As I prepare for tomorrow’s defense of my field researched topic on Fathers massaging their infants I am again struck by how we are only just discovering the importance of touch. The skin is the largest organ in the Human Body. It provides a barrier to keep us safe from the elements and to screen out harm potential poisons and toxins from destroying us. The nerve endings in our skin also provides the pathways to the brain to deliver information about the outside world including the intent of another who touches us. These same nerve endings send information to the part of the brain which stimulates soothing and happy hormones. Why then do we continue to neglect touching others or allowing ourselves to be touched?
Since studying infant massage I have come to wonder why touch is not included in most most marriage and family therapy interventions and communication classes. Touch is clearly essential in human interactions.We already know that 90% of human communication is through non-verbal communication. If we perceive a difference between what someone tells us verbally and what their body language conveys mostly we can believe their body language. The only time this may not be true is when someone has been trained to control their body language to hide their inner experiences.
If you don’t read or watch anything else on this page READ AND WATCH this video!
Tiffany Field explains the research on Touch and describes the discussion that transpired after the CEO of Johnson and Johnson heard the story of her research. His thoughts about touch, “he felt that touch could save the world from war and disease.” He put a quarter of a million dollars into the development of the Touch Research Institute.
