By: Donna Marie Adams, RN, OCN, HTCP

It was a time in my life that I knew some day would come, but was not prepared for it to happen so soon. My mother, Helen Ryckman, who suffered from emphysema for years, was admitted to the hospital for the last time for care.

I flew home to South Florida as soon as I got the word that I was needed. That was Friday. I struggled with the idea of having a talk with my siblings about hospice and prayed that the conversation would go well. I say this as I had to have the same conversation 7 years before when my father passed away and they couldn't embrace the talk. Needless to say, it was a difficult time then.

I arrived at the hospital and my younger sister, Mollie, was there and told me that we had a meeting with the hospice nurses at 230 that afternoon. I took a deep breath and thanked the Universe for stepping in at a difficult time.

I entered Momma's room and my niece, Kourtni was there with her. I kissed Momma on her forehead and immediately started to do a Chakra Connection while Kourtni watched me. She didn't ask any questions, just watched as I did the work. Afterwards, she said "That was Healing Touch wasn't it." I replied yes, and she thanked me and said she thought Nanna looked peaceful. I was able to be with my mother for the next hour and a half alone and spoke to her and let her know that we would all be okay. She was not in a conscious state but I knew she could hear me speaking to her. I assured her that she could transition and be with my dad, my two older brothers and my husband and all of her family that she had lost in life. Read more. 

Jean Watson, Founder and Director of WCSI and the prestigious network of interdisciplinary faculty of WCSI, is known worldwide for Caring Science, Transpersonal Caring Theory and transformative approaches to education, practice, research and administrative health care practices. She is also known for her academic standing as Distinguished Professor Emerita and Dean Emerita at University of Colorado College of Nursing where she held the nation's first endowed Chair in Caring Science. Jean is also known for her prolific scholarly publications, books, videos, CDs and presentations on Caring Science and Caring Theory around the world. Jean reminds us that Healing Touch can be a way forward in helping to integrate caring concepts such as intentionality, consciousness, energy of love, authentic presence and healing hands. We might remember the powerful image of Mother Teresa's famous film of holding her hands over a distressed child and witnessing the child relax into love. Jean has said that Healing Touch is a manifestation of her work, which is exemplified in the newly launched HTP Healing Touch Integrative Care Program (HTICP) manual, which is endorsed by Jean and designed to implement Healing Touch in the clinical setting. This growing alliance between WCSI and HTP might well lead to creative emergences, such as using WCSI hospital affiliate caring criteria for developing a WCSI Caring Science HTICP Prime Program and WCSI Designated Caring Centers for the integration of caring and Healing Touch in clinical settings.

All great masters are constantly learning and adding to their knowledge. They never tire of learning more about their subject; this is why they are the masters. HTP continuously offers the opportunity to increase your knowledge of Healing Touch.

September 27 - 29, 2013 in Winnetka, IL

• To practice beginning and advanced communication skills in a Healing Touch session.
• To identify energetic interactions and patterns, including Character Defense* responses. (*We all communicate in ways that reveal our own patterns. When stressed or threatened we resort to basic protective patterns which we adopted long ago. These patterned responses are often outdated and ineffective. Knowing what our basic defense posture is assists us to stop the impulsive behavior and allows us to alter our acts.)
• o identify individual energetic defense patterns.
• To formulate effective therapeutic responses based upon energetic, cognitive and emotional information.
• To assist client self-discovery and planning for desired changes.
• To holistically use the self to assist others while maintaining detachment.