Introduction to the NeuroAffective Touch Foundation Training
with Dr. Aline LaPierre
In this online presentation, Dr. Aline LaPierre, the creator of NeuroAffective Touch®, provides an overview of her Foundation Training—a pioneering biopsychological approach to healing developmental trauma that bridges the divide between psychotherapy and the therapeutic use of touch.
Aline highlights the body’s intelligence and the need to address nonverbal experiences that cannot be reached through talk therapy or bodywork alone. She shares how the training focuses on fostering secure attachment, emotional well-being, and self-regulation through nurturing touch, somatic mindfulness, and polyvagal regulation.
75 minutes
Curious?
Learn more about the Foundation Training, read our Blog, or find a NeuroAffective Touch® Practitioner
Topics Covered
(00:00 – 10:40) Introduction to NeuroAffective Touch® and Body-Mind Integration
Aline presents NeuroAffective Touch® as an approach to healing developmental trauma that bridges psychotherapy and the therapeutic use of touch and emphasizes the importance of body-mind integration.
(10:40 – 22:52) Basic Principles & Differences between Shock Trauma and Developmental Trauma
Aline discusses the basic principles of NeuroAffective Touch®, including the primacy of the body’s intelligence, the need for an approach integrating bottom-up psychobiological input with top-down cognitive work, and the differences between shock and developmental trauma.
(22:52 – 34:51) Nurturing Touch and Body Awareness in Healing
Aline explains the various touch intentions in hands-on neuroaffective work, emphasizing the importance of nurturing and bodily awareness in healing developmental trauma.
(34:51 – 40:15) The Body’s Story is Different from the Mind’s
Aline addresses a few questions from audience members, commenting on how paying attention to the body allows the body’s story to emerge and how we can learn to decode that story.
(40:15 – 58:35) Overview of the NeuroAffective Touch® Learning Experience and the 4 Training Modules
Aline discusses the unique learning experiences of psychotherapists and body-centered practitioners in the training, then provides a curriculum overview of the four modules in the NeuroAffective Touch® Foundation Training, detailing each module’s focus and learning objectives.
- Module 1 focuses on nurturing prenatal and infant states, providing a foundation of trust and care.
- Module 2 explores the emotional body, addressing the primacy of the heart and the impact of stress on the digestive system.
- Module 3 centers on social engagement, resetting the ventral vagal system, and reclaiming the eyes, ears, and voice.
- Module 4 is an in-person touch intensive that integrates the learning of the first three modules through hands-on practice.
(58:35 – 1:03:12) Touch Protocol Example & Restoring the Heart Connection
Aline provides an example of a touch protocol and touches on how the training covers restoring heartfelt connection.
(1:03:12 -1:15:30 ) Gauging Client Readiness and Ethical/Legal Considerations
Aline addresses additional questions from participants, describing how warm Nurture-to-Heal pillows can provide the gentle presence of indirect touch for those not ready to be touched. She shares the legal and ethical considerations of incorporating touch in therapy, highlighting the need for further research and advocacy.
Learn more about the Foundation Training
