My chronological age, not to be announced, places me at the inception of the “Me” genera­tion, which could have catapulted me into a life of ease. A workday assessing the cacao content of bon bons followed by a chauffer-driven excur­sion to the mall to buy yet another pair of vital black shoes. Unfortunately, I did not read the small print – “Me” came to mean if there is a hole, fill it, even if it is in someone else’s backyard; a job incomplete, a need, problem, or emotion to assuage; it is my job. Being a “Caretaker” is similar to being the “vacuumer,” the vacuum, and the electric charge, all at once. You end up ex­hausted and pick up “stuff” that was not yours in the first place.

It seems like both yesterday – and a very long time ago – that I received a telephone call from my friend, Dinny Riegel, insisting that I attend a workshop in Gainesville, Florida. Two and a half years earlier I had moved from Illinois to North Carolina, but before leaving NC, I had learned about energy healing from Alan Mesher. I had shared this new knowledge with Dinny and Jan Shepardson. All of us were blown away by the work and wanted to learn more. In 1989, I had just finished massage school and opened a private practice when the call came from Dinny. She and Jan had just returned from a pilot workshop for a new program called Healing Touch and were determined that I would go to the first “official” Level 1 class to be held outside of Colorado – the very next weekend! Dinny even insisted on paying my tuition. How could I say no?? I met Dinny’s daughter, Dory, on the way, and off we went to Gainesville.

Originally published in Energy Magazine: The official Publication of the Healing Touch Program March issue. Nicholas Brady is a Healer. by Walle Adams-Gerdts, HTCP, Healing Touch Instructor

Because my time in nature is such an important part of my daily life and spiritual practice, I feel a natural synchronization between what is happening in nature and how it reflects into my personal and vocational life. Healing Touch is obviously a large part of this chapter of my life’s work in the world. After experiencing the death of our dear founder, Janet Mentgen, almost five years ago, HTP for a few months initially experienced a sort of organizational winter…a stillness… a time of inner reflection….a pause of growth…a time of waiting…. the necessity of going within, like sitting in front of a candle on a winter’s night and contemplating “What is the quality of the light within us and how can we express it?”

Originally published in Energy Magazine: The official Publication of the Healing Touch Program December 09′/January 10′ Issue. The Global Coherence Initiative By Annette Deyhle, PhD and Rollin McCraty, PhD

As many people are saying, humanity has reached a critical juncture in the early years of the 21st century and we are on the threshold of enormous social, spiritual and cultural changes. Our material-driven world has resulted in great discord, economic instability, war, violence, crime, overpopulation, food and water shortages, and envi­ronmental pollution and destruction.

For the past two decades we have been transitioning out of nationally-based industrial societies and cultures into an inter­connected, information-based global economy and to some extent a global society in which cultures with long-held values and customs often collide.

Evidence suggests this transition will continue to be difficult. The global financial crisis that began in 2008 and is still being felt — sent shock waves around the world. It is clear that much of the human race remains stuck in a cycle of social and eco­nomic oppression, warfare, cultural intolerance and disregard for the environment.

Breaking this cycle is the greatest challenge our species has ever faced and requires a shift in human consciousness. The Global Coherence Initiative (GCI) founded in the summer of 2008 by the nonprofit Institute of HeartMath,www.heartmath.org, has brought together noted scientists, researchers and leaders in many fields, and is working with and alongside people from every corner of the world to help facilitate this shift. The Global Coherence Initiative is a science-based initiative to unite millions of people in heart-focused care and intention to shift global consciousness from instability and discord to bal­ance, cooperation and enduring peace.

Originally published in Energy Magazine: The official Publication of the Healing Touch Program December 09′/January 10′ Issue.  Greetings from Cynthia Hutchison; Healing Touch Program Director

 Dear Readers,

December 2009 marks the close of our 20th Anniversary year. We are now beginning our 21st year, a new decade of orga­nizational maturity. Healing Touch has received worldwide professional recognition for its contributions to body-mind-spirit health and well being accomplished through the heart-centered practices of thousands of HT practitioners, students and instructors. Consumers are asking for it; health care facilities are realizing how HT and related holistic-integrative practices enhance the health and happiness of clients, patients and staff; and practitioners of HT testify to the benefits of practice in terms of personal and professional inner development and ful­fillment. Scientists who research HT, energy medicine and con­sciousness/intentionality are validating the reality and benefits of energy medicine practices. We are living in exciting times!

In honor of bringing HTP’s 20th anniversary celebration to a close, we would like to share with you a list of an overview of some of the accomplishments achieved over the years…

Originally published in Energy Magazine: The official Publication of the Healing Touch Program November Issue. Greetings from Cynthia Hutchison Healing Touch Program Director

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the November issue of Energy Magazine! Healing Touch Program is wrapping up the last two months of 2009 with more exciting news! As you know, this year is HTP’s 20th Anniversary celebration year. We committed to making it a memorable year and it has been. I am happy to announce that the new Healing Touch Guidebook: Practicing the Art and Sci­ence of Human Caring is completed and available for purchase (see the ad on page 16). We have received numerous endorse­ments for the book, including the following leaders in holistic 

health, nursing and energy medicine: Jean Watson, Barbara Dossey, Janet Quinn, Lucia Thornton, Bob Nunley, Robert Scaer, Rob Ivker, Barbara Stone, Gregory Nicosia and Larry Stoler. We expect this book, whose author is Dorothea Hover-Kramer, a founding elder of Healing Touch, to be a wonderful ambassador for Healing Touch around the world. Other authors include James Oschman, Sharon Scandrett-Hibdon, Kathy Layte, Sister Rita Jean Dubrey and me. This text was a labor of love and celebration and is a very current, reader friendly  comprehensive overview of Healing Touch. 

Originally published in Energy Magazine: The official Publication of the Healing Touch Program November Issue. Healing Touch Program comes to Mission Hospital Part 2: Ways and Means by Anne Boyd, MDiv., HTCP/I, DALF/I

Along with other related modalities, Healing Touch Program is now a vital part of Mission Hospital‘s Integrative Health Care Program. Healing Touch was chosen because it is the only energy program that is standardized to satisfy the Joint Commission (Regulatory Board for Hospitals). The director and staff of Integra­tive Health Care are Board Certified Holistic Nurses. The Medical Director for the program is Dr. Danna Park.  Under Director Lourdes Lorenz, Mission’s Integrative Health Care Program is designed to:

1. Educate and support nurses and staff through retreats, presentations, and classes.

2. Educate the public through lectures and introductory classes.

3. Implement therapies within the hospital system through Pilot Programs and “on-call” services.

Originally published in Energy Magazine: The official Publication of the Healing Touch Program April 2009  issue.  A Healing, Caring Circle for Seniors
by Bernardine A. Clarke “Bernie,” MS, RN, HTCP/I, FAAN

It’s Tuesday afternoon about three-fifteen and we begin to gather in a large room with chairs forming a circle. By three-thirty there are 10 to 20 seniors from our retirement community present plus some Healing Touch people from the wider community and we begin by sharing our current joys and concerns—a new grandchild, a 60th wedding anniversary, an aching knee or shoulder, or an upcoming surgery. As we settle I lower the lights, start meditative music and we begin by balancing the energy field and centers, then extending our hand toward the center of the circle to send healing energy to those named in word or in thought. By this time it is about three-forty-five and we focus on bringing healing energy to our concerns of the day. 

Our group is fluid and often we have a new member who comes with a friend or on their own to see what we are about. Emphasis
after meditation is focused on energy treatments related to what the individuals bring to the circle. Physical aches and pains usually respond to voice guided Basic Healing Touch Sequence using Magnetic Clearing, Ultrasound, and/or Pain Drain. Mind Clearing is often selected if the entire group seems upset by some recent happening such as 911 which occurred on a Tuesday
morning in 2001. That day we all arrived in great stress, concerned about what was to those happening those involved.

Originally published in Energy Magazine: The official Publication of the Healing Touch Program March Issue  Magic Hands by RIta Kluny