Honoring the Complexity of Care

We are a nonprofit working to advance standards for therapeutic touch within collaborative healthcare. Through education, research, and interdisciplinary partnership, we support care models where touch works alongside medicine, rehabilitation, and supportive services to improve comfort, dignity, and quality of life.

Individuals living with chronic illness, neurological conditions, trauma, and age-related decline are often underserved by conventional care models that prioritize speed over presence. Therapeutic touch, when delivered safely and clinically, can reduce pain, improve function, calm the nervous system, and restore dignity—yet it remains underutilized in serious medical and supportive care.

The Touch Institute exists to change that.

Therapeutic Touch

as a Care Model

We advance therapeutic touch as a trauma-informed, evidence-guided care model focused on discernment, safety, and collaboration. Our work explores how touch can support comfort, dignity, and quality of life when thoughtfully integrated alongside medical and rehabilitative care.

Education & Clinical Insight

We provide education and clinical insight that helps practitioners, caregivers, and organizations think more clearly about complex care. Our learning emphasizes sound judgment, referral awareness, documentation, and collaborative decision-making—not just techniques.

Research, Partnerships & Innovation

We collaborate with healthcare-adjacent organizations, community groups, and academic partners to explore outcomes, advance understanding, and support innovation in care for aging, trauma, and chronic conditions. Our work is grounded in learning together and improving how care is experienced.

Who We Serve

Our work is designed for individuals and communities often overlooked by traditional wellness models, including:

Older adults in senior living communities
Individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, dementia, and cognitive decline
Veterans and individuals with complex trauma
People receiving palliative or end-of-life care
Family caregivers navigating chronic stress and burnout

We also support the professionals and organizations who serve them — providing education, systems, and partnerships that improve outcomes and sustainability.