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Acceptance of therapeutic touch (TT) by the nursing community has become widespread. Nurses are advancing the pioneering work of Krieger (1973) through practice, research, education, and, most recently, through the development of theory-based nursing practice. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the development of theory-based nursing practice by introducing integration of TT with mental health nursing approaches. The Science of Unitary Human Beings (Rogers, 1 986) is used to explain the relationship between TT and mental health nursing practice. The use of TT in practice is demonstrated through case examples from experiences with students and clients.
An underlying premise for TT is that individuals extend beyond their skin (Krieger, 1979). It is this space, the energy field, that is the focus of the assessment and rebalancing techniques used in TT. In discussing the energy field theory used by Krieger, Macrae (1988) cites the work of Kunz and Peper to explain that the concept of field not only involves physical energies but also "every human function, including emotion, thought, and intuition." Field imbalances, blockages, or changes may be related to individuals' physical, emotional, or cognitive states.
From the perspective of the Science of Unitary Human Beings, energy field change facilitated by TT is explained as change that:
Occurs in the human-environmental energy field patterning as the nurse assumes a meditative state of awareness, recognizes his or her own unitary nature and integrality with the environmental field, and focuses his or her intent to help the patient (Meehan, 1990).
The technique of TT involves assessing the client's energy field from head to toe by holding one's hands 3 to 5 inches from the skin's surface and slowly moving the hands around and through the entire client field. This is done while the nurse is centered and is intentionally focused on helping the patient. It is during the assessment phase that imbalances are detected. These imbalances are manifestations of all dimensions of the individual. From a Unitary Human Being perspective, the imbalance is not causally related to physiological changes, but rather is a manifestation of imbalance in the energy field. For example, local imbalances around the head may reflect constricted arteries or may be associated with compulsive thoughts about a gambling trip. The energy...