The Power of Touch

by Phyllis K. Davis

In the revised edition of her exciting book, The Power of Touch, Phyllis K. Davis explores the human need to touch and be touched--and how America's cultural taboos have made us a touch-starved nation. Phyllis shares important insights on physical contact, not only as a biological need, but also as a language that communicates love more powerfully than words. Thought provoking and inspiring, The Power of Touch examines the catastrophic effects on individuals not nurtured by loving touch. People deprived of this kind of touch often exhibit compulsive overeating, restlessness, drug abuse, promiscuity, and workaholism. Even more shocking--singles deprived of touch have a death rate five times higher than their married counterparts. Phyllis also refutes the myth that picking up crying infants spoils them and stresses the role being physically nurtured as babies plays in becoming well-adjusted adults. To help the reader learn how to bring more touch into their lives, Phyllis includes a chapter of touching exercises and ideas. "Without touch, a baby dies, the human heart aches, and the soul withers. Touch is communication on the most basic THE POWER OF TOUCH is about the language of love spoken through physical contact. The need for touch is a necessity throughout our lives, from birth to death, which serves to sustain us emotionally and physically. She discusses how touch can improve relationships of all kinds-parent/child, man/woman, friend/friend-help heal the body, and open the heart to a deeper love. She provides insights into the role of touch in infant health, sexual satisfaction, well-being of the elderly, and she suggests a number of activities and exercises that will make touching a delightful and valuable tool in your life. In this wonderful book, author Phyllis K. Davis teaches you about the role of touch in healing, infant care, raising children, developmental psychology, lovemaking, old age, and friendship. The message is Open your heart, reach out, and touch those you care about. If you are a friend, parent, massage therapist, teacher, lover, grandparent, caretaker, health-care professional--or just a compassionate human being--you will learn how even the briefest and simplest forms of touch influence your behavior and enrich the lives of those sharing your world." Were you raised in a "non-touching" atmosphere? Is your "inner hunger" really a yearning for touch? Do you know what your touching "taboos" are? Do you wish you could feel more comfortable touching others or being touched? Are you fulfilling your loved one's need for touch? Would you like to learn how touching influences behavior and how it could enrich your daily? Read the Power of Touch.

Genres: Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1990

Reviews

[Roland Curit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes I read books to learn. Other times, I read books to validate what I already feel to be true. “The Power of Touch” offered both.

I am a massage therapist, a hugger, and as one of my close friends likes to say, “a very tactile person.” We all crave touch when we are young. Newborns need to be held. Toddlers love to have their backs rubbed. Children clamor to sit on their parents’ laps. But as our age increases, the number of daily physical interactions decreases – enforced by societal norms rather than genetics.
We are gifted with five senses. The pleasure of touch should be no more taboo than the pleasure of a good meal. Or the smell of a rose. Or the sound of rain. Or the beauty of a sunrise. And yet, hugging your colleague at work is often discouraged. Society enforces boundaries on physical touch, dampening our desire until we forget how wonderful it used to be. The author notes, “Perhaps our touching needs become stronger, more urgent, or we think as we age that we have ‘permission’ to touch without being misunderstood. Maybe as we become older we find the wisdom and courage to attempt to satisfy our needs.”

Touch deprivation is a real thing. Not everyone has a loving partner. Not everyone has caring friends. “How sad for the millions of human beings who would give anything to have what one person’s beloved cat or dog gets in the loving and touching department – even for one day.” Davis cites the four primary benefits of touching: biological, communicative, psychological, and social. When most people think of massage, they remember how good their body felt afterwards – the biological benefits. But very few stop to consider other three: like the psychological benefits of body acceptance, the communicative benefits of building trust, and the social benefits of bonding with another person. As a massage therapist, I have the opportunity to bring all four to the table.

Pleasure aside, our bodies need human physical contact for wellness. Studies have shown that infants who receive sufficient bodily contact have fewer illnesses throughout childhood. And a life insurance company in Germany reported that “men who kiss their wives every morning live five years longer, earn 20-25 percent more money, lose half as much time at work, and have fewer accidents.” Even if that wasn’t true, why risk it?

Caring and nurturing touch releases a hormone called oxytocin, sometimes referred to as the love hormone. It is released when a mother breastfeeds her child. It is released when a person receives a massage. It is released when you hug your friend. The late family therapist, Virginia Satir was once quoted “We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” It is my wish to grow very old – so 12 hugs, it is.

Phyllis Davis’s words have reinforced a belief that my path to continued wellness is paved with the power of touch.

[Ariane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book. I might have to read it again to absorb the information.

[Ciska Gricius · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful reminder of how much we need to touch and be touched

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really interested in the topic of touch, and had heard this book is the ultimate resource on the topic - but it was hard to read. The author's writing didn't flow for me, and it seemed to be repetitive on some points and lacking in information/explanation on others. I still liked it because of what I learned, but in the end I was just trying to get through the writing so the book wouldn't be left half read.

[Ashley Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I moved to Georgia I realized for the first time in my life the true power of touch. I started researching touch and the effects on people and this book provided great information.
Try going one week without touching a single soul- person or animal. Then, everyday for a week give someone a hug.

Notice the differences in your mood between the two weeks...

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading Ashley Montagu, this book seems a little repetitive. And the whole part about energy and ions went right over my head. However, there are very few books on this topic at all, so any book is going to have something to contribute. I enjoyed her descriptions of how her students responded to touch, and how touch is still taboo in Western societies.

[A. Kuhlii · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very important topic.

[Heather Umberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A review of touch and its beneficial effects from birth to death.