Principles of touch as they relate to massage therapy

Establishing Therapeutic Touch

• Get yourself into a good psycho-emotional state before establishing contact
• Warm hands before establishing body contact
• Establish touch within safe boundaries of body contact
• Body contact should be established using the full palmar surface of your hand
• Initial contact should be firm
• Massage should begin with holding, or slow massage strokes.

Maintaining Therapeutic Touch

• Stay relaxed. Maintain awareness of yourself in the massage
• Maintain awareness of your body mechanics
• Maintain contact with the client wherever possible.
• Keep the massage flowing and rhythmical
• Seek and respond to client feedback

Breaking Therapeutic Touch

• Indicate to the client that the massage is finishing by moving to more general, superficial strokes, and slowing down the speed of your massage strokes.
• Having a finishing ritual is another way to indicate to the client that the massage is finishing.
• Gradually remove your hands.

Contributors

David McQuillan 2008