Introduction : Exploring touch / Thomas St. James O'Connor -- Part I. The theory of touch -- Touch deprivation and counselling as healing touch / Isaac Davis, Martin Rovers and Cassandra Petrella -- Thinking about touch / Richard Feist -- Contributions of sensory anthropology and Durand's anthropology to the symbolic study of touch and the understanding of boundaries in psychotherapy / Christian R. Bellehumeur and Jane Chambers -- Healing and the forbidden touch : a reflection on selected scripture stories / Karlijn Demasure -- Part II. The practice of touch in psychotherapy -- The intervention of touch in psychotherapy and trauma treatment / Patricia Berendsen -- A puppy's touch : destressing with dogs in a university environment / Kristine Lund -- Inter-partner touch in couple counselling : theory and emerging practice / Cassandra Petrella and Martin Rovers -- Part III. The practice of touch in a spectrum of practice -- The practice of laying on of hands in Islamic spiritual care / Nazila Isgandarova -- An angel in my pocket : touch, sacred objects, and spiritual coping / Linda Mayorga Miller -- Touch(ed) in palliative care nursing : moving with/in an uncertain practice / Lacie White and Christine McPherson -- Touch in supervision / Cynthia Bilodeau -- Part IV. The ethics of touch in the helping relationships and conclusion -- The ethics of touch in the helping relationships / Marilyn Guindon, Reesa Packard and Natalie Charron -- Conclusion : Issues of touch : an overall view and integration / Martin Rovers, Judith Malette and Manal Guirguis-Younger.

Inappropriate touch cases have sparked public outcry and made headlines, but a discussion on the importance and ethics of positive, caring, appropriate touch in the helping professions such as teaching, nursing and counselling is long overdue.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on September 11, 2018).