Neuroaffective Touch™

NeuroAffective Touch is the work of Aline LaPierre, and highlights the primary role of the body in therapy to help with symptoms arising early in life that cannot be reached just by talking.

Path through Bamboo

NeuroAffective Touch™

Aline LaPierre developed NeuroAffective Touch after many years of seeing the disconnection between mind and body in her clients.

She noticed that the relationship between mind and body for many people is often unfriendly and disrespectful. These adversarial mind-body states often arise in early childhood, where the caregivers were mistuned, or neglectful of the infant’s needs or frightening to the child. The developing mind tries to make sense of the situation, and years later that story can override the deeper level of the body’s experience.

Restoring this mind-body connection through NeuroAffective Touch helps people to come back into their centre and experience the wholeness and vitality that arises from that state of integration.

NAT is a psychobiological approach, informed by polyvagal theory, as well as somatic psychotherapy, attachment theory and neuroscience. The term ‘neuro’ in NeuroAffective Touch refers to the intimate connection between our sense of touch and the central nervous system; while ‘affective’ recognises the deep emotional resonance that this work can have.

NeuroAffective Touch is especially helpful for adults who have experienced early childhood trauma including attachment trauma, and all kinds of developmental trauma and neglect. A common factor in childhood trauma is touch – either intrusive and unwanted touch (for example being hit), or the absence of a kind of touch that was developmentally important and was not provided by the carers (for example rocking or cuddling of an infant).

This approach is subtle, gentle and can be deeply transformative. Options for care include the restful ‘Nurture Surround’ technique, touch work (or self-contact if you prefer) and gentle yet specific exercises to calm any hypervigilance in the senses of sight and hearing.

Aline LaPierre

Aline LaPierre is the author of several books including ‘Healing Developmental Trauma’ which she co-wrote with Laurence Heller.

Find out more:
neuroaffectivetouch.com

“By highlighting the primary role of the body and emphasizing its equal importance to the mind, NeuroAffective Touch™ addresses emotional, relational, and developmental deficits that cannot be reached by verbal means alone”
Aline LaPierre

Aline LaPierre