HW-210 Kaplan University Melissa Dengler, ND

 Techniques that have developed as part of ancient traditions or as newly discovered methods in which the practitioner manipulates the energy of the patient.  Based on life force or vital energy.

 Intent:  Practitioner projects his/her intent to heal the patient.  Cooperation:  Partnership between the practitioner and patient.  Tripartite Nature  Acceptance of body, mind and spirit.

 Healing Touch is a type of complementary therapy within the NCCAM category of Energy Therapies.  It encompasses a number of non-invasive energy- based techniques in which trained practitioners working with intuition, skill, and a compassionate heart use their hands (using either direct contact or hands placed above the body) to clear, stimulate, align, and balance the energy field of another person.

 Janet Mentgen started the Healing Touch therapy program.  This program drew from many healing techniques, such as shamanism.

 Ms. Mentgen and her colleagues developed a specific sequence of techniques used to encounter, assess, and treat the different layers of a patients visible “aura.”  The goal is to correct any imbalances and “smooth out” the energy field.

 Healing Touch may incorporate the use of techniques such as channeling, and can make use of different colors and/or crystals.

 The goal of all Healing Touch sessions is to restore harmony to the energy system so that the patient is in an optimal state for healing to occur.

 Practitioners of Healing Touch believe that human beings are composed of fields of energy which are dynamic and in constant interaction with the self, others, and the environment.  The Healing Touch practitioner realigns the energy flow, which reactivates the patient's mind/body/spirit connection in order to eliminate blockages to self-healing.

 Healing Touch practitioners re-align a patient’s energy fields by placing their hands just above, or in some cases directly on the patient.  Using their hands, a practitioner can find areas on the patient which need attention.  This is done by sensing the patient’s subtle energy.

 These subtle energies cannot be detected by measuring devices.  Qi, from Traditional Chinese Medicine, is an example of a subtle energy field.

 Intake (Patient Assessment)  Centering (Healer Preparation)  Attuning to the Patient  Treatment  (Pre-treatment Energetic Assessment, Intervention, and Post-treatment Energetic Assessment)  Grounding  Evaluation, Feedback, Treatment Plan

 How much influence do you think that the practitioner’s intention has on patient outcome?  Why do you think this?

 The mental intention of the practitioner is very important, as they are directing their energy outward and into the patient they are treating

 The Healing Touch education program developed by Janet Mentgen and her colleagues in 1989 became a certificate program of the American Holistic Nurses Association in  Certification of Healing Touch practitioners and instructors began in 1993.

 In response to the hundreds of classes offered throughout the country and the steady growth and interest in this modality by nurses and the public alike, a separate organization was developed to oversee the certification process.  Healing Touch International, Inc. was established in 1996 to administer the Healing Touch Certification process. The organization is responsible for the International Standards of Practice and the Code of Ethics for practitioners, and focuses on research, special interest groups, and networking. 

 The program consists of 120 hours of a standardized curriculum offered by certified instructors.  After completion of the classes, students begin a minimum one-year mentorship with a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner and must document that they have provided 100 healing sessions to clients as part of the requirements toward certification.  The program also emphasizes self-care and the development of the practitioner as a professional.

 Healing Touch International states that there have been over 100 studies done on Healing Touch.  hp?option=com_content&task=view&id=61& Itemid=178 hp?option=com_content&task=view&id=61& Itemid=178

 How can we study something that we can’t measure?  What aspects of Healing Touch can be measured?

 “Universal Energy”  Originated from Qi gong  Rediscovered by Dr. Mikao Usui

 For practitioners, reiki must be received from a master or teacher.

 1 st degree:  Basic treatment with hands on patient or 1 inch away from the skin.  2 nd degree:  Practitioner can affect healing with the hands removed from the body. Given at a faster rate.  3 rd degree:  “Master.” Qualified to teach reiki.

 Restore internal harmony to the body and release blockages (physical or emotional).

 Today I give thanks for my many blessings.  Just for today, I will not worry.  Today, I will not be angry.  Today, I will do my work honestly.  Today, I will be kind to my neighbor and to every living thing.

 Hands are placed on the patient.  Energy is transferred and the area becomes warm.  Head is treated first (4 locations).  Front of body (5 locations).  Back of body (5 locations).  Each position is held for 8-10 minutes.  Hand positions correspond to chakras.  Treatment is completed with myofascial techniques to close the energy channels.

 Developed by Dr. Delores Krieger (1992) and Dora Kunz ( s).  Energy is directed through the hands of the giver to activate the healing process of the receiver.  Usually performed with the hands off of the body.

 Sessions last minutes  The healer places himself/herself between the patient’s illness and the patient’s energy field to effect the healing process.  Receiver must accept the energy of the healer.

 Assessment  Practitioner centers himself or herself  Hands are moved around the patient’s body 2-3 inches away  Patient’s energy is encountered and assessed  Practitioner nonverbally requests permission to enter the patient’s energy field  Balancing  The healer attempts to bring the two energy fields into harmony through intent and visualization.