Publisher's Synopsis
In the helping professions, touch seems to be one of the least understood or talked about subjects. Yet we know that touch is incredibly powerful in counselling, psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy, spiritual care, palliative care, teaching, nursing, and medicine.
This book weaves together scholarly evidence, research,
and clinical practice pointing to the importance of
touch in human physical and emotional development.
It is structured along three axes: the theory of touch,
the practice of touch in therapy, and the ethics of
touch. It discusses the roles of gender, age, culture and
life experience, as well as subjects such as canineassisted
therapy, touch deprivation, sacred objects,
as well as key ethical considerations. The varied
perspectives-philosophy, theology, psychology,
anthropology-challenge assumptions about the
role of touch in the helping professions. They provide
historical-cultural-professional context and draw from
a range of source material.
The book emphasizes that healthy, non-sexual touch
is not taught enough as part of professional training
and oversight. The lack of dialogue, due to fear of
contravening ethical boundaries, is denying an open
and responsible discussion on the use of touch
in therapy, adding to the theoretical basis of our
understanding of this fundamental need.
