What is Platonic Touch Therapy

When I tell people that I am a Platonic Touch Practitioner, the typical response is, “Ah! Like a massage therapist.” Umm…no…not like a massage therapist except that I touch people and help them relax.

Clients have shared with me that their psychotherapists have referred them to massage therapists to get human contact and be touched. It is the most well-known therapeutic touch modality, and it is licensed and regulated.

In massage, touch only goes one way: from the massage therapist to the client. There are very clear boundaries that the client is never to touch the therapist. I mean, the client is naked the entire time, so there must be very clear boundaries.

However, what does someone do if they want to touch another person? What if they want to give or receive nurturing, comforting touch that does not involve muscle manipulation?

Platonic Touch Therapy is a combination of giving and receiving touch, sharing, modeling concepts around boundaries and consent, and holding space using deep listening in a non-judgmental container. Goodness, that is a mouthful. It creates an opportunity to access vulnerability and sometimes emotional intimacy while still feeling safe. It is an extremely personalized experience that can be scary without clear boundaries, consent, and trust between the client and practitioner.

Since Platonic Touch Therapy is such a new concept, people do not quite understand what it is and is not. It is no wonder many think I am a new-age massage therapist. If we deconstruct the words, we find that:

• Platonic – Intimate and affectionate but not sexual

• Touch – To come into contact with

• Therapy – Treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder (disorder - disruption of normal physical or mental functions)

When you look at these three terms, you can easily understand what I am doing to help heal clients. In addition to touching, I also hold space for clients. Here we go with another new word that many have never heard and/or do not understand what it really means. I found this fitting definition from Rising Woman:

“Holding Space is the art of “being with” someone’s pain and allowing them to have their experience without making it about ourselves. It is the quite powerful force of present loving connection. It is caring for someone and them knowing you are not leaving them while they process the emotion. It is patience and eye contact when someone is scared or overwhelmed by their own feelings. Presence without judgement, a hug, non-reactivity, learning not to take things personally or trying to save someone from their feelings are all profound acts of space holding.”

So, what actually happens during a session? Many things can happen in a session. Sometimes people come through my doors with no idea what they want and look to me for guidance. Some people know they want a hug. Some come to a session ready to jump right into spooning. Others are so uncomfortable with touch they only want to sit and talk for the first few sessions until they get comfortable.

Some activities we do in session are:

·         Eye-gazing

·         Hand holding

·         Cuddling

·         Partner Yoga

·         ASMR

·         Hair Stroking

·         Crying

·         Sleeping

·         Story Telling

·         Mindful Meditation

·         Breath Work

·         Sharing a Meal

·         …and so much more

Do you think Platonic Touch Therapy would be right for you? Can you see yourself receiving or giving touch to someone you do not know? Although it may seem odd at first, it does not take long for most people to feel relaxed enough to release tension and truly open themselves up to receiving nurturing touch.