Hugs for All

Growing up in a french Canadian household, hugs were plenty. We had family members coming over virtually every weekend it seemed. And anyone who came for a visit or just passed by to say hello were usually greeted with open arms, literately (yes, sometimes kisses on both cheeks too!). I guess it was purely a cultural thing because when I moved away for school I found that many new people I met didn't do the standard greeting of a hug. Some only nodded, others liked to shake hands. I'll admit I preferred the handshake over the nod, but now I realize why physical contact is still my favorite salutation. There's something called Therapeutic Touch (TT), and although it's not new to the world it is a twenty or so year old conceptualized therapy for nurses to use in clinical settings. For a relatively young modality in healing it has produced an impressive body of research on the value of TT until now. With success in reducing anxiety, promoting relaxation, to even increasing the recovery speed of physical wounds, Therapeutic Touch appears to have really positive impact. It is even suggested that every person has this incredible gift of healing with a little bit of practice of technique, which is the act of placing the hands on the body or placing them as far as six inches away from the area on the body that feels like it needs treatment, and then create a healing energy field on the area. The practitioners' "intentions" are noted to being a factor despite the fact that it is quite difficult to assess, however, both the giver of TT and its recipient are usually voluntary participants and thus creates a warm and accepting setting.

Even Hippocrates, a major figure in Western medicine, states that "the force which flows from many people's hands" is present when discussing biofield therapeutics (the oldest form of healing known to mankind). In Egypt's Third Dynasty hieroglyphics, there are many images of hands being placed on the body in a healing intention (image is a close rendition), and shows that touch has been around, and praised, for ages. Of course the art of massage, shiatsu and reflexology all deserve mention (but are worthy of a whole blog entry for each one specifically, so keep visiting this site), but right now I just wanted to talk about hugs.

There is no exact or even close comparison of Therapeutic Touch, which can normally last anywhere between 10 minutes to one hour or more, and a hug between friends (unless its one from one of my particular friends which lasts a loooooonnnnnnggg time) although the idea is that for me, touch is key, and it feels good when a hug comes my way. Therefore I would like to think that because a hug makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside it must be therapeutic. As an experiment, next time you are going to hug someone, or perhaps you would like to make that happen right now, take note of how you are feeling before and after the hug. I have a suspicion that it will put a smile on your face.

For more information on Therapeutic Touch you may contact or visit:

Nurse Healers-Professional Associates Inc.
P.O. Box 444
Allison, Park, PA 15101-0444
(412) 355-8476

http://www.therapeutictouchontario.org/index.php/newsletter/articles-therapeutictouch/whatistherapeutictouch