FAQs
Attunement Therapy
Is Attunement Therapy the same as Cuddle Therapy?
No.
Cuddle therapy is a casual and informal approach to touch-based therapy, which may include activities such as sharing conversation, changing cuddle positions, watching movies or listening to music, having a meal together and other G-rated activities.
Attunement therapy is a structured and formal approach to healing and mental health support. It incorporates body psychotherapy techniques such as grounding and meditation, a specific way of holding and being in physical connection and undertaken with the same warmth and professionalism as any standard allied health session, such as a counselling appointment. For more information, see the "What is involved?" section here.
Am I suitable to be a client?
Anyone is welcome to try a session. We have a wide range of clients across age, gender and occupation. Many clients express an interest in Attunement Therapy in response to feeling like something is missing in their life, when psychological issues are not being resolved through talk therapy, or during times in their life when they are experiencing disconnection in themselves and their relationships.
If you are looking for a non-invasive, body-based healing modality, Attunement Therapy may provide therapeutic benefits for you.
Canberra is a small community. Are the sessions confidential?
We respect your confidentiality and acknowledge the stigma around therapeutic touch services. No specific information regarding any client will ever be shared with another party outside of this business, unless you, as the client, give written or email permission to use personal information. This includes anything shared in initial phone conversation, email, text, or phone conversation. Clients will not be acknowledged in public outside the therapeutic setting unless they indicate otherwise.
How should I prepare for the session?
Please avoid or reduce your intake of stimulants before your session. On the day of your session, avoid stimulants such as coffee, sugar, energy drinks, Ritalin or cocaine. Stimulants in your system will inhibit the effectiveness of your session because your brain will find it harder to relax.
Try having some light food at least an hour before the session. Avoid drinking excess water and eating directly before the session as your stomach will likely be digesting the food and become distracting during the session.
Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. Please ensure you have a t-shirt or sleeved shirt that covers the armpits, chest and stomach. Cleanliness and adequate hygiene are required by both parties, including wearing freshly laundered clothing, showering, teeth brushed and minimal perfumed products.
What does the physical connection look like? What if I become aroused?
The main holding position invites the client to recline next to the practitioner. The client and practitioner’s pelvic region are positioned to be offset so that there is connection between the legs and torso but no contact around the region of the hips and pelvis.
It is in the body's nature to react in many different ways - all of which are healthy and human. On the rare occasion that arousal occurs, the physical contact will be adjusted to allow for the energy to shift and pass through.
Is there any sexual component to Attunement Therapy? What are the boundaries of the session?
No. Attunement therapy is strictly non-romantic, non-sexual touch. It is a platonic offering of touch akin to that given to a child, family member or client in a therapeutic massage.
The client is welcome to hold the practitioner’s arm or mid/upper back. No other touching is permitted – for example, the client cannot touch the legs, hips, lower back, neck, face or front of torso of the practitioner. There is also no stroking or rubbing type actions allowed. The client cannot make any verbal requests for sexual-oriented services, such as asking for skin-to-skin contact.
These explicit boundaries are designed to safeguard the client and practitioner so that there is no place for misunderstanding. The purpose of these session are therapeutic and Attunement Therapy aims to de-radicalise human touch to help create a new culture where non-sexual connection is normalised as a 'common sense' pathway to healing.
If session boundaries are violated, the session will be terminated immediately without refund. We request all clients to make sure they are a good fit for our services and review your intentions before inquiring.
What if I am anxious to be in physical, platonic contact with a stranger?
Sometimes people are anxious because of the stigma related to platonic touch. Usually this disappears after the first few minutes of being in physical connection with the practitioner.
For those experiencing significant touch and relational trauma, sessions can be adapted to the individual and built upon multiple sessions, such as no touch, hand holding, resting back to back, or resting the feet on the practitioner's legs as a gentle entry point to physical touch. Sessions can also involve exercises that increase the connection with, as well as an opportunity to practice articulating, one's own feelings, boundaries and needs prior to considering any physical holding in a session. These exercises, which strengthen the relationship to one's inner core, in turn establishes greater self-trust and comfortability with the practitioner and other humans more broadly.
A client is free to disengage from physical connection or end the session early at any time without explanation.
What if I don’t want to talk?
Attunement Therapy can create a wonderful space for silence where you do not have to talk or share anything that you do not wish to share. Clients are encouraged to go within during the holding portion of the session to create the conditions for greater vulnerability and presence, thereby allowing people to drop deeper into themselves and the experience.
What is the philosophy of the Attunement Therapy modality?
Attunement Therapy aims to de-radicalise human touch and to help create a new culture where non-sexual connection is normalised as a ‘common sense’ pathway to healing. If we take a brief glance at the worsening state of loneliness, depression, drug use and suicide all around us, we can see that physical human connection is the key to repairing and enriching people’s way of life.
Our intention with Attunement Therapy is to offer a structured, medically and spiritually respected healing modality. Attunement Therapy is built form science of child brain development. We are physiologically wired for physical connection with one another. Attunement Therapy safely offers an experience to clients that awakens their innate knowing that we all need regular human touch to maintain optimum health.
Attunement Therapy is an exponentially growing modality because so many people are simultaneously coming into awareness that miraculous healing through touch can actually be this simple, quick and effective.
What aftercare is recommended?
After your session, you may continue to process and integrate inner emotions, thoughts and memories that have surfaced. Be gentle with yourself and engage in self-nourishing activities, such as spending time in nature, eating a healthy meal, journaling, or resting. One of the most important ways you can take care of yourself after a session is to not have any intense responsibilities or stressful activities on the day of your appointment. This can hinder your healing and integration by taking your attention away from your internal process.
Feel free to contact your practitioner if you have any questions and also be aware that ongoing sessions will also help you deepen and explore greater levels of healing and happiness in your life. You may also feel like a renewed version of yourself after the session, filled with joy, excitement, inspiration, hope and self-love. But if this version of yourself does not match with your current lifestyle, you may experience uncomfortable resistance. If possible, schedule some reflection and contemplation time to reassess any lifestyle and personal choices that may no longer be benefiting you. Sometimes we have habits in our life that are making us feel stuck in our personal growth or preventing us from moving towards what we want more of in our life.
It is great time to make some positive and exciting lifestyle changes after your Attunement Therapy session. At times we can become complacent by not looking ‘outside the box’ in regards to our ingrained habits and routines. We all want human connection, but are we seeking it in healthy ways? If you’re ready, continue to learn to listen to your body, choose different ways of being and take new actions to increase the vibrancy of your lifestyle. Letting go of old unhelpful patterns and opening your mind for the new is the pathway to a more fulfilling life where we can naturally contribute to our community and the planet and create the relationships and connections that meet our needs.