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Therapeutic Touch Is A Form Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine

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Therapeutic Touch
Alexandra B. Freeman Indiana University School of Nursing

Abstract
Therapeutic Touch is a form of complementary and alternative medicine utilized among the Pediatric population to provide holistic healthcare. Developed in the 1970’s by Dora Kunz a psychic healer and Dr. Dolores Krieger, PhD, RN (Natural Medicine, 2015) therapeutic touch is generally not well accepted in Western medical practices due to lack of research and supporting effectiveness in evidence. Understanding what TT is and how to utilize it in practice is important in delivering care to patient populations that seek the more holistic approach in care.
Keywords: Therapeutic touch, complementary and alternative medicine, holistic health care THERAPEUTIC TOUCH AMONG THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION
Therapeutic Touch or TT is a part of bio-field therapies that seeks to “affect the energy fields that purportedly surround and penetrate the body so as to enhance healing and promote well-being” (Natural Standard, 2015). Developed in the 1970’s by Dora Kunz a psychic healer and Dolores Krieger, PhD, RN, Therapeutic touch was instituted as a way to better work with patients and facilitate in their healing. There are four basic steps in TT; centering, assessment, intervention and evaluation ( Natural Standard, 2015). In centering, the provider focuses all their energy on the patient to help the patient relax and become comfortable. In the assessment stage, the provider is assessing for energy

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