Synonyms
Definition
An alternative therapeutic intervention, which purports to manipulates the energy field of the client through a non-touch technique for relieving the distress
Introduction
Therapeutic touch is a therapeutic procedure that has been in use for the past few decades. It is a therapy from the alternative system of medicine (O’Mathúna 2016). This technique was developed by Dolores Krieger and Dora Kunz (Straneva 2000). During the “therapeutic touch” procedure, the therapist move his/her hand over the body of the patient to manipulate the energy field and restore the balance of the surface energy field (O’Mathúna 2016). The word “therapeutic touch” is a misnomer, as, during the procedure, there is no actual skin to skin (body to body) contact between the therapist and the client; however, there occurs contact between energy fields of the therapist and client. It is also known as an energy-based treatment modality. It has been considered as an important...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Engebretson, J., & Wardell, D. W. (2007). Energy-based modalities. Nursing Clinics of North America, 42(2), 243–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cnur.2007.02.004.
Hanley, M. A., Coppa, D., & Shields, D. (2017). A practice-based theory of healing through therapeutic touch: advancing holistic nursing practice. Journal of Holistic Nursing: Official Journal of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, 35(4), 369–381. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898010117721827.
Jain, S., Hammerschlag, R., Mills, P., Cohen, L., Krieger, R., Vieten, C., & Lutgendorf, S. (2015). Clinical studies of biofield therapies: Summary, methodological challenges, and recommendations. Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 4(Suppl), 58–66. https://doi.org/10.7453/gahmj.2015.034.suppl.
Koopsen, C., & Young, C. (2009). Integrative health: A holistic approach for health professionals. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Lafreniere, K. D., Mutus, B., Cameron, S., Tannous, M., Giannotti, M., Abu-Zahra, H., & Laukkanen, E. (1999). Effects of therapeutic touch on biochemical and mood indicators in women. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.), 5(4), 367–370. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.1999.5.367.
Meehan, T. C. (1998). Therapeutic touch as a nursing intervention. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 28(1), 117–125. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2648.1998.00771.x.
Monroe, C. M. (2009). The effects of therapeutic touch on pain. Journal of Holistic Nursing: Official Journal of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, 27(2), 85–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898010108327213.
O’Mathúna, D. P. (2016). Therapeutic touch for healing acute wounds. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 5. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD002766.pub4.
Robinson, J., Biley, F. C., & Dolk, H. (2007). Therapeutic touch for anxiety disorders. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (3), CD006240. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006240.pub2.
Snyder, J. R. (1997). Therapeutic touch and the terminally ill: healing power through the hands. The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care, 14(2), 83–87. https://doi.org/10.1177/104990919701400207.
Straneva, J. A. (2000). Therapeutic touch coming of age. Holistic Nursing Practice, 14(3), 1–13.
Tabatabaee, A., Tafreshi, M. Z., Rassouli, M., Aledavood, S. A., AlaviMajd, H., & Farahmand, S. K. (2016). Effect of therapeutic touch in patients with cancer: a literature review. Medical Archives (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina), 70(2), 142–147. https://doi.org/10.5455/medarh.2016.70.142-147.
Umphred, D. A. (2013). Neurological rehabilitation (6th ed.). London: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Roy, D., Kar, S.K. (2019). Therapeutic Touch. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_784-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_784-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences