Assessment Led Bodywork Training
A BTPA-accredited diploma combining advanced hands-on bodywork techniques with a structured system for identifying the Principal Restriction behind your client’s symptoms.
Advanced Bodywork Techniques. A Whole New Level of Treatment.
You've already developed your skills as a hands-on therapist. But what if you could take those skills even further?
Assessment Led Bodywork Training (ALBT), previously known as Assessment Led Bowen Training, brings together an extensive range of advanced, pinpoint-precise bodywork techniques with a structured assessment system that helps you understand what to treat, how to treat it and when to reassess.
Designed for qualified massage therapists, sports therapists, Bowen practitioners, osteopaths, chiropractors, physiotherapists and other bodyworkers, this practical 10-day diploma builds on the skills you already have.
Developed and taught by Phil Steward, with over 30 years of clinical experience, ALBT offers a fresh approach to hands-on treatment that you can integrate into your existing practice.
Learn new techniques.
Refine your precision. Transform the way you approach treatment.
10 days · 3 modules · maximum 10 per group · £1,750 · accredited by the BTPA
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“See dates and book the Diploma”
Course Introduction
What If You Knew Exactly Where to Start?
Know what to treat. Know how to treat it.
We've all had clients who come in with pain or restricted movement. Naturally, their first concern is the area that's hurting. But is that always where we should begin?
Sometimes a restriction elsewhere in the body may be contributing to the problem.
ALBT teaches you a structured way to investigate these restrictions, identify your treatment priorities and apply precise, targeted techniques.
FIND IT.
Learn to assess the body and identify the Principal Restriction — the restriction creating the greatest disruption at that moment, according to your assessment.
Using a series of practical screening tests, you'll develop a clearer understanding of where to focus your treatment.
TREAT IT.
This is where your advanced bodywork skills come into play.
Learn a comprehensive range of targeted hands-on techniques, developing the precision and anatomical understanding needed to address the restrictions identified through assessment.
REASSESS.
After each correction, reassess the body to observe what has changed.
This gives you a structured way to evaluate the response and decide what needs attention next.
Assessment tells you what matters. Treatment gives you the tools to act. Reassessment helps you decide what comes next.
See how the assessment system works → [Assessment demonstration]
It's Not Just Where You Treat. It's How You Treat It.
Precision in location. Precision in depth. Precision in direction. Precision in pressure.
Identifying the Principal Restriction is only part of the process. Knowing exactly how to treat it is just as important.
ALBT teaches an extensive range of advanced, targeted bodywork techniques, with particular emphasis on the accuracy of each correction.
It's not about applying more pressure, working harder or learning another routine. It's about understanding the anatomy beneath your hands and developing the precision to work with it.
Every technique focuses on four essential elements:
Location — Understanding the anatomy and identifying precisely where the correction needs to be applied.
Depth — Developing the sensitivity and palpation skills to work at the appropriate tissue level.
Direction — Learning the specific direction in which each correction should be delivered.
Pressure — Understanding how much force is needed and developing control to apply it accurately.
Throughout the 10-day diploma, you'll learn and practise techniques for different areas of the body, refining your skills through hands-on tuition, individual guidance and feedback.
And because these techniques are supported by the ALBT assessment system, you'll learn not only how to perform them, but when and why to use them.
The result? A far greater range of practical treatment skills, more precision in your hands-on work and a completely new way to approach your treatments.
Find the restriction. Understand the anatomy. Deliver the correction. Reassess the response.
The Assessment-Led System
The ALBT System — What You'll Learn and What Graduates Experience
The real strength of ALBT is how the assessment system and hands-on techniques work together.
Rather than following a set routine, you'll learn to assess each client individually, identify treatment priorities and select precise techniques based on what you find.
It's a practical approach developed through more than 30 years of clinical experience and refined through working with a wide range of musculoskeletal problems.
And because ALBT builds on your existing skills, you can begin integrating what you've learned into your practice from the very first module.
You will learn:
What graduates report:
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A structured assessment system
Learn how to investigate restrictions, identify the Principal Restriction and establish where your treatment should begin.
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Advanced correction techniques
Develop a comprehensive repertoire of precise, targeted hands-on techniques, supported by anatomical understanding and skilled tissue palpation.
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Ongoing reassessment
Learn to monitor the body's response throughout a treatment, evaluate changes and use your findings to guide the next step.
More precise, targeted treatment
Louise Kernohan — Bowen Therapist
"your laser precision for locating and treating soft tissue dysfunction is mind blowing"
Shorter treatment times
Zoë Cook — Bowen Therapist
"Treatment times are quicker but the work is so much more effective."
Confidence you’ve actually helped
Rebecca O’Kane, chiropractor:
“new tools and ways to check that my work has been effective for the client”
Practical, Hands-On Learning
Elizabeth Bowen — Bowen Therapist
"The small class size allows for plenty of hands-on learning and real confidence in applying the work."
The system sits alongside the modalities you already use. Graduates include Bowen therapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, physiotherapists, sports therapists and massage therapists.
Osteopath (30+ years experience)
“Having worked as an Osteopath for over 30 years, I’ve found the missing link to my work.
The assessment and techniques allow me to be far more specific and effective, integrating seamlessly with what I already do.
It’s blown me away.”
Rebecca Poppelwell 2021
Bowen Therapist
“From the moment I started using the work in my clinic, it has been life changing for both me and my patients. Treatment times are quicker but the work is so much more effective.”
Zoë Cook
(qualified 20+ years),February 2026, three years after starting..
Sports Therapist
“As a sports therapist I completed the assessment led Bowen training and even after completing my degree this is the most useful and in-depth form of training.”
Rico
Reviews
These results are consistent across therapists from different backgrounds, levels of experience, and modalities.
Full reviews can be read on the reviews page or the google widget at the bottom of your screen.
Massage Therapist
“I had been looking for something that massage wasn’t able to help with, the missing ingredient that could help more of my clients with their long term issues.”
Rachel With - Massage Therapist
Chiropractor
“I have come away from the course with so much knowledge, new tools and ways to check that my work has been effective for the client.”
Rebecca O’Kane
Small Groups and Hands On Teaching
“I highly recommend this course for any physical therapist (not just Bowen therapists, there were chiropractors and sports and massage therapist on my course) looking to deepen their skills and get better results for their clients.”
Sally - Bowen Therapist
“There was 6 of us training and Phil won’t go above 10.”
Linda Hammond - Bowen Therapist
What is Assessment Led Bodywork ?
The Method Behind the Training
Assessment Led Bodywork is a method I've developed and refined over more than 30 years of hands-on clinical practice.
Throughout my career, I've always been fascinated by one question: How do we know we're treating the right thing?
It's something many experienced therapists will recognise. A client comes in with pain, you treat the area that's troubling them, they feel better — but sometimes the problem returns.
That curiosity led me to explore different assessment methods, develop more precise treatment techniques and bring them together into the system I now teach.
ALBT combines targeted hands-on corrections, detailed tissue palpation and a structured assessment process that guides treatment rather than relying on a fixed routine.
The principle is simple:
Assess what matters. Treat with precision. Reassess the response.
It's a practical, assessment-led approach to bodywork, taught as a BTPA-accredited Bowen diploma and designed to complement the skills you already have.
How it works:
Why the pain isn’t always where the problem is.
Pain often appears in areas that are compensating for dysfunction elsewhere in the body. This isn’t simple referral. It comes from mechanical and neurological adaptation. Treating the painful area can bring short-term relief while the Principal Restriction remains. Finding and correcting the Principal Restriction means you no longer have to chase pain around the body.
How the assessment works
The ALBT assessment system uses changes in apparent leg length, observed with the client lying face down, alongside a series of simple but specific screening tests.
Each test has a purpose within the system, helping you investigate particular areas of the body and decide where to focus your treatment.
Cervical Turn Tests — By observing leg-length changes as the client turns their head, we investigate patterns of restriction. The double and reverse double cervical tests are also used within ALBT to guide assessment of areas beyond the neck, including the jaw, sacrum and coccyx.
Derifield Screening — When we flex the client's knees to approximately 90 degrees, we observe changes in apparent leg length. Within ALBT, this is used to investigate sacral restrictions and guide the proposed side of treatment.
Gluteal Squeeze Test — The client gently contracts their gluteal muscles while we observe the response. Within ALBT, changes in apparent leg length are used to determine if the coccyx needs adjustment and determine which side requires attention.
These tests form part of the ALBT assessment framework and are interpreted alongside tissue palpation and other findings, rather than being definitive diagnostic tests on their own.
Why the pelvis shows what’s happening elsewhere
Lines of connective tissue run through the body (the lines described by Thomas Myers in Anatomy Trains) and they all attach around the pelvis. A restriction in one area passes along those lines and shows up as a change in pelvic position. That is why leg length can point to where a problem starts, even when it is somewhere other than where the client feels pain.
Treating and confirming the correction
Once we've identified a treatment priority, we apply the appropriate hands-on correction and repeat the relevant assessment.
Changes in the findings help guide our next decision, giving each treatment a structured approach rather than a fixed sequence of techniques.
Assess. Treat. Reassess.
Where the ideas come from
The method draws on Bowen principles and on assessment ideas from Sacro-Occipital Technique (SOT) and cranial work. SOT is a system developed by Dr Bertrand DeJarnette that looks at the relationship between the sacrum and the skull. ALBT is not a course in SOT or cranial work. It uses some of their assessment principles within a Bowen framework, and it has been refined in busy clinical practice. It is heavily influenced by the teaching of Graham Pennington, Alastair McLoughlin and John Wilks.
The ALBT Diploma
Ten Days That Could Change the Way You Treat.
Advanced hands-on techniques. Intelligent assessment. Skills you'll use for years to come.
The ALBT Diploma is designed for qualified bodyworkers who want to expand their skills, challenge their existing approach and discover new possibilities in hands-on treatment.
Over 10 days, you'll develop an extensive repertoire of advanced bodywork techniques, learning how to apply them with precision and use your assessment findings to guide every treatment.
With a maximum of 10 students, the training is personal, practical and packed with hands-on experience. You'll have plenty of time to practise, ask questions and receive individual feedback.
My aim is simple: for you to leave the course with new skills, greater confidence and a genuine excitement about what you can now bring to your clients.
Your Training Journey
The ALBT Diploma is delivered across 3 modules over 10 days in total.
Module 1:
4 days — foundations of assessment and treatment
Module 2:
3 days — developing precision, integration, and clinical reasoning
Module 3:
3 days — refinement, complexity, and final assessment
Assessment
A short written assessment, a final practical and 30 case studies.
Price and payment
£1,750. A £500 deposit secures your place and the £1,250 balance is due 30 days before the training starts. The deposit is non-refundable but can be transferred to another group with 10 weeks’ notice.
What makes this training different
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Small group sizes (maximum 10 participants)
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Highly practical, hands-on learning
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Ongoing feedback throughout the training
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Focus on real clinical application—not theory alone
Entry Requirements
This training is designed for qualified therapists (Level 3 and above), including:
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Massage therapists
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Sports therapists
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Bowen therapists
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Chiropractors
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Osteopaths
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Physiotherapists
If you are already working with the body and want to improve your results, this training is designed for you.
No previous Bowen training is needed. Graduates qualify as Bowen therapists and can join the BTPA public register
Training Locations & Availability
Phil has taught ALBT groups in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Solihull, Bristol, Hull, Manchester, Rugby, Croatia, Italy and Slovenia. Current dates are listed below. For other locations or to host a group, get in touch.
Ready to Take Your Bodywork Skills to Another Level?
Discover advanced, pinpoint-precise techniques, develop greater confidence in your assessments and bring a whole new approach to your hands-on treatments.
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Frequently asked questions about the ALBT Diploma
1. Who is the ALBT Diploma for?
ALBT is designed for qualified hands-on therapists (Level 3 and above), including massage therapists, sports massage therapists, Bowen practitioners, osteopaths, chiropractors and physiotherapists.
Whether you're relatively new to practice or have years of experience, the course is designed to expand your practical skills and introduce a more precise, assessment-led approach to treatment.
2. Do I need previous Bowen training?
No. You don't need any previous Bowen experience.
ALBT welcomes therapists from a range of professional backgrounds, and you'll learn the practical techniques alongside the assessment system throughout the diploma.
3. What qualification will I receive?
On successful completion, you'll qualify as a Bowen therapist through the BTPA-accredited ALBT Diploma and be eligible to join the Bowen Therapy Professional Association's public register.
The course also provides 80 CPD hours.
4. How is ALBT different from other Bowen or bodywork courses?
ALBT combines advanced, pinpoint-precise hands-on techniques with a structured assessment system.
Rather than following a fixed routine, you'll learn to select your treatment techniques according to your assessment findings and reassess throughout the session.
5. I'm already an experienced therapist. Will I learn anything new?
Even experienced therapists can struggle to identify the underlying cause of a client's pain or dysfunction.
ALBT teaches you a structured assessment system to identify the Principal Restriction, helping you look beyond symptoms and understand where treatment should begin.
Combined with advanced, pinpoint-precise techniques, you'll develop the skills to treat with greater purpose, accuracy and confidence.
It's not just about learning more techniques. It's about knowing exactly where and why to use them.
6. How practical is the training?
Very! ALBT is predominantly hands-on, with plenty of time to practise techniques, receive individual feedback and ask questions.
Groups are limited to 10 students so everyone receives lots of personal attention.
7. How is the diploma structured and assessed?
The diploma consists of 10 training days across three modules (4 + 3 + 3), providing 80 contact hours.
Assessment includes 30 case studies, a short written assessment and a final practical examination.
8. How much does the ALBT Diploma cost?
The full diploma costs £1,750.
A £500 deposit secures your place, with the remaining £1,250 payable 30 days before training begins.
The deposit is non-refundable but can be transferred to another group with at least 10 weeks' notice.
9. How do I book, and can I speak to Phil first?
You can enrol directly through the website using the Enrol Now button.
If you'd prefer to have a chat about the course, your experience or whether ALBT is right for you, you're very welcome to arrange a phone call with me.
I'm always happy to answer your questions before you make a decision.
Next ALBT Diploma — Spring 2027
Bristol — DoubleTree by Hilton, Bristol North
Module 1: 18–21 March 2027
Module 2: 16–18 April 2027
Module 3: 14–16 May 2027
10 days of practical training | Maximum 10 students
Course fee: £1,750
Deposit to secure your place: £500
Places are limited to keep the teaching personal, practical and hands-on.
Sarah shares her thoughts 12 months after training.
Sarah gives a quick review of how the ALBT training has positively affected her results and her business.
Contact Us
07788502023
5/6 Cedar House
Braunton
Devon
UK
About Phil Steward
Assessment Led Bodywork Training was inspired by the need to create a high quality Bodywork practitioner training programme.
"Phil is an exceptional tutor: clear, thorough, funny, approachable and incredibly practical."
— Elizabeth Bowen, December 2025
Over 30 Years of Hands-On Experience
I started my career as a massage and sports massage therapist at 21, and more than 30 years later, I'm still fascinated by how the body works and what we can achieve through skilled, hands-on treatment.
Over the years, I've worked with thousands of clients, continually developing my techniques and exploring better ways to understand the underlying causes of pain and dysfunction.
That curiosity led me to develop Assessment Led Bodywork Training — bringing together everything I've learned about precise treatment techniques and the importance of knowing exactly where and why to treat.
I still run a busy clinical practice, and everything I teach comes from real experience, not just theory.
My aim is to share that knowledge in a friendly, practical and enjoyable way, giving therapists the skills and confidence to take their own work to another level.
Training and qualifications
Phil began as a massage and sports massage therapist, training at the Oxford School of Massage, the Northern Institute of Sports Massage and the Midland School. He also studied Ayurvedic massage in India and holds an Advanced Diploma in Manipulative Therapy. His original Bowen qualification was A.O.R.B.T.A. (Association of Registered Bowen Therapists of Australia.) and he has also trained in the Dorn Method.
Qualifications: ITEC, OSM Dip, Nim Dip, Ayur Dip, Adv Dip MT, A.O.R.B.T.A., Dorn Dip.
Bowen teachers
Phil has studied with Graham Pennington, Ron Phelan, Alastair McLoughlin and John Wilks. His Bowen training included an intensive programme in Croatia with Graham Pennington and Dr Rommney Smeeton, one of Tom Bowen’s original apprentices.
Teaching
Phil teaches the ALBT Diploma and CPD workshops to small groups of no more than 10, in venues across the UK and in Europe. He has run groups in, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Solihull, Bristol, Hull, Rugby, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia. He keeps in touch with graduates between modules and afterwards