Melanie Larsen - Bowen Therapist
What exactly is Anxiety and how many people does it affect?
Cambridge University Press (2018) states the dictionary meaning of the word “anxiety” to be:
An uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future
Rodjets 21st Century Thesaurus (2013) describes words synonymous with the anxiety to be:
Concern, doubt, dread, jitters, misery, misgiving, mistrust, nervousness, panic, restlessness, suffering, suspense, trouble, uneasiness, butterflies, creeps, distress, foreboding, fretfulness, heebie jeebies, jumps, shakes, shivers, willies, worriment, ants in pants, cold sweats, goose bumps.
Anxiety is the MOST common mental health condition in Australia. On average, 1 in 4 people – 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men – will experience anxiety. (Beyond Blue, 2018)
In a 12-month period, over two million Australians experience anxiety. (Beyond Blue, 2018). At the time of this data collection from the Australian Bureau of Statistics the total population of Australia was 21.25 million. Which makes this figure of 2 million people suffering 10.62% of the total population. (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018)
From humble beginnings in the year 2000 with just 9 staff Beyond Blue has grown to now have a staff of over 100. In 2018 Beyond Blue is a household name and readily recognised amongst the Australian public as a Charity that advocates for awareness, research and support for suffers of both anxiety and or depression.
Whilst it is normal for everyone to sometimes experience anxiety it becomes abnormal when these feelings don’t ever subside. Anxiety is a mental health condition and can vary in severity from person to person. Some different types of anxiety include, GAD (generalised anxiety disorder), social anxiety, specific phobias, panic disorder and anxiety are present in other conditions such as OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
What Treatment is Available for those suffering Anxiety?
Currently the most widely accepted methods for treating Anxiety fall into 3 main categories.
Psychological Therapies. Which are all behavioural in basis but range from Cognitive Behavioural Therapies right through to E-Therapies- self-taught
and sometimes facilitator guided behavioural therapies.
Medical Intervention- The introduction of Anti-Depressants or a short-term use of Benzodiazepines (Minor tranquilizers or sleeping pills)
Anxiety Management Strategies which include Lifestyles changes, strategies and exercises. Some of these strategies include
maintaining regular sleeping patterns
getting regular exercise
spending time in nature
spending time with family and friends
making time for activities that bring you joy
reducing stress in your life
practising slow breathing techniques and progressive muscle relation techniques.
Planning for worry time, journaling can be a way to analyse patterns that may emerge.
(Beyond Blue, 2018)
Can Bowen Therapy Help?
Bowen Therapy may assist with reducing and eliminating physical and emotional tension within the body. Bowen works superficially on the fascia (connective tissue) of the body. The therapist makes gentle cross fibre moves on the body across muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerve bundles sending message to the brain via the nervous system telling the body to “Rest and Reset”
Bowen Therapy focuses on changing the nervous system from the Flight or Fright mode (sympathetic) to the Rest and Repair mode (parasympathetic). This explains the deep sense of relaxation experienced during a treatment and assists positive changes to occur both physically, emotionally, energetically, and even spiritually within the body. The gentle nature of Bowen helps to re-hydrate the fascial network which may allow for improved function of organs and body tissues as a result. It is for these reasons that many people choose to use Bowen Therapy as a management strategy for their anxiety. To see how Bowen Therapy may be able to help you manage your anxiety symptoms please ph. 0408 836 321 and organise an obligation free chat with Melanie today.
Cambridge University Press. (2018). Retrieved July 25th, 2018 from
Rodget’s 21st Century Thesaurus. (2013). Retrieved 25th July 2018 from
Beyond Blue. (2018). Statistics and References. Retrieved July 25th, 2018 from
Beyond Blue. (2018). Treatments for Anxiety. Retrieved July 25th from
Beyond Blue. (2018). Who can Assist. Retrieved July 25th from?
Beyond Blue. (2018). A Guide to What Works for Anxiety.Retrieved July 25th, 2018 from