NeuroAffective Touch® Therapy

Connection Begins with the Body

NeuroAffective Touch® is a somatic, trauma-informed approach that uses safe, respectful touch to support emotional regulation, attachment, and healing—especially when words aren’t enough.

For parents who are carrying stress, early trauma, or feeling disconnected from their body, this therapy helps restore a sense of safety, connection, and wholeness. It’s particularly supportive when caring for a child with complex needs or a history of trauma.

At Happy Senses, we recognise the body as a key part of healing—not just for children, but for the parents who care for them too.

 

NeuroAffective Touch® for Children

Helping Children Feel Safe in Their Bodies

Some experiences are too big for words. NeuroAffective Touch® is a trauma-informed, body-based therapy that uses safe, supportive touch to help children feel grounded, regulated, and more connected to themselves and others.

This approach is especially helpful for children who are neurodivergent or have experienced early stress or trauma. Through gentle co-regulation and attuned presence, we support the development of trust, safety, and emotional resilience.

At Happy Senses, we meet each child where they are—offering connection through the body, when words aren’t yet enough.

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What is NeuroAffective Touch?

NeuroAffective Touch (NATouch™) is a professional somatic training program designed to teach psychotherapists and bodyworkers how to use touch as a crucial tool for integrating the body and mind. It emphasizes the equal importance of the body alongside the mind, addressing emotional, relational, and developmental issues that verbal therapy alone may not reach.

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As a polyvagal-informed psychobiological approach, NeuroAffective Touch combines elements from somatic psychotherapy, attachment theory, developmental theory, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and affective and interpersonal neurobiology. The training aims to help psychotherapists develop the skills and confidence needed to incorporate body-centered interventions into their practice while guiding bodyworkers to build verbal and psychological competencies. This enables clients to connect their neurobiological states with a conscious understanding.

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Why Include the Body in Psychotherapy?

Mind and body are interconnected, influencing each other continuously. The body cannot be engaged without affecting the mind, and vice versa. NeuroAffective Touch supports the bidirectional flow of information between the brain-mind and the body, fostering a balanced connection.

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• Bottom-Up Processes: These refer to how bodily sensations and emotions impact the brain and mind. These processes are typically unconscious and involuntary. NATouch addresses these nonverbal, sensory experiences directly, communicating with the body in its natural language.

• Top-Down Processes: These involve how the brain interprets bodily signals and responds with conscious, deliberate actions.
   

To achieve holistic healing, both bottom-up and top-down processes must work together. Unlike traditional psychotherapy, which often prioritizes cognitive (top-down) processes, NeuroAffective Touch encourages an active partnership between mind and body, creating a balanced dialogue within the therapeutic process.

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How Does NeuroAffective Touch Differ from Traditional Bodywork?

Traditional bodywork techniques typically focus on physical relaxation, posture, and functional improvements through hands-on manipulation. However, bodyworkers are not generally trained to address the emotional and cognitive reactions that may arise from physical touch.

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NeuroAffective Touch, on the other hand, actively engages both mind and body. It works at a fundamental biological level by focusing on specific body layers—such as skin, connective tissue, muscles, the nervous system, and organs—while attuning to the body's natural rhythms and patterns. This mindful engagement helps clients become consciously aware of their bodily sensations, fostering a compassionate connection between mind and body.

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By integrating bottom-up touch with a cognitive (top-down) invitation for mental participation, NeuroAffective Touch helps clients understand how their thoughts, emotions, and physical experiences interact as a unified system.

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In particular, NATouch places special emphasis on addressing childhood emotional and relational trauma. By combining regulated neurobiological touch with a compassionate relational presence, therapists establish a therapeutic bond that offers a new relational pattern. This process helps repair developmental and attachment-related wounds, offering renewed hope and healing.