Background:

During my tenure in palliative and hospice care, I had the privilege of witnessing the transformative power of energy medicine, particularly Reiki and Healing Touch, offered by dedicated volunteers to provide solace and support to terminal patients and their caregivers. While I never personally experienced these modalities, my role as a hospital chaplain and somatic therapist exposed me to the profound healing potential of human touch—an age-old practice that includes the simple yet powerful act of offering a comforting hug.

 

Through some research, I discovered Healing Touch, an energy medicine modality developed by nurses more than three decades ago, designed specifically for clinical settings. What struck me was that training in Healing Touch was readily available in my hometown of Western Australia, and that it had been successfully utilized as a complementary therapy at Sir Charles Gardener Hospital across various specialties for over 20 years.

 

Why is this Important:

Working in a hospital setting has given me a deep appreciation for the importance of adhering to professional standards and practices. These standards not only ensure the safety of patients but also safeguard the well-being of caregivers, while also serving as a measure for enhancing the quality of care provided. This emphasis on professionalism and ethics is vital and aligns with my approach to care in my private practice. Sadly, I've observed instances where alternative, complementary, and spiritual care lacked the same rigorous framework, professional standards, or ethical boundaries as conventional healthcare.

 

Healing Touch, however, encompasses many elements I sought in a healing modality, including extensive research, a well-developed scope supported by scientific evidence, clinical applications across various health conditions, comprehensive training with supervision, and a distinct characteristic: it does not align with any specific religious or spiritual denomination or organization. While it embraces the spiritual and metaphysical dimensions of healing, it does not impose or idealize any particular spiritual belief, making it an inclusive approach that respects diverse belief systems. This aligns perfectly with my aspiration to offer therapeutic care that accommodates all belief systems, without diminishing the significance of individual spirituality, a balance that is sometimes challenging to achieve in spiritually-focused treatments and disciplines.

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My Journey with Healing Touch:

Aware that Healing Touch Energy Therapy was grounded in meticulous research and embraced by nursing clinicians and specialists worldwide, I decided to embark on Level 1 training in late 2021. As both a curious learner and a sceptic, I approached the training with an open mind, unsure of what to expect. To my surprise, my husband, a former martial artist and Qigong student, agreed to join me in this new venture—a rare shared experience in our 30+ years of marriage.

 

What Makes Healing Touch Special:

For me, Healing Touch stands out for its comprehensive framework, encompassing theory, practice, scope, ethics, clinical research, and a foundational philosophy. It goes beyond mere hand movements and energy waves, representing a purposeful and intentional form of touch therapy aimed at alleviating pain, harmonizing the biofield, and facilitating healing and wholeness.

With a deep-seated passion for trauma-informed care and presence-based work, I discovered that Healing Touch's ethos explores non-dualistic/universal spirituality, the science of human existence, chaos theory, the ordered patterns of biology, and most importantly, the theory of human caring. The founders and developers of this modality delved into various sciences and philosophies, applying clinical frameworks to expound on numerous theories and applications. These broadened horizons regarding humanity gave birth to a gentle and sensitive touch therapy that nurtures well-being, calibrates energy, and enhances creative flow. Personally, it feels nothing short of magical.

 

What Lies Ahead:

After 18 months of practising biofield and energy healing within our family, my husband and I have now completed Level 3 Healing Touch training in clinical applications. Some may view us as unconventional for embracing this journey together, but it has been an incredibly rewarding experience, fostering continuous learning, connecting us to a compassionate community, and expanding our awareness of the energy environment that surrounds us. Although we cannot offer Healing Touch as professional services until we complete Level 5 training, scheduled for 2025, we are actively practising with friends and family and volunteering through the AUSTRALIAN FOUNDATION FOR HEALING TOUCH Inc under supervision at the Solaris Cancer Centre of Sir Charles Gardener Hospital when the time is right. As our head Trainer suggests, wherever there is touch, there is energy, and this innate awareness will always be with us as mindful individuals committed to promoting well-being, resilience, and healing.

 

Want to Learn More?

If you'd like to delve deeper into Healing Touch or have any questions, please don't hesitate to send us an email.

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**Further Reading:**

- [Healing Touch Australia] (www.healingtouch.org.au)
- [Healing Beyond Borders] (https://www.healingbeyondborders.org)
- [Healing Touch Research] (www.healingtouchresearch.com)
- [Practitioners' File (PDF)] (https://www.healingtouch.org.au/swag/files/practitioners_file_1.pdf)