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Healthy Compassionate Touch Resources

Kate Mackinnon, PT | CST-D

Choose Love Extension Program: Compassionate Touch 

 

All the Choose Love videos on Compassionate Touch 

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Science papers

Hertenstein, Holmes, McCullough, and Keltner (2009) The communication of emotion via Touch Emotion Vol 9, No 4 566-573

 

K. L. Bales et al, (2018) Social touch during development: Long-term effects on brain and behavior, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 95, 202-219.

 

T. Field (2010) Touch for socioemotional and physical well-being: A review Developmental Review 30 367-338.  

 

McGlone, Wessberg, Olausson (2014 ) Discriminative and Affective Touch: Sensing and Feeling Neuron 82(4):737-55

Articles by Kate

"How healthy compassionate touch transforms," ACES Connections Blog, November 15, 2019

 

"Touch Matters: The Importance of Attuned and Compassionate Touch," Massage & Bodywork Magazine, March/April 2020

 

Blessing in disguise: How Covid-19 is bringing light to touch and consent, Sept. 7, 2020

Using touch as critical communication, Oct. 27, 2020

 

 

Podcasts with Kate
Episode 39: Kate Mackinnon on Creating Balance and Growth in Our New World, ChooSELove Movement Podcast, April 21, 2021

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“CHOOSE LOVE” W/ KATE MACKINNON," April 2nd, 2018 How's the Pressure podcast with Haley Winter

 

Articles

Choosing Love: What healthy touch has to so with school safety Massage Magazine by Seraine Page October 2018

 

The Power of Touch National Geographic June 2022

 

The Social Power of Touch Scientific American Mind July 2015

 

No hugging: are we living through a crisis of touch?—The Guardian March 17, 2018

 

Power of Touch  New Yorker March 4, 2015

 

Should teachers be allowed to touch students?  The Atlantic Jan 23, 2015 

 

Banning Hugs at School New York Times March 30, 2009

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Book

Compassionate Touch – I can Show You I Care by Susan Cotta

 

Videos

Healthy Compassionate Touch in the Classroom for Elementary students by Kate Mackinnon

 

Video made on the work of Jean Barlow, UK teacher who has been training teachers how to include touch in the classroom.  More information on Jean’s work can be found here.

 

Neuroscience of touch  Professor McGlone

 

The Touch-Brain Axis & the Premature Baby  Professor Francis McGlone

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