ATTN and our community volunteer work

ATTN in the Community

Traditionally, a TT practitioner does not withhold a treatment because an individual is unable to pay. The premise of Therapeutic Touch is that it should be made available to all - especially those in need. For those that are able to pay, you will find that practitioners charge very reasonable fees.

Practitioners graciously and generously donate their time within the community and we dedicate this page to honour their tireless efforts that mean Therapeutic Touch is received by those with the greatest need for compassion and understanding. We also acknowledge Practitioners and members not mentioned here who give of their time, on their own, to friends, neighbors and acquaintances and complete strangers.

Thank you for bringing healing to the world!

In June, 2003 the Sunshine Room was initiated at the QEII Cancer Unit in Halifax. A separate room has been set aside on the unit where patients who are receiving conventional cancer treatment may also access complementary therapies, such as Therapeutic Touch. ATTN volunteers play an active role in providing treatments and creating peaceful moments for patients.

3) and have experience working with cancer patients (this can be gained by volunteering at the Cancer Lodge).

**Orientation and detailed Volunteer Training is required and provided by the QEII .

**Orientation is also provided by TT-Sunshine Room contact person: Dianne Simister.

The Marguerite Centre is a 12 bed long term facility for women in recovery from addiction and abuse. Friday afternoons the women are free to partake in holistic therapies which include Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, Massage and Auricular Acupuncture.

Two Staff members have been trained in TT. We appreciate the fact that ATTN made a contribution toward their training.

Thanks to regular a volunteer at the Centre the women.receive both TT and Reiki treatments. The response of the women has been very positive. Several had heard about holistic healing and wanted to experience it. When they speak about the relaxation and wonderful experience of their treatment, the other women were then willing to try it. There is a regular group who receive a treatment each week. Feedback includes a lessening of various forms of pain, sleeping better and generally less stressed. The Centre is out of the city and off a bus route which makes it difficult for our women to get to any kind of extras that would help them in their recovery.So it is wonderful to have volunteers come out so that the residents can have the opportunity to experience the healing energy of TT and Reiki. The Center will be reviewing these sessions over a period of time determining the correlation between those who stay in recovery and those who continue to relapse. These therapies have been a welcomed addition to The Marguerite Centre Program.

Therapeutic Touch was introduced into the Environmental Health Clinic about 1996 and is supported by the Director of the Clinic. Today all of the Clinic nurses, as well as some of the support staff, are trained in TT.

The Environmental Health Clinic is truly innovative as it takes an Holistic approach in patient treatment and encourages patients to take an active role in their healing. TT sessions are offered by the staff nurses to patients of the Clinic who wish to make TT as part of their treatment program. Many of the patients who received TT at the Clinic began to ask for training in TT as well so that they could use it on themselves and others.

If you are an ATTN member participating in similar community works, please let us know so that we can add your contribution to this page. Contact info@atlanticttn.com giving a brief description.