How to Easily Access Health and Wealth
- Aug 12
- 4 min read
Gilly Thomas is a leader in bodymind-body therapy. She is the founder of Somatic Affective Talk and Touch® (SATT®) and a practising bodymind therapist. Her book, Every Body Tells a Story, will be published in 2026.
Discover the power of touch. This resource is literally at your fingertips. In this article, you will learn why you should reach out and touch someone. Learn how to access your inner superpower and share it with friends and family.
What is human touch? Touch is simply the experience of skin-to-skin contact with another person.
What does touch do?
There is scientific evidence showing how touch increases health and well-being. A few seconds of friendly contact can release oxytocin, decrease cortisol, and impact the vagus nerve. What does this do? It reduces feelings of stress and anxiety because of lowered heart and breathing rates. This generates feelings of trust and bonding. In the food service industry, tip amounts increased when the server used light touch while waiting tables.
Integrity and respect are necessary when making contact with others. Intention is important because it helps us understand the emotional message behind touch. Be certain that your intention is clear before, during, and after contact. Not that there isn’t a place for sexual touch; there is, and it can be wonderful. It is simply that not all touch is sexual or has sexual intention.
An antidote to loneliness
We live in a sterile environment in North America. We are told to use antibacterial soap, which has contributed to superbugs; we are encouraged to wipe down shopping carts before we use them; and now we are being told not to touch other human beings. All of this has contributed to a lack of connection between people.
Why do you think a touchpad, phone, or device is so desirable? Because people long to touch and be touched. However, touch is the lost art of human connection in North America.
I remember when I was a kid at school and fell and hurt my knee, a teacher hugged me, rubbed my knee, and held my hand as he walked me, sobbing, to the sink to clean off the dirt. The touch was soothing, comforting, and calmed me down in a way that words could not.
I became a teacher, and my principal told me that I could not touch my students. “What?!” I asked incredulously. “Why?!”
He said, “Because it could be misinterpreted. It is for your own safety. Oh, and if you ever need to speak one-on-one to a student, leave the door open.”
What are the benefits of increasing touch?
In Psychology Today, Ray Williams identifies several reasons we need to increase touch: it decreases violence and disease, strengthens the immune system, and improves team dynamics. Connecting physically with another person in a platonic fashion increases nonsexual emotional intimacy and learning engagement.
Touch in other countries
I have travelled a great deal and discovered that other countries do touch; we could learn from them. People in the Mediterranean, Central America, and South America hold hands, put arms around each other’s shoulders, touch faces, or have a hand on a leg or arm whilst talking. Initially, it was a shock to experience; however, I soon grew to love the warm greetings and close engagement with relative strangers. The stories exchanged were full of emotion and richer through the connection of touch.
Why touch benefits communication
In 2009, Matthew Hertenstein conducted an experiment which found that people’s emotions are interpreted based on facial expression and body language. Researchers had not investigated tactile communication before his work. Hertenstein’s study concluded that people do communicate clearly through touch. Touch is, in fact, a form of clear communication, and you can choose what message you want to relay.
How to reach out and touch
Human touch is many things, and more often than not, it’s caring, supportive, and encouraging. Try it out with yourself and/or someone else this week.
Use your hands and connect to the world through touch. If you feel anxious or nervous, rub your hands together. Say hello and shake someone’s hand. While talking, reach out and touch the person you are speaking to. Hug a friend or family member and hold on for 10 seconds. Let yourself experience a world where touch is a subtle form of connection and communication.
A true story
Mary had been widowed 2 years prior. She felt lonely and isolated. Mary talked with people when she went about her errands in her small town, but ever since her husband had passed, she felt lost and alone. Then she learned how to reach out and touch someone. Mary went into a coffee shop where she had been many times before; however, this time she sat at a table with a stranger. She asked, “Can I hold your hand while we talk?” They talked for hours, and when Mary left, she felt differently. Mary did not feel alone; she was alive, connected, and happy.
How different would our lives and the world be if we allowed ourselves to touch and be touched?
Follow me on Facebook for more info!
Read more from Gilly Thomas
Gilly Thomas, Founder of Somatic Affective Talk and Touch®
Gilly Thomas, CRS, BEd, BA, is passionate about the effectiveness of holistic healing - using interpersonal mindfulness, present touch, and guided talk. She is an empath and studied a variety of academic and practical programs to learn how to transform empathy into insight and purpose. Thomas created SATT®, which is a 2-year program to teach skills in interpersonal mindfulness, guided talk, and present touch. This program is beneficial for both individuals and professionals. Her upcoming book is a combination of philosophy, research, and client stories.
