Course Outline

Unit One | The Mechanics of Touch

What is Touch?
The Skin
Sensors, Nerves, and the Somatosensory Cortex
Types of Nerve Fiber Axons
Types of Nerve Sensors
Somatosensory Cortex
Hot and Cold Sensations
Pain
How Massage and Touch Therapy Affect the Body

Unit Two | Touch Sensory Development

Development and Physical Touch
Social Attitudes Toward Touch
Social Touch and Emotions
Health Benefits of Social Touch
Boundary Development
Ethics of Social Touch

Unit Three | The Ethics of Touch in Regard to Massage Therapy

Things to Consider Before Touch and Massage Therapy
Scope of Practice
Law
Education
Competency
Self-Accountability
Standards of Practice in Massage Therapy
Expectations of Massage Therapy
Power Dynamics and Massage
Dual Relationships: When Clients and Therapists Become Friends
Communication and Massage
Addressing Body Language During Massage and Touch Therapy
Desexualizing Touch During Massage Therapy

Unit Four: Touch and Massage Therapy: Special Considerations

Touch Therapy for Infants