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In this episode, hosts Andrew and Maxi take a deeper look at the power of touch in the therapeutic relationship.

Andrew discussion the impact of reading The Lost Art of Healing: Practicing Compassion in Medicine, and shares some great quotes which examines how touch augments the therapeutic relationship.

Some of the key topics discussed include:

• How touch can be used both for assessment and connection with the patient.
• The Ted Talks episode by Abraham Verghes - “A Doctor’s Touch”.
• How touching is key to the transformation of a patient's level of trust, and how as clinicians we often forget the feeling of being a patient.
• Why we need to build a bridge to create a sense of safety in the therapeutic relationship.
• How responsive touch bypasses cognition and engages the neurophysiological system to activate the parasympathetic response which creates trust and safety.
• How the patient’s mental and emotional state can change with each assessment, and using touch to re-build the bridge.
• Using appropriate touch in context to each patient, and communicating why, with added sensitivity to trauma survivors.
• Adjusting our own state of being fully present while touching the patient, and observing their response.
• How safe and appropriate touch can positively impact the patient and allow a deeper healing.
• Why practicing your “presence” skills rather than just touching skills is important.

A key takeaway from this episode is to observe your own state and do an out-breath before you touch a patient, and observe what’s happening with their response, and adjust yourself as needed.

Mentioned in this episode:

Sole

https://yoursole.com/us/health-professionals