Therapeutic Methods of Bodywork

Therapeutic Touch Therapy is a post-graduate teaching that furthers the work of Somatic Experiencing, bringing it to a more immediate, body-oriented level of healing.   We are excited by the effectiveness we’re seeing anecdotally as FRG is on the forefront of the latest healing methods in the Chicago area.

Based on the work of Kathy L. Kain (Ortho-Bionomy approach) and Peter Levine, PhD  (the Originator of Somatic Experiencing), Transforming Touch® is being taught locally by Steve Terrrell, PsyD, SEP.   The work was first developed as a way to treat individuals affected by Attachment Disorders and Developmental traumas.  Its uses, however, are broadening as a way to help teach the body more quickly how to drop into neurological regulation, or a greater relaxation.  Biological (body) regulation is essential to emotional stability (and often a better ability to think and make decisions, less heightened impulsivity, better behavioral choices.)

Sessions may start with a supportive touch contact on the small of the back, client is always fully clothed.  This touch can help the kidneys release and drop the adrenal glands (located on top of each kidney) into more regulated activity, leading to overall neurological smoothness.  Our adrenal glands are important in helping stress hormones, often built up after a prolonged period of brace, physically wash out of our system.  Part of our fight/flight (threat) response system, if our adrenals are not functioning well, stress hormones that remain in our bodies can become toxic, leading to a myriad of physical symptoms and health concerns.  In trauma, the body often is in a state of high alert, startle or fear more than a non-traumatized system.   Kidney/adrenal work helps the body remember its parasympathetic response, eventually teaching the body to choose relaxing over bracing.   In a concrete way, it looks like this:  While the client is lying on a medical table, the Touch practitioner places their hand under the small of the back.  The hand does not move for 10-15 minutes, less if indicated.  This is repeated on the opposite side.  No further movements occur without discussion with the client, until a plan is in place.  Minors are required to have a parent or other adult in the room with them.

After consistent adrenal regulation is occurring for a client, brain stem holds can regulate the base of the brain.  This area is important to stimulate and regulate feelings of well-being and safety, decrease alarm.  Further work includes helping ensure that the fascia (a layer just under the skin that holds much emotion) is regulated and calmed.  Activated fascia often leads to symptoms of agitation and overwhelm.  The Media Sternum layer of fascia, in particular, wraps our chest area (over the heart and lungs) and can cause chest pressure, a creeping sense of fear in its activity or constriction, for example.   These are only a few on the many options for intervention to release places of activation or constriction in the body, kept there by fear and neurological habit.  The newest edge of the work includes integrating Primitive Reflexes, present at conception and birth, that may still be held as the infant grew.  Many (most!) of us have reflexes (repetitive patterns that we can’t think our way out of!) that interfere with our lives (ie freezing in a new social situation).

Overall, it is a method that leads to faster relief of stress symptoms by intervening at a physical level.  Then, talk therapy can be more effective once the body is more stable.   Research shows that our fears, emotions get remembered in our system when we tighten or brace our body, leading to less openness both physically and emotionally.  When we change the body’s functioning, then, the mind follows (similar to how when you recover from an illness we are often optimistic and happy).  This is truly cutting-edge work that is still developing.  FRG staff are in the forefront of learning and teaching this material.

Below is a link to research studies on the method, as well as sources of more information:

Two Experiments on the Psychological and Physiological Effects of Touching-Effect of Touching on the HPA Axis-Related Parts of the Body on Both Healthy  and Traumatized Experiment Participants  https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/8/10/95

A discussion of the ACES study, its findings and the impact of trauma on our health: The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity by Nadine Burke.

The appendix of Nurturing Resilience: Helping Clients Move Forward from Developmental Trauma is outstanding.

Additional resources at: Somaticpractice.com and Austinattach.com

Copyright 2016, The Family Resilience Group, LLC.      Use only with permission.