Therapeutic touch: nursing activity or form of spiritual healing?

There is a major movement in nursing which is exploring the part that a wide range of complementary therapies can play in expanding the therapeutic role of the nurse. Courses have been developed that will enable nurses to apply these skills to their daily practice (Faltermeyer 1995). Therapeutic Touch (TT) is being advocated as one such therapy, primarily developed and researched by nurses for nurses (Sayre-Adams & Wright 1995). Early writings and thinking on TT speak of origins in the ancient practice of the 'laying on of hands'; the purpose of which was and is to 'heal or encourage healing in a sick person' (Krieger 1979). Its application in practice can be helped or hindered by this statement since this might be interpreted as spiritual healing, a term which can be confusing, open to misinterpretation and can spark controversy.