O poder do Toque

by Phyllis K. Davis

Livro sobre relações humanas, sobre o toque.

Genres: Nonfiction

206 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.