Therapeutic Touch.

What it is

Therapeutic Touch was developed in the 1970s by nurse Dolores Krieger and healer Dora Kunz. Despite the name, there's little or no physical contact. The practitioner first becomes calm and centered, then moves their hands a few inches above your body to sense areas of imbalance, smooths the energy field and directs energy where it's needed.

It's used in some hospitals, hospices and clinics for pain, anxiety and supportive care, and it can be an option when touch is painful, such as with burns. Most people find sessions deeply relaxing.

What happens at a visit

1. Sitting or lying down comfortably.
2. The practitioner takes a moment to become calm and centered.
3. Hands move a few inches above your body to assess the energy field.
4. Gentle smoothing and clearing motions.
5. Energy directed to areas of need.
6. Sessions of 15 to 30 minutes, often with warmth, tingling or deep relaxation.

Who it is for

• People with acute or chronic pain
• People with anxiety or stress
• People in hospice or palliative care
• People for whom touch is painful, such as with burns
• Anyone looking for gentle, non-invasive energy work

Evidence and safety

Research on Therapeutic Touch is mixed: some studies show benefits for pain and anxiety, others are inconclusive, and how it might work isn't understood. It is taught in some nursing programs and used in clinical settings. It is very gentle with no known serious side effects, and it can be combined with medical treatment, though not used in place of it.

How Gabriel helps