Healing Touch International Research List
A through M

A

Arom, K/ MacIntyre, B. The Effect of Healing Touch on coronary artery bypass surgery patients, Paper presented at Healing Touch International 6th Annual Conference, Denver, Colorado, January, 2002 (Data based). RES
 Healing Touch research summaries of Diane Wardell
This was an experimental randomized control trIal of approximately 400 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery at Health East St. Joseph’s in St. Paul, MN. There were three groups, Healing Touch, visit, or control. It was found that Healing Touch participants had a shorter hospital stay. RES

B

Brannon, J. A Patient Satisfaction Survey for Cancer Patients Experiencing Healing Touch at the Cancer Wellness Center, Healing Touch International Research Survey, June, Lakewood Co: Healing Touch International, Inc., 2002, (Data based). SUR
Surveys were sent to 92 participants with 43 responses. Participants' responses to Healing Touch treatments include the following (agree or strongly agree): improved relaxation, 98%; improved sense of control, 75%; positive change in energy, 87%; improved interpersonal relationships, 63%; improved sense of well-being, 92%; decreased pain, 85%; and decreased side effects of cancer treatments, 77%. SUR

Burr, J. Jayne’s story: Healing Touch as a complementary treatment for trauma recovery. Holistic Nursing Practice 2005, 19(5), 211-216.
    Even though Jayne, a nurse, was declared “healed” by her medical team at six months after a motorcycle accident she continued to experience severe pain.  The effects of a traumatic event are detailed as they begin to change the person’s view of life.  The results can lead to a myriad of complaints with recovery usually occurring in stages with much individual variation.  Spiritual and emotional symptoms are often unrecognized.  A history of energy therapies is provided and then Jayne’s story is told in relation to her healing using Healing Touch during her journey to wholeness. 

C

Collinge, W./ Wentworth, R./ Sabo, S. Challenges and insights in the development of a complementary therapies program in a community mental health center. Rural Mental Health 2003, 28(2), p. 8-13.
    A general overview is provided on community mental health centers application of complementary therapies.  From the authors experience at their Counseling Services, Inc. center in Maine their program development is described.  Referrals are made and one of the services offered is Healing Touch.  The most frequent referral is for PTSD. Management issues are described, staffing, and the role of the practitioners.  Therapies are offered that are both on the body (like massage) and off the body (Healing Touch.  Funding issues are also described.

Cook, C.A.L./ Guerrerio, J.F./ Slater, V.E.  Healing Touch and quality of life in women receiving radiation treatment for cancer: A randomized controlled trail, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 2004, 10(3), p. 24-41.
   The randomized controlled trial is considered to be the scientific measure of excellence in determining the effectiveness of a therapy.  In this randomized clinical trial a sample of 62 women receiving radiation treatment for gynecological and breast cancer at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri were studied. The treatment group received a total of six healing touch treatments by Level II or Level III HT practitioners, whereas the control group received six mock treatments by Research Associates not trained in HT.  Subjects who received Healing Touch demonstrated better quality of life as measured by the SF-36 in all nine domains with significant differences in vitality, pain, and physical functioning. 

Cordes, P/ Proffitt, C/ Roth, J. The Effect of Healing Touch Therapy on the Pain and Joint Mobility Experiences by Patients with Total Knee Replacements. (Abstract) Healing Touch Research Survey, June 2002 Lakewood CO: Healing Touch International, Inc. (Data based). RES
Using a three-group design, a sample of 48 patients was investigated for the effects of Healing Touch on the pain and joint mobility with total knee replacement. Before and after the Healing Touch and mock HT interventions the patients were assessed for pain and knee joint mobility. Analysis of the data indicated no significant differences in pre and post pain scores or total pain medication and knee joint mobility. Further investigation showed that, when each individual in each group was compared on day 1 and 2 post operatively the average increase in mobility was 30.6% greater in the Healing Touch group than the standard therapy group and 27.0% greater in the mock HT group. RES

D

Davis, L.A. Quantifying Healing Touch. Visions 2006, 14(2), 66-70.
    Visions is a journal that addresses nursing practice and research that uses the theoretical model developed by nurse theorist, Martha Rodgers.  She was one of the first nurses to address the energy field concept and also expand thinking to include a more complex way of viewing human interactions. This article by Dr. Davis mostly addresses evidence and measurement of energy work in relation to Healing Touch.  It includes an overview of the difficulties in measuring the field and potential applications of modern science that might help in this process.

Diener, D. A pilot study of the effect of chakra connection and magnetic unruffle on perception of pain in people with fibromyalgia. Healing Touch Newsletter, Research Edition 2001, 01(3), 7-8.
    Dr. Diener reported on a small study he conducted with women who were experiencing pain and other symptoms from fribromyalgia.  He reported that there was a benefit for some of these women but most of it was seen in the first few sessions.  There were other benefits besides pain relief for some including increased mobility and improved quality of life.

Dowd, T./ Kolcaba, K./ Steiner, R./ Fashinpaur, D.  Comparison of a Healing Touch, coaching, and a combined intervention on comfort and stress in younger college students. Holistic Nursing Practice 2007, 21(4), 194-202.
    Dr. Dowd, a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner, conducted this research study with colleagues in a university setting with college students.  Three nursing interventions were used: Healing Touch, life coaching, and combined Healing Touch and life coaching.  The Healing Touch intervention was mind clearing.  Mind clearing did have a demonstrated immediate effect of a sense of inner relaxation and peace and enhanced comfort. However, there was greater carrier over in the coaching group. The study supports the concept that self care modalities are needed in order to reinforce healthy behaviors.  This is typical of a “usual” Healing Touch therapy session. 

Dowd, T./ Kolcaba, K./ Steiner, R. Development of the Healing Touch Comfort Questionnaire. Holistic Nursing Practice 2006, 20(3), 122-129.
    Dr. Dowd and others developed a questionnaire called the Healing Touch Comfort Questionnaire that is specifically designed to measure the effects of a Healing Touch session.  It includes specific questions (total number is 35) that can be answered about the unique experience of receiving a Healing Touch session. Some of the items include if the healee feels understood, their beliefs about pain, and aspects of safety.  This questionnaire is based on a distinguished body of research into the area of comfort.  In this published report the authors found increasing levels of comfort with increasing numbers of sessions.

Dubrey, R. The Role of Healing Touch in the Treatment of Persons in Recovery from Alcoholism. Counselor: The Magazine for Addiction Professionals 2006. 58-64.
Rita Dubrey, CSJ, RN, MSN, CASAC, CHTI is a Catholic sister who is the director of the Center for Complementary Therapies at St Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam, New York.  She offers Healing Touch services for the patients at the hospital and is an instructor in  Healing Touch.
    Alcoholism is a serious health condition that takes a heavy toll on the lives of many people.  Recovery is a long and difficult process that may involve many different steps.  For some, the first step is to be admitted to a hospital based unit where experts work in “detoxifying” the person from physical affects of this drug.  This is the first published study on the use of Healing Touch with patients undergoing recovery from alcoholism.  This study was conducted with assistance from a grant provided by the Healing Touch International Foundation. 
    A randomized study design was used were patients admitted to an inpatient hospital receive either Healing Touch or readings from the Big Book (used extensively in alcohol treatment recovery programs).  Those in the Healing Touch group received the chakra connection and magnetic passes on days 8-10 of their stay.  Results of the study indicated that compared to the group receiving readings those receiving Healing Touch had significant reduction in feeling upset and in their level of pain.  They were also less tense and were calmer.  Both physiological and psychological measure of stress were improved in the Healing Touch group. 

Dubrey, R.J. A Quality Assurance Project on the Effectiveness of Healing Touch Treatments as Perceived by Patients at the Wellness Institute.  Healing Touch International, Research Survey, 8th Ed., Lakewood, CO: Healing Touch International, Inc. Also, Hutchinson, C. (1999). A simple yet powerful tool. Healing Touch Newsletter 2006, Volume 9, Number 4, p. 6-7
Healing Touch research summaries of Diane Wardell
    Reports on quality assurance projects for the effectiveness of Healing Touch treatments as perceived by patients at the Wellness Institute of St. Mary’s Hospital, Amsterdam, NY during 1997 and 1999 are included in these two citations. The results indicated that in 1977 for the majority of participants there was a decrease in pain following treatment lasting 1-3 days for most. Emotional well-being was reported as increasing following treatment for the majority of the participants lasting > 2 weeks for most.
    In 1999 twenty clients who were asked to complete a survey utilizing four indicators: stress reduction, pain reduction, emotional well being, and spiritual well-being and to document perceived effectiveness of Healing Touch treatment utilizing scale of 1-10 with the following qualifiers. The results for the stress variable were that all (n=20) participants reported a decrease in stress following treatment. For those that had sought treatment for pain reduction all responses indicated decrease in pain following treatment. Emotional well-being was improved and increased spiritual well-being was reported by all but one of the subjects.

E

Engebretson, J./ Wardell, D.W. Energy-based modalities. Nursing Clinics of North America 2007, 42(2), 243-59, vi.
    This is a review article on that summaries the research on touch therapies.  The authors conclude that the research is still in the early stages of development even though studies of Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch, and Reiki are quite promising. At this point in time, they can only suggest that these healing modalities have efficacy in reducing anxiety; improving muscle relaxation; aiding in stress reduction, relaxation, and sense of well-being; promoting wound healing; and reducing pain. The multidimensional aspects of healing inherent in patient care continue to be expanded and facilitated by our understanding and application of energy therapies.

Eschiti, V.S. Journey into chaos:  Quantifying the human energy field [Practice column].  Visions:  The Journal of Rogerian Nursing Science 2006, 14(1), 50-57.
    In this article a history of the human energy field is provided and reviewed from a cultural perspective.  The current status of instrumentation is reviewed that supports the measurement of the human energy field.  Although many of these measures are indirect they do show promise.  More specific measurements are being developed but are still theoretical in nature.  The possibility exists that direct measurement of the field might provide for more advanced research designs to identify the results and implications of using energy therapies.

Eschiti, V.S. A light in the darkness: Rogers’ Science of Unitary Human Beings in 21st century practice. Visions 2004, 12(1), 50-53.
    Dr. Eschiti  identifies ways in which to address the measurement of the human energy field.  She moves from the intuitive to the factual in this account.  The importance of quantification are identified as being able to determine differences and effectiveness both in managing illness and in preventing disease as well as provide evidence to support its existence.  Her personal journey of meeting with physicists and other experts in the field who are also searching is recounted.  The most important thing she learns is that the most potent healing energies are those that are the most ethereral (i.e. love and compassion).

F

Forbes, M.A./ Rust, R./ Becker, G.J. Surface Electromyography (EMG) Apparatus as a Measurement Device for Biofield Research: Results from a Single Case. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2004, 10(4), 617-626.
    The objective of this study was to determine if surface electromyography (EMG) equipment was capable of detecting electrical signals that can be used in Healing Touch and other biofield therapies to measure outcomes. One subject (a member of the research team) was used as their own control. Resting state data was compared to data collected during a specific Healing Touch (HT) intervention. Electrodes were attached to the back of the subject at eight acupoints. A 0-65 Hz frequency spectrum was obtained from the surface EMG apparatus. An averaged baseline, "resting state" frequency spectrum was definable for the subject that was stable with time for signal strengths >0 dB. When the HT practitioner attuned with the subject, higher frequency components of the spectrum increased in amplitude, peaked, then decreased throughout the intervention. The conclusions were that the surface EMG apparatus has the potential as a measurement device for biofield research.

Forsman, S. The Healing Touch Experience in Elderly Home Care Clients. (Abstract), Healing Touch International Survey, Lakewood, CO. Healing Touch International, Inc.  2002 (Data-based). Q
This qualitative study described the experiences of elderly home care clients who received Healing Touch. Five participants over the age of sixty-five were asked to describe their physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual experiences in response to Healing Touch. The interviews revealed several common themes: a) openness and willingness to try an alternative to traditional Western medical care, b) viewing Healing Touch as complementary to existing medical care, and c) recommendations that others try Healing Touch. Reported physical, emotional, mental and spiritual experiences were favorable and congruent with existing research.

G

Gangloff, J. The science and controversy behind touch therapies. Cure 2005, 4(1), 9-15.
    A review of some of the publications and evidence to support Healing Touch and other energy based therapies is contrasted with the belief that if it can’t be measured it doesn’t exist.  The need for evidence is addressed and a number of studies is reviewed which demonstrate potential benefits for these therapies.  How to select a qualified practitioner is identified.  Healing Touch International, Inc is included along with other energy therapies as a place to go to receive more information.

Geddes, N. The experience of personal transformation in healing touch practitioners: A heuristic study. Healing Touch Newsletter 1999, 9(3), 5.
   This is a report of a doctoral dissertation that explored the experience of personal transformation while offering Healing Touch.  The experience was described as a journey, not a destination, a process of making changes in all facets of life based on a perception of the self as a unitary, spiritual, self-caring and self-nurturing individual. Although each individual’s story of personal transformation was unique, structural themes and core qualities emerged that were common to all of a perceived immediate “rightness” of the experience of Healing Touch despite mixed entree; unanticipated personal implications and a new lens through which to view one’s life and circumstances.

Gehlhaart, C./ Dail, P. Effectiveness of Healing Touch and Therapeutic Touch on elderly residents of long-term care facilities on reducing pain and anxiety levels. Healing Touch Newsletter 2000, 0(3), 8.  Also, Forbes, M.A./ Gelhaart, C./ Schmid, M.M. The Effect of Healing Touch on Pain and Mood in Institutionalized Elders. Unpublished manuscript.
This research project in 2000 involved the use of Healing Touch (HT) and Therapeutic Touch (TT) with elderly residing in a long-term care setting. The experimental group each received one treatment per week consisting of a 20-30 minute session of HT/TT techniques. Pre and post assessment of pain, emotional feelings to provide an anxiety rating (nervous, tense, happy, worried), pulse and respiration were conducted. The control group received a weekly assessment using the same tools for self-rating of pain and emotional scoring, but no treatment. Overall, HT reduced pain by 50% (p = .00). Effect on mood, pulse and respirations was not clinically significant. HT practitioners with more experience elicited the best results. It was also interesting to note that while the majority of participants, on initial assessment, felt somewhat doubtful that the treatment might help them, the overwhelming majority did indeed achieve significant effect.

Gilbert, N/ Goldberg, M. Use of Healing Touch Energy Therapy in Improving the Quality of Life Among the Dying. Paper presented at the 6th Annual Healing Touch International Conference, Denver, Colorado, 2002. (Data-based).
Individuals who were involved with the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care of St Joseph, Marshall, and Elkhart counties in Indiana were participants in this study. Healing Touch was done in their homes. Specific outcomes monitored during the study were 1) quality of life, 2) physical symptoms, and 3) spiritual meaning. The study enrolled 55 subjects randomized to a Healing Touch group or standard care group. The results showed improvement in the Healing Touch group with decrease in physical symptoms and less change in physical functioning over time as compared to worsening in the control group. Those in the Healing Touch group showed no change in interpersonal relationships whereas the standard group showed slightly more difficulty. The transcendent and well being domains were more improved in the standard group. The Healing Touch group reported increased relaxation, increased relief of pain, spiritual benefit, increased calmness and improved breathing. Q

H

Hibdon, Sharon S. Biofield considerations in cancer treatment. Seminars in oncology nursing 2005, 21(3), 196-200.
This article by Dr. Sharon Hibdon is in a professional journal that specifically deals with oncology or cancer nursing.  The information in the article includes a review of the major biofield therapies.  There is a detailed account on Healing Touch, including certification, and how it is used in cancer care.  In order to understand how Healing Touch can be used with someone undergoing cancer treatment there is a case illustration with a breast cancer patient.  Healing Touch is used before treatment and surgery to prepare the woman.  It is also used to decrease side effects of treatment and to aid in healing from the initial surgery and a second surgery for insertion of breast implants.

Hover-Kramer, D. Healing Touch: A Guidebook for Practitioners. Delmar Publishers: Albany, NY 2001.
This is the second edition of the Healing Touch textbook that is provided through this nursing seminar series.  It includes chapters by Janet Mentgen and Dorothea Hover-Kramer who were involved in establishing the Healing Touch program through the American Holistic Nurses Association.  Other authors contribute information on energy fields and research.  Many of the basic Healing Touch techniques are included and how to perform them are identified with figures. Self care is highlighted by Janet Mentgen.

K

Kelley, M. Strategies for innovative energy-based nursing practice: The Healing Touch program. American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses (SCI Nursing) 2002, 19(3), p.117-24.
Professional knowledge practice and educational opportunities at a veterans’ hospital in Hampton, Virginia are described.  The use of Healing Touch is recommended to nurses who work with spinal cord injured individuals to increase patient satisfaction and improve outcomes.  A theoretical model for care is provided based on Watson’s model and nursing diagnoses are explored related to energy therapies.

Kemper, K./ Larrimore, D./ Dorzier, J./ Woods, J. Electives in complementary medicine: are we preaching to the choir? Explore 2005, 1(6), 453-458.
This research study was conducted at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina for medical students concerning an elective on Healing Touch and Therapeutic Touch. The course was more popular with women. All participants in the course felt that being centered and compassionate was very important. The evaluation of students in this course compared to non-enrollers found that these students were no more likely than their classmates to believe it was important to be centered and to extend compassion. The conclusion of this evaluative research project was that it was felt that offering electives on HT/TT was not “preaching to the choir”.

King, R. / Guarneri, M. Open mind and heart.  Spirituality in Health 2005, 8(5), 12-13.
A story of a heart transplant patient is presented by this cardiologist team.  The patient had a damaged heart from a viral infection and was unsure if she wanted to have the life saving transplant.  After receiving a Healing Touch session she agreed to the surgery and healed well afterwards. 

Kissinger, J./ Kaczmarek, L. Healing Touch and fertility: A case report. The Journal of Perinatal Education 2006, 15(2), 13-20.
Jeanette Kissinger a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner, and Lori Kaczmarek, MBA, BS wrote this report that includes both the practitioners and the client’s perspective about the use of Healing Touch for assisting with a natural conception and providing support throughout pregnancy.  The basic structure was provided by Healing Touch and additional techniques used included Energy Medicine, affirmations, and reflexology.  The client reported deep relaxation and calming that left her feeling refreshed and re-energized.  She concluded that Healing Touch helped her prepare her mind and body to be able to conceive naturally and to have a healthy pregnancy.

Kluny, R. Beyond technology: Nursing care and healing in the NICU, Journal of Exceptional Human Experience 1996, 13(1), 37-40.
Rita Kluny is a practitioner and instructor who has worked extensively with children for more than decade with the energy work.  This article describes the effects of using energy work with a 2 day old infant in the intensive care unit who was born prematurely with physical health challenges.  Her energetic perceptions are described in relation to the baby’s condition.

Krucoff, M.W./ Crater, S.W./ Gallup, D./ Blankenship, J.C./ Cuffe, M./ Guarneri, M./ Krieger, R.A./ Kshettry, V.R./ Morris, K./ Oz, M./ Pichard, A./ Sketch, M.H. Jr./ Koenig, H.G./ Mark, D./ Lee, K.L. Music, imagery, touch, and prayer as adjuncts to interventional cardiac care: the Monitoring and Actualisation of Noetic Trainings (MANTRA) II randomised study. Lancet 2005. Jul 16-22, 366(9481), 211-7.
This research study was a follow up study and utilized a multi-centre, prospective trail of prayer and a combination of music, imagery and Healing Touch.  The study enrolled 748 patients prior to cardiac intervention and they received either off-site intercessory prayer or no prayer and then further placed into groups that received music, imagery and Healing Touch (MIT) or standard therapy. There was no significant difference between the groups for in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events or 6-month readmission and death in any treatment comparison.  Mortality at 6 months was lower with MIT therapy than with no MIT therapy. The no MIT therapy group had significantly higher self reported distress before the procedure which might have accounted for this difference.

Krucoff, M.W./ Crater, S.W./ Green, C.L./ Massa, A.C./ Seskevich, J.E./ Lane, J.D./ Loeffler, K.A./ Morris, K./ Mashore, T.M./ Koenig, G. Integrative noetic therapies as adjuncts to percutaneous intervention during unstable coronary syndromes: Monitoring and Actualization of Noetic Training (MANTRA) feasibility pilot. American Heart Journal 2001, 142(5), 760-7.
In this research study a randomized controlled trail of noetic healing interventions (Healing Touch, prayer, meditation, education) was conducted with 150 patients undergoing angioplasty. Patients received stress management, Healing Touch (chakra connection), guided imagery, or prayer before surgery. There was a 25-30% absolute reduction in adverse peri-procedural outcomes in patients treated with any noetic therapy compared with standard therapy. The lowest absolute complication rates were observed in patients assigned to off-site prayer. In those with a high level of anxiety noetic therapies appeared to show greater reduction in absolute in-patient complication rates compared with standard therapy.

L

Leslie, M.E. Healing Touch: An integrative breast cancer solution. Bountiful Health, Oct/Nov., JNE Publishing Co., Inc. 2003, 24-25.
This is a personal account of how Healing Touch was used by the author for managing the side effects of breast surgery.  She tells of the remarkable benefits she received that included no bleeding, no bruising and no pain after the surgery.  She then goes on to describe the pre and post operative care of a friend with breast cancer and the benefits she received from Healing Touch.  A short review of the literature follows on the research conducted using Healing Touch with breast cancer.

M

Mettner, J. (2005). The healing touch. Minnesota Medicine 2005, 88(1), 11-12. www.mmaonline.net/publications/MNMed2005/January/Pulse.html
This is part of the news digest for this medical journal.  In the section on Healing Touch it is described for use in the emergency room.  It describes the experience of working with a woman with migraines who was a frequent visitor to the emergency room department and how her referral to a Healing Touch provider decreased her visits.  The article goes on to explore how complementary therapies are being used within the system and some of the concerns about evidenced based practice and placebo effects.

Merritt, P. Effects of Healing Touch and other complementary therapies on diabetes. (Abstract). Healing Touch International Research Survey. Lakewood CO: Healing Touch International, Inc. (Data-based). RES
A combination of Healing Touch, massage, and reflexology were tested in diabetic patients. Fingerstick blood sugar tests and biofeedback measures were obtained pre and post treatment. There was a 70% decrease in blood sugar (when using combined therapies) by 38 points and 77% of the subjects receiving Healing Touch had warming of their hands by biofeedback estimation, which suggests improved circulation.

Merritt, P/ Randall, D. The effect of healing touch and other forms of energy work on cancer pain. [Abstract]. Healing Touch International Research Survey. Lakewood CO: Healing Touch International, Inc., 2002. [Data-based]. RES

Moreland., [Layte] K. (1998). The lived experience of receiving the chakra connection of women with breast cancer who are receiving chemotherapy: A phenomenological study. Healing Touch Newsletter 1998, 8(3), 3-5.
This research study explored the experience of receiving the chakra connection in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer and compared these themes to those in the Therapeutic Touch literature. The six participants were asked to: “describe your experience of receiving the touch therapy. Share your thoughts, perceptions and feelings about the experience with as much detail as possible”. The women received Healing Touch during intravenous chemotherapy. Overall, the experience was holistic and caring. It was reported to alter the participants’ perception of self, time and the environment. This facilitated “getting through” the experience of the intravenous chemotherapy.

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