NeuroAffective Touch Q&A with Dr. Aline LaPierre
This is Dr. LaPierre’s introductory presentation on NeuroAffective Touch®, the pioneering integrative approach she developed that bridges psychotherapy and the therapeutic use of touch to address developmental trauma and post-trauma growth.
1 hour 32 minutes
Topics Covered
00:00 – Introduction
Introduction to Dr. LaPierre, a practicing psychotherapist, somatic therapist, and bodywork practitioner.
04:57 – Somatic Contemplation
Aline leads a Somatic Contemplation®, exploring how to use touch to bring awareness to our natural breath and direct our internal awareness to specific body areas. The demonstration shows how NeuroAffective Touch can be practiced online and lays the groundwork for clients to understand the subtle dynamics of the body-mind connection.
13:43 – Foundational Principles of NeuroAffective Touch
This is an introduction to the core principles of NeuroAffective Touch. Aline explores the interconnectedness of the body’s multiple systems, challenges the traditional hierarchy of the mind‘s superiority to the body, and frames NeuroAffective Touch as a collaborative approach that honors both the evolutionary wisdom of the body and the meaning-making capacity of the mind.
45:50 – Working with Early Development
Touch work can heal early developmental patterns, including prenatal and infant experiences. Research shows that sensitivity to touch develops at 6 weeks of gestation. Aline explains how NeuroAffective Touch and the Nurture Surround technique address earliest trauma.
56:02 – The Emotional Body
The heart’s role in emotional regulation and healing is explored, along with the way emotional shocks impact our nervous system. Aline describes techniques that address these types of shocks. She distinguishes NeuroAffective Touch from Somatic Experiencing, explaining why both are important and can complement each other.
75:00 – Professional Implementation
A discussion of the practical aspects of incorporating NeuroAffective Touch into one’s professional work, including how to maintain appropriate boundaries while working with touch in therapeutic settings.
82:00 – Training Opportunities in 2025
Introduction to the 2025 NeuroAffective Touch training options, including in-person options in Los Angeles, USA, and London, UK, as well as an International Hybrid online/in-person option. The curriculum structure, prerequisites, and pathways for professional development are reviewed.
86:00 – Q&A Session
Aline answers audience questions about integrating NeuroAffective Touch with other modalities, working with highly sensitive clients, and other clinical applications. She provides detailed responses about integrating her work with Somatic Experiencing, how to titrate touch in healing cPTSD, and more.
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