Level 1 Certification Program: The Knowledge

Level 1 Online Training coming in 2025

Most clinicians receive very little training on the ethics of touch in psychotherapy. More often than not, what little education that is provided is biased against Psychotherapeutic Touch. While there are many clinical situations in which touch is inappropriate, the position clinicians and organizations take against psychotherapeutic touch is greatly influenced by fears of litigation, Western cultural norms, and a lack of education. Psychotherapeutic Touch Trainings aim to provide unbiased clinical research and information on touch in therapy.

This training aims to fill-in the educational gap that is left by the majority of clinical educational institutions. It is not intended to convince clinicians to begin to use basic psychotherapeutic touch, but rather to eliminate the secrecy around touch in therapy and provide information so that clinicians can make informed decisions about their use of touch in psychotherapy. Many clinicians avoid touch without understanding the potential impact of touch aversion or refusal within the therapeutic relationship. Other clinicians are touching clients without clear understanding of the potential impact of their touch. This training will help clinicians to become more aware of how touch has influenced them, explore their own use of touch within the clinical setting, understand when touch is clinically warranted and contraindicated, develop skills to speak with clients about touch, learn the concept of basic touch-based interventions, and learn documentation criteria of all touch interventions. This training is generally aimed towards Psychotherapeutic Touch with adult populations, though some exploration of touch with minors and those who cannot consent will be explored.

Please note, completing this training does not prepare clinicians for Advanced Psychotherapeutic Touch. Advanced Psychotherapeutic Touch requires years of hands-on training and expertise in Somatic Attunement. You will be provided a resource list of training programs that offer psychotherapeutic touch as a therapeutic component.

In this training, mental health clinicians will:

  • Learn about different religious and cultural values around touch, including gender and “untouchable” considerations

  • Understand power dynamics of physical contact in terms of race, gender, position, etc.

  • Understand history of touch violations within psychotherapy

  • Define and understand touch consent within the context of psychotherapy

  • Understand purpose and clinical validation prior to using touch with clients

  • Review National Counseling and Psychological Associations’ Ethics and Licensing Board Regulations on the use of Touch in Therapy

  • Be able to name the ethical considerations related to using touch in psychotherapy

  • Review ethics of touch in psychotherapy and demonstrate a clear understanding of those ethics, including cultural and gender considerations

  • Explore their own touch history including family influences, cultural values, beliefs, and somatic responses to touch

  • Understand the impact of the covid pandemic on mental health through the lens of physical contact and touch hunger.

  • Learn the importance of touch in development and the human experience

  • Learn the basic history of touch in psychotherapy

  • Understand basic arguments for and against touch in psychotherapy and develop their own informed opinion of psychotherapeutic touch

  • Be able to clearly define the boundaries, benefits and contraindications of psychotherapeutic touch

  • Learn self-touch interventions.

  • Develop skills to comfortably discuss touch with clients

  • Learn to gracefully avoid client-initiated touch

  • Understand the impact of no-touch policies

  • Understand the pros and cons of touch contracts and the elements that make a good touch contract.

  • Learn how to appropriately document psychotherapeutic touch interventions

Requirements for Course:

Participant must be a licensed mental health professional, on track for licensure, or enrolled in a masters’ level mental/behavioral health program. If you don’t meet these requirements, but feel this training is appropriate for you, please contact me directly to discuss your situation.

Investment: $500

Commitment to Accesibility:

I recognize how systemic racism, meritocracy, capitalism, colonialism, patriarchy and white privilege have been an integral part of Western society and the field of psychotherapy. If you are a BIPOC or global majority identified person, or you are from another historically marginalized population, AND you are providing care to BIPOC or other historically marginalized populations AND have financial need, please contact me directly.

Registration coming in Spring 2025

Certifications:

Following successful completion of couse and related quizes, you will receive Level 1 Certificaiton as a Psychotherapeutic Touch™ Practitioner.

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