Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/885423
78 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k n o v e m b e r / d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7 The 5 Phases of Therapeutic Touch 1. Centering. This phase involves "bringing the body, mind, and emotions to a quiet, focused state of consciousness," and opening yourself to find an "inner sense of equilibrium to connect with the inner core of wholeness and stillness." 2. Assessing. By holding your hands 2–6 inches away from the client's body while moving them "from the head to the feet in a rhythmical, symmetrical manner, you'll pick up sensory cues such as warmth, coolness, static, blockage, pulling, and tingling." 3. Intervention. Called clearing or unruffling, this process "facilitates the symmetrical flow of energy through the field." This is achieved "by using hand movements from the midline, while continuing to move in a rhythmical and symmetrical manner from head to toe." 4. Balance, Rebalance. Here you project, direct, and modulate energy and assist to reestablish order in the system. "Treatment is accomplished by moving the hands to the areas that seem to need attention; energy may be transferred where there is a deficit, or energy may be mobilized or repatterned from areas of congestion." 5. Evaluation, Closure. When you're no longer getting that sense of imbalance or change of patterns, the treatment is finished. "Reassessing the field continuously during the treatment to determine balance and elicit feedback from the individual are cues as to when to end the Therapeutic Touch treatment."