Healing Touch is an energy based therapy in which practitioners consciously use their hands in an intentional way to support and facilitate physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health and healing. The gentle touch by the practitioner influences the body’s own self-healing abilities, by balancing the bio energy field and bringing a deep sense of relaxation.

Energy therapies are based on the premise that the body is a complex energy system and that a trained practitioner can help bring balance to the bio energy system. The National Institute of Health calls it a “biofield therapy”. Healing Touch is complementary to medical care and can be used in conjunction with traditional therapies. The goal of Healing Touch is to restore harmony and balance in the human energy system.

A Healing Touch session can be given anywhere, from a chair in a client’s home to the bed in a hospital room to a treatment table in a clinic. During a session, the practitioner’s hands are gently placed on or above the person’s fully clothed body to assess the energy field. The practitioner chooses a technique that is appropriate for the person’s needs and goals.

Recent research studies suggest that Healing Touch is effective for physical and mental relaxation, pain management, anxiety, and stress reduction. It also enhances the immune system, provides support during chemotherapy, radiation and surgery and reduces effects from trauma and chronic pain. Clients of Healing Touch typically report positive experiences that have helped them better cope with illness, medical treatments and depression. Hospice caregivers use Healing Touch to ease the dying process as well as provide support for family and friends. Many people experience a deeper sense of spiritual connection.