International Bowen Conference
Biographies of Presenters

Ossie and Elaine Rentsch

Ossie Rentsch was a massage therapist when he first met Tom Bowen in Adelaide at a December 1974 conference of naturopaths and natural therapists. As they shook hands, Ossie told Bowen, 'I would like to learn from you.' Ossie was surprised at his own words, since he didn't know anything about Bowen at the time. He was even more surprised when Bowen organised straight away with Rene for Ossie to observe at the clinic on the following Wednesday morning.

The trip between Ossie's home in Byaduk and the clinic in Geelong took over two hours in each direction, so Ossie didn't expect to observe Bowen more than the one time. That's not how it turned out, however: Ossie's wife Elaine, who had suffered a severe neck injury as a young child, became Bowen's client, and events spiralled from there.

People came from all over Australia to be treated by Tom Bowen; a large number of practitioners were eager to learn from him as well. Many came to observe him at his clinic, but no more often than once per week and with a maximum of one observer on any given day. Bowen’s teaching style consisted of answering an observer's questions in brief, non-technical terms, including a simple 'yes' or 'no' that would leave much to the imagination. Some observers lasted only one day, others a little longer, before leaving in confusion or being asked by Bowen not to return.

In all the years he 'taught' in this way, Bowen trained only six students in his methods. He referred affectionately to these six as his Boys. Oswald Rentsch, one of the founders of Bowtech, was the first or second of Tom's Boys, beginning in early 1974.

Ossie, as he is known to all who meet him, spent time regularly with Tom Bowen until Bowen's death in 1982. As Bowen made no notes or charts, at Tom's request, Ossie took on the task of documenting Bowen's work. This involved writing and drawing what he had observed Tom Bowen do, and then returning the notes to Bowen for approval and/or correction.

Rene Horwood was very helpful during this process, having worked with Bowen for some 16 years by the time Ossie made his first visit to the clinic. Over the course of several years, Ossie produced a set of notes that is considered by many of Tom's boys to be an accurate representation of many aspects of Tom Bowen's work.

In 1976, Ossie and his wife, Elaine, opened a clinic of their own in Hamilton, Victoria, where they practised the Bowen Technique exclusively. Their clinic was patterned after Bowen's own, and they followed his advice to never advertise.

Until Bowen's death in 1982, he visited their clinic from time to time and fine-tuned their moves. In his turn, and like the rest of Tom's Boys, Ossie and Elaine regularly visited Bowen's clinic to to keep up with the latest refinements. Two days before Bowen’s death, Ossie promised him that he would make Bowen’s name known around the world. In carrying out this promise, he began to transmit the technique to others a few years later.

A class in 1986 in Perth, Western Australia, was the first of many. By 1990, Ossie and Elaine were teaching full time and they leased their clinic in Hamilton. They now travel ten months out of the year, teaching in many countries around the world. Over 20,000 students have learnt the Bowen Technique through the Bowen Therapy Academy of Australia (or Bowtech, which is the company name). Ninety instructors trained by Ossie and Elaine have taught Bowtech seminars in many countries and in multiple languages.

To see more about Ossie and Elaine, please go to www.bowtech.com
Please note that due to demand Ossie and Elaine's post-conference workshop is now full.

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