The Importance of Safe Touch in the Healing Process: Part 3 of 3

Montagu (1986) made this powerful statement: "When the need for touch remains unsatisfied, abnormal behavior will result." We must, then, as people helpers, find a way to include this very necessary therapeutic element into the healing process. At an ISSD (International Society for the Study of Dissociation) conference last fall, Dr. Ellert Nijenhaus presented an excellent workshop, which brought to light the importance of this very issue. During a video clip portion of his presentation, Dr. Nijenhaus showed his audience how a female assistant present during a session with a (female) client used the simple gesture of placing her hand gently on the client's back (with permission) and how it helped the client release powerful emotions. "Physical contact frequently serves to enhance or intensify communication. The use of tactile contact adds... dimension to interpersonal exchanges. Touch may also provide a stimulus to open channels of communication when sensory skills have become diminished or atrophied" (Hunter & Struve, 1998). There was no doubt of the truth of this statement for those of us who observed what this woman experienced as a result of a simple human touch.

What speaks louder than experience? You say that you care, but those are words. Show me you care, that is real.

References:

Bear, M., Connors, B. & Paradiso, M. (2001). Neuroscience; exploring the brain. Second Edition Baltimore, MD; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Hunter, M. & Struve, J. (1998). The ethical use of touch in psychotherapy. Thousand Oaks, CA; Sage Publications.

Montagu, A. (1971). Touching; The human significance of the skin. New York; Columbia University Press.

Perez, P. (2004). A short introduction to memory processes, part 1. http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/DID/... A short introduction to memory processes, part II. http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/DID/... Somatic memory/Body memories. http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/DID/...

Stevens, C. (1996). The caring touch. http://www.nara-licensing.org/index.html

1 Zur, O. & Nordmarken, N. (2004). To touch or not to touch: Rethinking the prohibition on touch in psychotherapy and counseling. http://www.drozur.com/touchintherapy.html

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