Lisa Lygo - Bowen Therapist

Lisa in her home based studio - Te Horo

I have known Lisa Lygo and her close-knit family for close to thirty years. Our now adult children grew up together, starting at the same playcentre in Waikanae all those years ago. I remember the first time we met; she was one of those people who put you at ease immediately, someone who has grown to be a close friend and now provides me with treatments for my own personal health challenges. I am thrilled to share her story and personally recommend her to anyone seeking a genuine healer whom genuinely cares for you.

Hope you enjoy her journey and personal story.

The early years

Lisa was born in Auckland at the start of the 1970s, living in a small campsite community on the North Shore called Browns Bay. She spent a significant part of her life with her grandparents, often hanging out at the beaches. Lisa has many happy memories from those days at Browns Bay beach, where fish were plentiful on the point and the ocean was rich in seaweed. She played in the water for hours, going home totally “sun-kissed.” “An adorable time to grow up,” Lisa tells us.

Lisa enjoyed many sports; she was a keen tennis player and netballer, playing in the top teams for her age right up until the family moved to Wellington. Lisa was fifteen years old, which unfortunately marked the end of her sporting career. Local teams were well established in Wellington, and her attention was drawn elsewhere.

The frst job

Lisa’s first job was at a newly opened rest home. She started when there were only four Residents and left this role when there were over seventy. As a 16-year-old, Lisa learnt an awful lot in those early years “I look back with very fond memories of those amazing people. They taught me so many things and shared incredible life stories.” - Lisa tells us.

This role made Lisa realise she had a genuine desire to help people. At the same time, she really began to miss her grandparents.

Experiencing loss

Lisa was just eighteen years old when she lost her most treasured grandmother. It created a massive gap in her life and even bigger one for her grandfather, who was not coping on his own.

“So it was decided that I would return to Auckland to live with him and help him out,” Lisa explains.

With the knowledge she was good at caring for people, Lisa got a job working in a local rest home and was encouraged by the charge nurse to enrol as a nurse. After qualifying, she secured a job at Auckland Hospital's Ward Eight, the assessment and rehabilitation ward, where Lisa gained firsthand experience and an understanding that the body can heal itself from serious injuries and conditions. She witnessed the process of how the body slowly began to function again.

This marked the beginning of Lisa's passion for helping people heal.

A new life begins

At twenty-five, her grandfather passed away, allowing Lisa to move back to Wellington, where she quickly met the love of her life (Karl). Together they raised three beautiful girls - Lisa loves being a Mum and years on, nothing has changed.

“Karl was a builder and made his work look easy, so when our youngest started school, I became the best hammer hand my husband could afford.” Lisa smiles as she tells me.

They had a great fifteen years working together.

The Accident

Lisa had a serious car crash requiring a long recovery time. When she did return to work, her strength was not the same, and she found herself struggling. Her normal arm strength was just not there; it was a frustrating time. Lisa has always felt strong and invincible until this event.

She tried many different treatments over a couple of years. “I became depressed and was in constant pain” Lisa remembers.

Then one day, in a desperate state, she found an ad for Bowen Therapy. “I found an amazing woman who was just twenty minutes away.” She tells us.

On the first visit, she felt immediate relief, and within a brief time, with weekly visits, her pain significantly improved, not only improving, but also changing the nature of the pain in her body.

“It was unlike anything else I had experienced”, she tells us.

Lisa Lygo - Bowen Therapist

Lisa had been seeing her therapist for a good few months. By this stage, we had become friendly, she suggested that maybe Lisa should look into learning this healing technique…Eighteen months down the track, and Lisa tells us, “it has been life-changing and one of my best decisions.”

For Lisa, it has opened up a world of understanding about our bodies and their ability to heal themselves with the help of Bowen therapy’s very gentle, non-invasive movements.

Bowen therapy allows the body to go into rest and recovery mode, hitting our central nervous system. However, it is so gentle that it can be safely used on newborn babies throughout their lives.

Lisa is in awe every day as she experiences life-changing results with many of her clients.

“ I would love the opportunity to show people the gift of Bowen she explains proudly.”

“I offer my services out of The Collaborative Wellness space in Levin, as well as having a dedicated space on my property in Te Horo. I am also happy to discuss home visits as needed. At present, I am happy to charge a Koha until I have finished my final case studies and am fully qualified.”

Lisa looks forward to being part of your wellness journey.

You can contact Lisa on 021 250 8543. Or if you do not live locally feel free to google your nearest Bowen Therapist and give this healing modality a try - you will not regret it.

Interview and Story by
Tony Cutting for
www.aotearoatoday.com