top of page
Anchor 1
Relationship Anarchy Therapist Gavin Bowes Oregon Core Energetics

GAVIN
BOWES

Online Holistic Coaching and Core Energetics
for individuals and relationships

Anchor 2

ABOUT

 

Relationship Anarchy Therapist Gavin Bowes Oregon Core Energetics

My name is Gavin Bowes. I’m an online holistic personal and relationship coach and Certified Core Energetics Practitioner based in Oregon and working with people throughout the US. My pronouns are he/him/his.

 

I provide effective, empathetic, personal and relationship coaching for people who need support to be their best selves in life and in relationships. My practice is a judgment-free environment and I welcome you as you are.

​

If you're someone whose life or relationships don't fit social norms, I'm here to provide affirmative, stigma-free support. I know what it's like to love differently and I'm a big advocate for healthy, thriving relationships of all kinds, including friendships and non-romantic connections. I love working with non-monogamy, relationship anarchy and other non-normative relationships. And I love working with

my monogamous couples too! I'm LGBTQIA+ and gender-affirming, BDSM/Kink aware and welcoming of all neurotypes. Recent trainings include Clinical Practice with Individuals in the Kink/BDSM Communities, Destroy Fatphobia and Empowering Mixed Race Clients To Build Healthy Relationships.

 

I believe deeply in the value of having a strong, compassionate ally to help us face ourselves and our lives. I love what I do and I consider it an honor to help others through.

Anchor 3

APPROACH

 

My approach is warm, relational and holistic. My coaching style is relational at heart; I love my clients and the humanity we share as they explore their inner world. The holistic perspective is central to my approach because it's so kind and human, and includes all of who we are. I can welcome my client’s feelings of anxiety, insecurity or even hatred because I also see their strength, trust and goodness. Through the holistic lens, we can explore everything, without judgment, in a spirit of curiosity, humility and courage.

​

Core Energetics is experiential, life-affirming work. Core Energetics is an experiential modality that integrates talk therapy with physical movement, emotional expression and experiential exercises to take the work deeper than the cognitive level. The direction of Core Energetics work is always “toward life”; seeking out the places in us that have become numb, blocked or forgotten and are preventing us from being fully alive. Core Energetics has been part of the family of somatic therapies since 1973, along with Gestalt, Hakomi, Somatic Experiencing and other methods.

Relationship Anarchy Therapist Gavin Bowes Oregon Core Energetics

How my work is different than counseling or psychotherapy: Working with me is similar to working with a counselor or therapist in that I will be supporting you in an empathetic, engaged relationship to help you become more of the person you want to be. That said, I'm not a licensed therapist and I don't have the academic training that comes with a license. In Oregon, some healing and wellness practices are allowed by law without the need for licensing. I work as an alternative, non-licensed practitioner under Oregon Regulatory Statute 675.825(4).

 

In terms of differences in approach, professional counseling and psychotherapy are based on medical models, in which the goal is to diagnose and treat psychological conditions. My work is based on Core Energetics theory and a holistic view of human beings, in which the goal is to transform inner blockages that diminish aliveness and potential.

 

I value all forms of therapy that help people heal and grow. If you think you'd be better served by seeing a professional counselor, psychotherapist or psychiatrist, please reach out and I'd be happy to refer you to someone.

 

Addressing financial and social inequity in my practice: Despite its well-known ability to increase quality of life, good support has historically been for the privileged. It's typically expensive, creating a default culture in which only certain people have access to quality care. I want quality support to be available to everyone and I use a flexible fee system to make my services affordable to as many people as possible. See the "Services" section for more information.

 

It's also important for me to address social inequity in my coaching practice. I stand with the movement to dismantle inequity in our country and our world, and I affirm the identities and lived experiences of people of color, LGBTQIA+, women, people with disabilities, people who are struggling financially and all others who are systemically disadvantaged. I'm in my own ongoing process of unlearning the norms and biases I've inherited being raised in western culture, including my internalized racism and normative thinking. I'm white, queer, cisgender and able-bodied and I recognize the inherent privileges many of those identities give me. I know some people might not feel comfortable working with me for that reason. If you'd like a referral to another holistic/experiential coach or therapist, let me know and I'd be happy to connect you with someone.

Anchor 4

RELATIONSHIP WORK

I support people in all kinds of relationships. I help couples, friends and people in all kinds of relationships to find more safety, harmony and satisfaction in their connection. There are so many ways to be in relationship and I consider all of them equally valid; I love working with monogamous couples as well as non-monogamy, relationship anarchy, friendships, complicated/situationships, asexual and aromantic relationships, queerplatonic relationships and others. I make a special effort to extend myself to people in non-normative relationships because it can be so hard to find affirming, relevant support when you're loving outside the box. And on a personal note, I can relate. I really get what it's like to love in a way doesn't fit the social script.

​

Centering the human connection: Sometimes in the process of forming an attachment to someone and building a relationship over time, we can lose sight of each other's humanity, of who we are as people. We get so wrapped up in the roles we play that we forget how to love each other as human beings. My approach to relationship work is to first identify the places where humanity and friendship are lacking from the connection. Establishing a “home base” of human connection is the foundation for addressing specific issues in the relationship.

Relationship Anarchy Therapist Gavin Bowes Oregon Core Energetics
Relationship Anarchy Therapist Gavin Bowes Oregon Core Energetics

I work with relationships (including monogamy) through a relationship anarchy lens. The term “relationship anarchy” was popularized in 2012 by Swedish activist Andie Norgren, who suggested a simple relationship model based on values of mutual respect, authenticity, customized commitments and healthy communication, with an emphasis on allowing each person to be who they really are. Relationship anarchy (RA) also addresses the way that personal and social power dynamics impact our relationships. RA differs from monogamy and non-monogamy in that it isn't a relational format; it's a set of principles for loving and cherishing each other as human beings while simultaneously honoring each other's autonomy.

 

Monogamous couples I work with often find the principles of relationship anarchy liberating due to the feeling of mutual cheerleading and support, permission to be their real selves and the lack of pressure for the relationship to look a certain way. Monogamy through a relationship anarchist lens might look like, “There's no right way to do this. We get to design a relationship that works for us, that supports our mutual joy and thriving, even if it's different than a 'normal' relationship.”

Anchor 5

SERVICES

 

All sessions take place online

Consultations:

A free 30-minute phone call to discuss what you want to address, answer any questions you have and see if we're a good fit for working together. To schedule a consultation, see the “Contact” section below.

​

Sessions:

All sessions last 60 minutes and are typically scheduled weekly or every other week. The first few sessions will be spent establishing our connection and clarifying your goals.

​

Fees:

To make my services as affordable as possible, I use an income-based sliding scale. We'll have a brief chat about your financial resources, apply a sliding scale, and you'll choose what to pay within that range. If you want to know what it would cost to work with me, feel free to reach out and ask. I'm not able to accept insurance, though I do have clients who get reimbursed by their insurer and I'm happy to provide receipts for your sessions.

Relationship Anarchy Therapist Gavin Bowes Oregon Core Energetics
Anchor 6

CONTACT

Be in touch to schedule a consultation or if you have any questions.

I'll reply within 1 business day.

​

​

Call or text:

503-388-1839

​

​

Email:

gavin@gavinbowescounseling.com

​

​

Email me directly via web form:
(your email will not be used for anything other than my reply)

Message sent! I'll be in touch soon.

art by asha greer, from "the undefended self"

Relationship Anarchy Therapist Gavin Bowes Oregon Core Energetics

site content © 2020  •  updated february 2025

bottom of page