh and where Bowen is so gentle and effective?” It lasts longer than a chiropractic treatment too, but it does have it's limits - after a couple of weeks I feel like its time to go back, but truthfully, I don't mind because it is so pleasurable to have.
Judy W.
Cologne, MN
I had been getting chiropractic, massage therapy and cranial sacral therapy on a regular basis. I liked the cranial sacral but Chiropractic really didn't help. Then I read a book about a gentleman who had Parkinson's disease, which I have been diagnosed with, and he talked about using Bowen treatments as part of his healing process. I must admit that I was skeptical because until something is proven to me I tend not to trust it blindly. I decided to give it a try and to my delight, Bowen did prove to me that it was more beneficial and effective than a chiropractic treatment. It was much easier on my system and my body - and it worked!
I think the Bowen Therapy has helped me in different ways too. It’s very subtle and it’s slow. I feel very relaxed. I like the gentleness of it. It's not real harsh adjustments like chiropractic yet I have found it to be effective. And it replaces the need for all of the other three therapies put together.
Maria is great too. She is patient with me, gentle and listens to what I have to say.
Comparing Bowen to chiropractic, I think to myself “Why would anyone want to go and have a chiropractic treatment when it is so harsh and where Bowen is so gentle and effective?” It lasts longer than a chiropractic treatment too, but it does have it's limits - after a couple of weeks I feel like its time to go back, but truthfully, I don't mind because it is so pleasurable to have.
Judy W.
Cologne, MN
BOWEN CORRECTS LIFE LONG HUNCHED SHOULDERS/SPINE
When I first met Maria I was really curious about what this Bowen Therapy was. Little by little I became more trusting or positive about what it might be because for many years I have had issues with tightness around the neck that just never went away. It seemed as if I could never really straighten up. I had tried in the past but I couldn't really stand straight - I knew I was hunched over. I'd gone to Chiropractic about this since I was a kid and no one really solved the problem. Everyone could see the problem but they could never solve it.
When I came for my 1st Bowen Treatment I noticed afterward I was able to stand taller - and it felt comfortable to stand taller. When I went home, my own family noticed I was standing straighter - it was not my imagination.
I have only had 2 treatments so far and I am really impressed. Bowen is gentle but obviously very effective. It is very different to Chiropractic where you get jarred around and can hurt.
Bowen is not at all harsh, or invasive. You're not being beaten up, you're not being jumped on, twisted, or contorted and turned. It is just very relaxing and it allows your body to heal itself through specific, gentle moves.
With Bowen you just relax your mind and just go with it whatever the results are. I have felt periods of warmth during the treatment and sometimes little tingling sensations. What that proved to me was the muscles were actively being healed but the body was doing the healing. Bowen allows your body to heal - it doesn't try to force it to.
Bowen is an unusual therapy but Maria is expert at listening to the body and knowing which direction it wants to go and then follows it. She can really sense what your body needs to get better.
I recommend Bowen to anyone in pain or discomfort. It is gentle and effective. My advice is just try it and then you will know.
Julio G.
South St. Paul. MN
When I first met Maria I was really curious about what this Bowen Therapy was. Little by little I became more trusting or positive about what it might be because for many years I have had issues with tightness around the neck that just never went away. It seemed as if I could never really straighten up. I had tried in the past but I couldn't really stand straight - I knew I was hunched over. I'd gone to Chiropractic about this since I was a kid and no one really solved the problem. Everyone could see the problem but they could never solve it.
When I came for my 1st Bowen Treatment I noticed afterward I was able to stand taller - and it felt comfortable to stand taller. When I went home, my own family noticed I was standing straighter - it was not my imagination.
I have only had 2 treatments so far and I am really impressed. Bowen is gentle but obviously very effective. It is very different to Chiropractic where you get jarred around and can hurt.
Bowen is not at all harsh, or invasive. You're not being beaten up, you're not being jumped on, twisted, or contorted and turned. It is just very relaxing and it allows your body to heal itself through specific, gentle moves.
With Bowen you just relax your mind and just go with it whatever the results are. I have felt periods of warmth during the treatment and sometimes little tingling sensations. What that proved to me was the muscles were actively being healed but the body was doing the healing. Bowen allows your body to heal - it doesn't try to force it to.
Bowen is an unusual therapy but Maria is expert at listening to the body and knowing which direction it wants to go and then follows it. She can really sense what your body needs to get better.
I recommend Bowen to anyone in pain or discomfort. It is gentle and effective. My advice is just try it and then you will know.
Julio G.
South St. Paul. MN
BOWEN - THE ESSENTIAL PART OF OSTEOPOROSIS HEALTHCARE PLAN
I began Bowen therapy because I've been troubled with a lot of pain, and my muscles have become atrophied, due to severe osteoporosis. My back has been really hunched over its very difficult for me to stand up straight. I'm normally 6 feet tall and was hunched down to 5 foot, 5 inches. Since doing Bowen, I've actually gained inches and am now about 5 foot, 8 inches.
I had been doing chiropractic for about 2 years before this and it was of minimal help. It would only last for a short period of time and I'd be bent over again, back in pain and having to repeatedly go for more treatments. It just really wasn't helping.
To get a Bowen treatment is so comfortable. I don't have any tugging or pulling and no banging on the body. It's just a very gentle therapy, very restful and it's effective. A treatment lasts much longer than chiropractic, is much more helpful and I find myself growing in body strength now.
I was very fortunate to find a Bowen practitioner in Minnesota. Maria is absolutely wonderful. She has such an intuitive sense of what goes on in the body and seems to know right where to go in the body to make an adjustment to make things better.
I understand that Bowen will not cure osteoporosis but it has become an essential part of my health care. Over time, several of my spine bones have become so brittle they have broken. It is very painful and I could not have undergone any other therapy than Bowen at that time. In fact I could not tolerate a chiropractic snap or even massage now in fear that those therapies would cause a break to occur.
I don't know where I would be without Maria's amazing Bowenwork. It has enabled me to continue my lifestyle of independence and nothing can top that!
Karen C.
Hopkins MN
Aged 70
I began Bowen therapy because I've been troubled with a lot of pain, and my muscles have become atrophied, due to severe osteoporosis. My back has been really hunched over its very difficult for me to stand up straight. I'm normally 6 feet tall and was hunched down to 5 foot, 5 inches. Since doing Bowen, I've actually gained inches and am now about 5 foot, 8 inches.
I had been doing chiropractic for about 2 years before this and it was of minimal help. It would only last for a short period of time and I'd be bent over again, back in pain and having to repeatedly go for more treatments. It just really wasn't helping.
To get a Bowen treatment is so comfortable. I don't have any tugging or pulling and no banging on the body. It's just a very gentle therapy, very restful and it's effective. A treatment lasts much longer than chiropractic, is much more helpful and I find myself growing in body strength now.
I was very fortunate to find a Bowen practitioner in Minnesota. Maria is absolutely wonderful. She has such an intuitive sense of what goes on in the body and seems to know right where to go in the body to make an adjustment to make things better.
I understand that Bowen will not cure osteoporosis but it has become an essential part of my health care. Over time, several of my spine bones have become so brittle they have broken. It is very painful and I could not have undergone any other therapy than Bowen at that time. In fact I could not tolerate a chiropractic snap or even massage now in fear that those therapies would cause a break to occur.
I don't know where I would be without Maria's amazing Bowenwork. It has enabled me to continue my lifestyle of independence and nothing can top that!
Karen C.
Hopkins MN
Aged 70
SKEPTIC AVOIDS SURGERY AND FINDS PAIN RELEIF AFTER JUST 3
TREATMENTS
For years I had been experiencing excruciating pain in my leg and back to the point I could not get out of bed until I had taken a very strong pain pill, waited for it to kick in and then crawl onto the floor and do some warm up exercises just so I could put weight on my leg.
The doctors had given me cortisone shots which helped, but were ultimately temporary. Then they sent me to Physical Therapy which helped somewhat at first, but then seemed to stir things up, and ultimately exacerbated my pain. After that the doctors’ only solution left was back surgery. I did not want to do that and so looked online for alternatives and found the Bowen Technique.
When I first came to Maria and began Bowen Therapy I had round the clock pain - like a tooth ache in my leg. Being a skeptic but staying open minded, I was feeling hopeful but also cautiously optimistic. My first two treatments were good but nothing major happened. Then the day after the third treatment I could not believe it - it was the first day in months that I had no pain and I had taken no medication!
Prior to starting the Bowen Technique I felt like my whole life was preoccupied by thinking about my pain and it really interfered with my day to day functioning. It's great to have my life back again. My skepticism is gone and I am now really confident in the Bowen Technique.
I have found Maria to have a real talent in understanding her work. She has a strong intuitive nature about health, understands people and is very sensitive to your body's pain, ailments and needs. She is an expert in her field and is very genuine - you really trust she really wants her clients, the individuals who are in pain, to get better. And it's really obvious by the way she responded to me with patience, understanding and sensitivity.
One other thing is that my insurance reimbursed me for the cost, which is encouraging and more deeply shows the legitimacy of this miraculous therapy. I was once a skeptic, but even as a skeptic I know I have found the greatest cure for my pain. I have faith in both Maria and Bowen Therapy.
Molly A.
Minnetonka, MN
TREATMENTS
For years I had been experiencing excruciating pain in my leg and back to the point I could not get out of bed until I had taken a very strong pain pill, waited for it to kick in and then crawl onto the floor and do some warm up exercises just so I could put weight on my leg.
The doctors had given me cortisone shots which helped, but were ultimately temporary. Then they sent me to Physical Therapy which helped somewhat at first, but then seemed to stir things up, and ultimately exacerbated my pain. After that the doctors’ only solution left was back surgery. I did not want to do that and so looked online for alternatives and found the Bowen Technique.
When I first came to Maria and began Bowen Therapy I had round the clock pain - like a tooth ache in my leg. Being a skeptic but staying open minded, I was feeling hopeful but also cautiously optimistic. My first two treatments were good but nothing major happened. Then the day after the third treatment I could not believe it - it was the first day in months that I had no pain and I had taken no medication!
Prior to starting the Bowen Technique I felt like my whole life was preoccupied by thinking about my pain and it really interfered with my day to day functioning. It's great to have my life back again. My skepticism is gone and I am now really confident in the Bowen Technique.
I have found Maria to have a real talent in understanding her work. She has a strong intuitive nature about health, understands people and is very sensitive to your body's pain, ailments and needs. She is an expert in her field and is very genuine - you really trust she really wants her clients, the individuals who are in pain, to get better. And it's really obvious by the way she responded to me with patience, understanding and sensitivity.
One other thing is that my insurance reimbursed me for the cost, which is encouraging and more deeply shows the legitimacy of this miraculous therapy. I was once a skeptic, but even as a skeptic I know I have found the greatest cure for my pain. I have faith in both Maria and Bowen Therapy.
Molly A.
Minnetonka, MN
TMJ AND BOWEN
I first heard about Bowen on a website. I was having problems with TMJ and did a lot of internet searching about other solutions than the one I was receiving. So that eventually lead me to the International Bowen website and eventually Maria's website.
I had been referred to a specialty dentist who diagnosed me with a to small of a throat opening which he said was leading to sleep apnea, which was causing the TMJ issues. The symptoms were just horrible: migraine like headaches that were shutting me down so bad I was missing work and just couldn't really function.
This particular dentist created some splints which went on the upper and lower mouth to be worn at night - that's what the recommended treatment was. The splints were actually quite a disaster - they exacerbated the problem! It progressively got worse to where I had so much pain in my jaw and temples I was having to get shots to relieve the pain, all the while trying to improve the splints. I don't know how many visits I made to the dentist for new splints, but it was constant modifications for less restrictive splints and it just got worse and worse and worse until I was at my absolute wits end.
When I first started coming to Bowen I had no idea what to expect. I was just open to anything at that point and as Maria started working on me it became apparent that the problem was related to other areas in my body besides just the jaw. As she worked on my neck, my neck started to go into healing mode.
The best way I can describe what happened is I let my body start to take over and let my neck go through almost like stretching motions, that it wanted to do. I'd been to a lot of chiropractic visits and I know the exact moves and stretches the chiropractor would put me in to deal with neck problems in the past, and my body was now doing that on its own. It was almost like a self chiropractic visit without the jarring.
It was then that my body went into movement of the jaw as well, trying to reset itself to the place it should be. It was really kind of bizarre. It was scary at first, because this was happening on its own. But I knew I could stop it at any time, so I just relaxed and went with it.
Things were changing pretty quickly. In that first couple of weeks I saw just incredibly rapid progress and improvement and eventually the migraine type headaches went away.
I can still tell there are some TMJ issues to work on. I don't know what causes the tension but now I just go to periodic visits to see Maria for a kind of tune-up and that seems to loosen things up again. Thanks to Bowen, I just have not had any of the problems I had before at all.
Maria is very thorough and takes a bigger approach to your condition than just when you come in and say “Fix my jaw”. My body needed other areas to be corrected and Maria recognized that. “To see the big picture” is what I think is Maria's specialty is. She can see things beyond just the one area of your body that you come in for - all the parts are having to work together. The progress might seem a little slow at first but she is very reassuring and helps you work through the big picture.
Scott E.
Minneapolis, MN
I first heard about Bowen on a website. I was having problems with TMJ and did a lot of internet searching about other solutions than the one I was receiving. So that eventually lead me to the International Bowen website and eventually Maria's website.
I had been referred to a specialty dentist who diagnosed me with a to small of a throat opening which he said was leading to sleep apnea, which was causing the TMJ issues. The symptoms were just horrible: migraine like headaches that were shutting me down so bad I was missing work and just couldn't really function.
This particular dentist created some splints which went on the upper and lower mouth to be worn at night - that's what the recommended treatment was. The splints were actually quite a disaster - they exacerbated the problem! It progressively got worse to where I had so much pain in my jaw and temples I was having to get shots to relieve the pain, all the while trying to improve the splints. I don't know how many visits I made to the dentist for new splints, but it was constant modifications for less restrictive splints and it just got worse and worse and worse until I was at my absolute wits end.
When I first started coming to Bowen I had no idea what to expect. I was just open to anything at that point and as Maria started working on me it became apparent that the problem was related to other areas in my body besides just the jaw. As she worked on my neck, my neck started to go into healing mode.
The best way I can describe what happened is I let my body start to take over and let my neck go through almost like stretching motions, that it wanted to do. I'd been to a lot of chiropractic visits and I know the exact moves and stretches the chiropractor would put me in to deal with neck problems in the past, and my body was now doing that on its own. It was almost like a self chiropractic visit without the jarring.
It was then that my body went into movement of the jaw as well, trying to reset itself to the place it should be. It was really kind of bizarre. It was scary at first, because this was happening on its own. But I knew I could stop it at any time, so I just relaxed and went with it.
Things were changing pretty quickly. In that first couple of weeks I saw just incredibly rapid progress and improvement and eventually the migraine type headaches went away.
I can still tell there are some TMJ issues to work on. I don't know what causes the tension but now I just go to periodic visits to see Maria for a kind of tune-up and that seems to loosen things up again. Thanks to Bowen, I just have not had any of the problems I had before at all.
Maria is very thorough and takes a bigger approach to your condition than just when you come in and say “Fix my jaw”. My body needed other areas to be corrected and Maria recognized that. “To see the big picture” is what I think is Maria's specialty is. She can see things beyond just the one area of your body that you come in for - all the parts are having to work together. The progress might seem a little slow at first but she is very reassuring and helps you work through the big picture.
Scott E.
Minneapolis, MN
BOWEN RELEASES GRIEVING
I was getting regular acupuncture treatments while trying to deal with a lot of deep grief. I was told I couldn't go back to the acupuncturist unless I actually dealt with the grief and was referred to Maria for Bowen Therapy.
At that time I had come to the point where I either dealt with it or I was fully absorbed by it, and my friends and family really wanted me to deal with it. It had been just long enough that I too was at the point where I also wanted to deal with it.
Before Bowen I was unable to grieve. I had so much grief that I had to deal with that my body was always tense. I had so much tension in my body that I just wasn't allowing myself to let go and grieve.
I had been doing massage and acupuncture trying to relax. Bowen is very different because it truly is a healing process. I come into it knowing there is something I need to heal but I don't always know what it is. With massage it is simply for the purpose of relaxing something specific in my body. I'm not dealing with any of the emotions that underlie the stress causing the tension. With Bowen therapy I deal with the emotions that are behind why my body is tense and it relaxes my body at the same time.
A Bowen treatment goes right to where my tensions are that I didn't know were there, whereas massage goes right to the big muscles that are obviously tense and that are generally tense in everybody. Bowen deals with the tension in those big muscles and it deals with the issues behind why there is all of that tension, instead of just dealing with relaxing the muscles, so I walk away having relaxed muscles and with having a relaxed emotional state.
Bowen allows me to work with my own body instead of working against my body and have the healing process work so that my body and my brain are able to come the realizations that I need to. The treatments allow me to verbally say what I need to get off my chest and then actually deal with it in my body.
When I have a treatment it feels as if there is energy running through my body. Any point where I am having either a lot of stress or pain in my body, that's where the energy gathers. At first the energy was all blocked down and couldn't move throughout my body. It would hit my hips and it felt like a Jack Russell trying to jump over a fence - unsuccessful. The energy was just blocked at my hip bones and it couldn't go any further. But then the Bowen work relaxed my legs and lower back and allowed the energy to flow.
Once the energy is no longer being blocked it is able to literally rush into any point in my body where there is tension whether that be the joints in my fingers or if I'm holding my jaw super tight. I can feel all of that energy gather in my jaw bones and joints and then it just relaxes it and the stress and tension dissolve away.
The energy for me just feels like a lot of tingling that relaxes you, almost as if somebody were to rub their finger along your back bone - it feels magical! I love how it relaxes everything in my whole body and just allows my body to think. I tend to hold stress in my body and block things off and in doing so I stop my body from healing itself and stop my body from listening to itself. Bowen is wonderful at unwinding that stress.
When I have a treatment I can allow my body to relax which allows my brain and myself to hear what I need to hear so that I can actually feel - and then I can start to deal with whatever issues I have been locking away.
As I heal, there are questions I've been wondering about and questions I needed to answer for myself that no-body else could answer for me. I think one of the most amazing things for me about a Bowen treatment is when I am lying there on the table, and just allowing the process, I come up with and make realizations that allow me to move on with whatever anger I have. Or it allows me to make connections in my life of things I hadn't made. When I carry those connections forward it makes the rest of my life easier. It makes my job better and it makes me a better parent, a better wife and a better friend. I feel when I leave a Bowen session I'm a nicer person to be around, which is a good thing, and it allows me to be happier because I can make those connections.
It totally relaxes me and it gets me out of my own way. For 4-5 days after a treatment I feel like I'm on a huge emotional high and I just feel great about everything. Then after 3 weeks I don't necessarily feel the effects as much, but my brain will tell me after 3 weeks that I need to come back. If I listen to myself and make an appointment, then I go back to being on my high. But if I ignore myself then it takes until I finally listen - then everything goes back to being happy again. That's just the reality of it.
I think that the reason for coming to Maria specifically is that she has a way of listening to my body so that I feel like I have a real connection with her. She has an ability to read what is going on with my body and she'll start to describe what she is feeling and she will describe the exact same way I am feeling.
I don't know why there is that connection aside from that she's in tune enough with her own body that she's also capable of being in tune with your body. That allows her to embrace whatever emotions I'm feeling and trying to hide so that I can't hide them and can actually deal with them and it's an ability that has allowed me to heal.
I don't think that I would have dealt with my own grief if I had not been able to come to Maria and I think that would be terribly sad. I don't think I would have as many friends anymore because that anger, my own person anger, would have exploded on everyone else. I think that Maria has an ability to look at somebody and truly see who they are, and what they need, and allow them to open up to what their own needs are, as opposed to somebody telling me what I need to do - I wouldn't have listened. I'm not the type of person that somebody can tell me what to do but I am the type of person who will allow people to help me and she's been able to help me help myself - that's what I needed more than anything else.
If nothing else that inability to lie to her is a fascinating thing. It might annoy me at times because it would be really nice to just be able to look at her and say “I'm happy” and I wouldn't have to deal with my issues. But she's able to look at me and say “Well no - you're not” It's much easier to look at someone and say “I'm happy, so let me be” and instead she's able to say “Are you sure you haven't been thinking about such-and-such, and don't you want to deal with this?” And that allows me to actually deal with my issues and be a much happier, healthier person. Maria has the ability to look at people and help them heal themselves which is pretty fascinating.
Trisha H.
Watertown, MN
I was getting regular acupuncture treatments while trying to deal with a lot of deep grief. I was told I couldn't go back to the acupuncturist unless I actually dealt with the grief and was referred to Maria for Bowen Therapy.
At that time I had come to the point where I either dealt with it or I was fully absorbed by it, and my friends and family really wanted me to deal with it. It had been just long enough that I too was at the point where I also wanted to deal with it.
Before Bowen I was unable to grieve. I had so much grief that I had to deal with that my body was always tense. I had so much tension in my body that I just wasn't allowing myself to let go and grieve.
I had been doing massage and acupuncture trying to relax. Bowen is very different because it truly is a healing process. I come into it knowing there is something I need to heal but I don't always know what it is. With massage it is simply for the purpose of relaxing something specific in my body. I'm not dealing with any of the emotions that underlie the stress causing the tension. With Bowen therapy I deal with the emotions that are behind why my body is tense and it relaxes my body at the same time.
A Bowen treatment goes right to where my tensions are that I didn't know were there, whereas massage goes right to the big muscles that are obviously tense and that are generally tense in everybody. Bowen deals with the tension in those big muscles and it deals with the issues behind why there is all of that tension, instead of just dealing with relaxing the muscles, so I walk away having relaxed muscles and with having a relaxed emotional state.
Bowen allows me to work with my own body instead of working against my body and have the healing process work so that my body and my brain are able to come the realizations that I need to. The treatments allow me to verbally say what I need to get off my chest and then actually deal with it in my body.
When I have a treatment it feels as if there is energy running through my body. Any point where I am having either a lot of stress or pain in my body, that's where the energy gathers. At first the energy was all blocked down and couldn't move throughout my body. It would hit my hips and it felt like a Jack Russell trying to jump over a fence - unsuccessful. The energy was just blocked at my hip bones and it couldn't go any further. But then the Bowen work relaxed my legs and lower back and allowed the energy to flow.
Once the energy is no longer being blocked it is able to literally rush into any point in my body where there is tension whether that be the joints in my fingers or if I'm holding my jaw super tight. I can feel all of that energy gather in my jaw bones and joints and then it just relaxes it and the stress and tension dissolve away.
The energy for me just feels like a lot of tingling that relaxes you, almost as if somebody were to rub their finger along your back bone - it feels magical! I love how it relaxes everything in my whole body and just allows my body to think. I tend to hold stress in my body and block things off and in doing so I stop my body from healing itself and stop my body from listening to itself. Bowen is wonderful at unwinding that stress.
When I have a treatment I can allow my body to relax which allows my brain and myself to hear what I need to hear so that I can actually feel - and then I can start to deal with whatever issues I have been locking away.
As I heal, there are questions I've been wondering about and questions I needed to answer for myself that no-body else could answer for me. I think one of the most amazing things for me about a Bowen treatment is when I am lying there on the table, and just allowing the process, I come up with and make realizations that allow me to move on with whatever anger I have. Or it allows me to make connections in my life of things I hadn't made. When I carry those connections forward it makes the rest of my life easier. It makes my job better and it makes me a better parent, a better wife and a better friend. I feel when I leave a Bowen session I'm a nicer person to be around, which is a good thing, and it allows me to be happier because I can make those connections.
It totally relaxes me and it gets me out of my own way. For 4-5 days after a treatment I feel like I'm on a huge emotional high and I just feel great about everything. Then after 3 weeks I don't necessarily feel the effects as much, but my brain will tell me after 3 weeks that I need to come back. If I listen to myself and make an appointment, then I go back to being on my high. But if I ignore myself then it takes until I finally listen - then everything goes back to being happy again. That's just the reality of it.
I think that the reason for coming to Maria specifically is that she has a way of listening to my body so that I feel like I have a real connection with her. She has an ability to read what is going on with my body and she'll start to describe what she is feeling and she will describe the exact same way I am feeling.
I don't know why there is that connection aside from that she's in tune enough with her own body that she's also capable of being in tune with your body. That allows her to embrace whatever emotions I'm feeling and trying to hide so that I can't hide them and can actually deal with them and it's an ability that has allowed me to heal.
I don't think that I would have dealt with my own grief if I had not been able to come to Maria and I think that would be terribly sad. I don't think I would have as many friends anymore because that anger, my own person anger, would have exploded on everyone else. I think that Maria has an ability to look at somebody and truly see who they are, and what they need, and allow them to open up to what their own needs are, as opposed to somebody telling me what I need to do - I wouldn't have listened. I'm not the type of person that somebody can tell me what to do but I am the type of person who will allow people to help me and she's been able to help me help myself - that's what I needed more than anything else.
If nothing else that inability to lie to her is a fascinating thing. It might annoy me at times because it would be really nice to just be able to look at her and say “I'm happy” and I wouldn't have to deal with my issues. But she's able to look at me and say “Well no - you're not” It's much easier to look at someone and say “I'm happy, so let me be” and instead she's able to say “Are you sure you haven't been thinking about such-and-such, and don't you want to deal with this?” And that allows me to actually deal with my issues and be a much happier, healthier person. Maria has the ability to look at people and help them heal themselves which is pretty fascinating.
Trisha H.
Watertown, MN
YOUNG ATHLETE AVOIDS SURGERY AND RESTORES LIFE WITH BOWEN
At 16 I was told I had a bulging disc in my lower back. I was experiencing pain at every moment of the day. If I bent over I would get back spasms and if I stood or sat for too long I had numbness in my legs and feet.
As a young gymnast I was very fit so the doctors believed I would heal quickly. They were wrong. After six months of physical therapy, three cortisone shots, a nerve block injection and various back specialist appointments, all with no success, I began to give up hope that I would find relief. Once I started going to college at 18 my pain got worse, I couldn't sit through an hour and a half class without becoming stiff and sore when I stood up. I began to feel much older than I was and was becoming very unhappy with life in general. After looking into surgery a friend mentioned I try Bowen before doing something so intrusive. That is when I found Maria.
Going to college in Moorhead MN I would have approximately a four hour drive to the cities, and then a four hour drive back. Thinking about my school schedule I became very worrisome about missing an entire day of classes. I still decided to try it out. Hesitant, I went in not expecting my pain to change much. I was blown away by the results. Not only was I in significantly less pain, I was happier and I felt young again. Besides fixing my lower back Maria fixed other areas of my body as well like my hips, shoulders and organs. It also turned out that Maria was incredibly flexible and was willing to do treatments on Saturdays so I wouldn't have to miss classes, which was a huge relief on my part.
All-in-all it was worth the eight hour driving day and even missing classes. I forgot what it was like to go a day without pain and now every day I am pain free, it’s an amazing feeling and it’s all thanks to Maria.
Kendra B.
Morris, MN
At 16 I was told I had a bulging disc in my lower back. I was experiencing pain at every moment of the day. If I bent over I would get back spasms and if I stood or sat for too long I had numbness in my legs and feet.
As a young gymnast I was very fit so the doctors believed I would heal quickly. They were wrong. After six months of physical therapy, three cortisone shots, a nerve block injection and various back specialist appointments, all with no success, I began to give up hope that I would find relief. Once I started going to college at 18 my pain got worse, I couldn't sit through an hour and a half class without becoming stiff and sore when I stood up. I began to feel much older than I was and was becoming very unhappy with life in general. After looking into surgery a friend mentioned I try Bowen before doing something so intrusive. That is when I found Maria.
Going to college in Moorhead MN I would have approximately a four hour drive to the cities, and then a four hour drive back. Thinking about my school schedule I became very worrisome about missing an entire day of classes. I still decided to try it out. Hesitant, I went in not expecting my pain to change much. I was blown away by the results. Not only was I in significantly less pain, I was happier and I felt young again. Besides fixing my lower back Maria fixed other areas of my body as well like my hips, shoulders and organs. It also turned out that Maria was incredibly flexible and was willing to do treatments on Saturdays so I wouldn't have to miss classes, which was a huge relief on my part.
All-in-all it was worth the eight hour driving day and even missing classes. I forgot what it was like to go a day without pain and now every day I am pain free, it’s an amazing feeling and it’s all thanks to Maria.
Kendra B.
Morris, MN
LYME’S DISEASE - BOWEN CAN HELP IN RECOVERY
A little over two years ago I was diagnosed with Lyme’s Disease and my life turned in a whole new direction. I engaged multiple avenues of treatment, both medical and natural therapies, to deal with this debilitating and threatening condition. It was a long and unpleasant experience to say the least.
I had never heard of Bowen when my mother suggested I try it out. She had been seeing Maria for chronic hip pain she had suffered for years. I would not have thought something like this would be of any value, but I saw her pain resolve in a relatively short time frame and I was convinced.
My journey of treating Lyme’s Disease was a multi-faceted approach and Bowen Therapy became the next facet. I still had lingering nervous inflammation, anxiety, cold intolerance, fatigue and unrelenting tension throughout my body. Over the course of weekly treatments of Bowen, Maria was able to address all of these issues successfully. It was particularly exciting to regain my energy levels, not only because it felt good and enabled me to return to a more normal lifestyle, but it provided more energy my body could use for its healing process.
From the beginning, I found Maria easy to talk to and great to dialogue things with. It was easy to converse about my condition and find the best path for me with Bowen. I even got more than I bargained for when she addressed an unrelated issue in which I finally found relief for a pain I had experienced for several years in my big toe!
As for Lyme’s Disease, Bowen is a great tool in conjunction with all of the other therapies I have engaged in. I continue to do the little things in life to get the results I want and I am grateful for the much needed boost this natural healing therapy has provided me.
Thomas E.
Wayzata, MN
A little over two years ago I was diagnosed with Lyme’s Disease and my life turned in a whole new direction. I engaged multiple avenues of treatment, both medical and natural therapies, to deal with this debilitating and threatening condition. It was a long and unpleasant experience to say the least.
I had never heard of Bowen when my mother suggested I try it out. She had been seeing Maria for chronic hip pain she had suffered for years. I would not have thought something like this would be of any value, but I saw her pain resolve in a relatively short time frame and I was convinced.
My journey of treating Lyme’s Disease was a multi-faceted approach and Bowen Therapy became the next facet. I still had lingering nervous inflammation, anxiety, cold intolerance, fatigue and unrelenting tension throughout my body. Over the course of weekly treatments of Bowen, Maria was able to address all of these issues successfully. It was particularly exciting to regain my energy levels, not only because it felt good and enabled me to return to a more normal lifestyle, but it provided more energy my body could use for its healing process.
From the beginning, I found Maria easy to talk to and great to dialogue things with. It was easy to converse about my condition and find the best path for me with Bowen. I even got more than I bargained for when she addressed an unrelated issue in which I finally found relief for a pain I had experienced for several years in my big toe!
As for Lyme’s Disease, Bowen is a great tool in conjunction with all of the other therapies I have engaged in. I continue to do the little things in life to get the results I want and I am grateful for the much needed boost this natural healing therapy has provided me.
Thomas E.
Wayzata, MN