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THE PRINCIPLES OF COMFORT TOUCH Resources Foster, Mary Ann and Mary Kathleen Rose. 2009. Bodywork in a medical setting. Massage & Bodywork July/August:28-29. Rose, Mary Kathleen. 2009. Comfort touch: massage for the elderly and the ill. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Rose, Mary Kathleen. 2004. Comfort touch: massage for the elderly and the ill. DVD. Longmont: Wild Rose. partner's upper arm as in Image 6. Apply a broad, encompassing, even pressure directly into the central axis of the arm, in toward the bone. (You can think of this as the even pressure that is applied with a blood pressure cuff.) The palms of the hands and the broader surfaces of the base of the thumb exert a uniformly even pressure around the client's arm, thereby avoiding poking with the tips of the thumbs. Hold for a few seconds. Ask for feedback. Was the pressure even? Was it into center? Was it broad? Was it encompassing? Practice on other parts of the body—the shoulders, the arms, or the back. Continue to listen to your partner's feedback. Trade roles and repeat the exercise. It is very important to practice this exercise with a partner, not only to practice giving broad, encompassing pressure into center, but to experience how it feels to receive this touch. Only when you comprehend the quality of touch that underlies these principles in your own body will you be able to fully convey that quality of touch to your clients. LET THE WORDS GUIDE YOU The principles of Comfort Touch can become a model of how to live your life in the present as you let the meaning of each word influence your actions and attitudes throughout the day. These words can guide you to live a more meaningful life, mindful in each moment of the healing affect you exert on others in the world around you. authority in holistic health education and is internationally known as the developer of Comfort Touch nurturing acupressure. An ardent advocate for the elderly and the ill, she provides training and support for massage in medical settings. She is author of the textbook Comfort Touch: Massage for the Elderly and the Ill (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009) and DVD of the same title, as well as numerous articles. She can be reached at 303- 651-9375 or through www.comforttouch.com. Mary Kathleen Rose, BA, CMT, is an A father embodies the principles of Comfort Touch as he holds his newborn baby. The therapist's hands conform to the shape of the client's arm, as she applies broad, encompassing pressure into the center axis of the client's arm. connect with your colleagues on massageprofessionals.com 53