About

Conscious Touch™ is a transformative practice that fosters a deep connection with our hearts and encourages personal growth. It invites individuals to take responsibility for their lives, offering a pathway to heal past trauma and emotional wounds.

The practice is rooted in the knowledge that trauma is held within the body, and that healing requires a safe, supportive environment where clients can navigate their inner landscapes. 

By blending the latest advances in neuro-affective regulation with the wisdom of touch, Conscious Touch™ offers a uniquely powerful and integrative approach to transformation.

The Conscious Touch™ Academy presents an innovative somatic training program that uniquely integrates concepts and techniques from Somatic Experiencing, Esalen massage, Californian massage, deep bodywork and rocking work into a comprehensive, trauma-informed bodywork style. 

This program is designed for practitioners who wish to deepen their understanding of the body-mind connection and enhance their skills in facilitating healing through touch.

Throughout the Conscious Touch training, participants will be guided in developing a comprehensive toolkit for addressing trauma in a compassionate, effective manner. The integration of these modalities allows practitioners to create a safe environment where clients can explore their bodies, heal from trauma, and restore a sense of wholeness. This holistic approach not only enhances client outcomes but also fosters greater awareness and sensitivity in practitioners, enriching their professional journeys.

Through this training, participants learn to enjoy and live more fully, enhancing both their relationship with themselves and with others. This practice emphasizes the importance of being present and aware, creating the safety necessary for healing and self-discovery.

Conscious Touch™ resonates with individuals who desire to grow, take charge of their health, and help others to do the same.

By integrating ancient practices of touch and movement-based healing with an awareness of The Window of Tolerance, clients can explore their experiences without triggering the freeze response.

Conscious Touch™ is transformative for the body, mind, and spirit. It helps regulate the nervous system, alleviate trauma, and restore emotional resilience. 

It helps those who receive this work to find comfort in being in the body, comfort with themselves, and acceptance of who they really are.

Conscious Touch™ fosters deep healing through the practitioner’s mindful presence and connection, offering a transformative experience without relying on the physical pressure typical of traditional massage. It is however still a deep massage, relying on the careful use of weight and correct sped to allow 

While it complements traditional sports massage, psychotherapy and coaching, it is not a replacement for these disciplines.

This training is designed for those ready to embark on a deep journey of self-discovery through embodiment, touch and movement, making it less suitable for those not interested in personal growth or emotional healing.

This training is ideal for someone inspired by the deep connection between body, mind, and spirit, combining ancient wisdom with cutting-edge scientific insights.

Whether you’re an experienced practitioner in fields like psychotherapy or yoga, or taking your first steps into healing and therapeutic practices, this program warmly invites you to apply.

The Evolution of Bodywork: From Esalen Massage to Conscious Touch

The Birth of Esalen Massage

The origins of Esalen massage can be traced back to the mid-20th century, a period characterized by significant cultural shifts in the United States. The Esalen Institute, founded in 1962 by Michael Murphy and Dick Price in Big Sur, California, became a crucible for the convergence of various philosophies, therapies, and practices. Nestled on the breathtaking Pacific coast, Esalen emerged as a sanctuary for exploration, healing, and personal transformation, attracting thinkers, artists, and practitioners from diverse backgrounds.

The creation of Esalen massage was influenced by several key figures and movements. Among them were the pioneers of humanistic psychology, including Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, and Fritz Perls. Their emphasis on self-actualization and personal growth resonated deeply within the Esalen community, shaping the institute’s approach to healing and bodywork.

Esalen massage itself is characterized by flowing strokes, deep tissue work, and a focus on the client's experience. It incorporates elements of Eastern philosophy, particularly the notion of energy flow and the importance of presence. Practitioners are encouraged to cultivate awareness, both of their own bodies and those of their clients, fostering a deep connection and allowing for a more profound healing experience.

Another influential figure in the development of Esalen massage was Dr. Ida Rolf, who founded Rolfing Structural Integration. Her work emphasized the relationship between body structure and function, further enriching the Esalen approach. Additionally, the teachings of yoga, particularly those of B.K.S. Iyengar and T.K.V. Desikachar, provided insights into body awareness and the integration of breath and movement.

Esalen's commitment to integrating mind and body was revolutionary at the time, laying the groundwork for future developments in bodywork. As the New Age movement gained momentum in the 1960s and 1970s, Esalen became a focal point for this cultural wave, attracting individuals seeking alternative healing modalities and spiritual growth.

The Influence of Gestalt Psychotherapy

Gestalt psychotherapy, developed by Fritz Perls, Laura Perls, and Paul Goodman, played a crucial role in the evolution of Esalen massage. Gestalt therapy emphasizes awareness, presence, and the importance of the therapeutic relationship. It encourages individuals to experience their emotions and sensations fully, facilitating a deeper understanding of themselves and their interactions with others.

This approach profoundly influenced Esalen massage, where practitioners are trained to be fully present with their clients. The integration of Gestalt principles into bodywork allows for a more holistic understanding of the client's experience, fostering a safe and supportive environment for healing. Practitioners learn to listen not only to verbal communication but also to the body’s non-verbal cues, creating a more comprehensive therapeutic experience.

The melding of Esalen massage and Gestalt psychotherapy helped to establish a new paradigm in bodywork, one that recognized the profound interplay between physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of healing. This integrative approach laid the groundwork for the development of Californian massage.

The Emergence of Californian Massage

As the 1970s unfolded, the evolution of bodywork continued with the emergence of Californian massage, a modality that further refined the principles established by its predecessors. This form of massage was significantly shaped by the work of Ingrid May and Marcelo Bartroli, who founded Oasis - Escuela de Masajes in Buenos Aires. Their vision was to create a holistic approach to bodywork that incorporated elements of Esalen massage while emphasizing the importance of presence, awareness, and emotional connection.

Californian massage is characterized by its flowing, rhythmic strokes and its focus on creating a nurturing, supportive environment for clients. Influenced by non-dual philosophy, this modality encourages practitioners to cultivate a sense of unity with their clients, transcending the boundaries of self and other. The practice emphasizes deep listening, allowing the practitioner to attune to the client's needs on multiple levels—physical, emotional, and energetic.

Ingrid May and Marcelo Bartroli’s work at Oasis was instrumental in disseminating these ideas throughout Latin America and beyond. They created a training program that not only taught the technical aspects of Californian massage but also emphasized the importance of personal development and emotional intelligence in the practice. This holistic approach attracted a diverse group of students, further enriching the landscape of bodywork.

Roger Jackson and the Birth of Conscious Touch

Building on the foundations laid by Esalen and Californian massage, Roger Jackson, the former director of Oasis - Escuela de Masajes, expanded upon the principles of Californian massage and began to integrate trauma-informed practices into his teaching. This led to the creation of Conscious Touch, a modality that emphasizes the importance of understanding and working with trauma in the therapeutic relationship.

Conscious Touch is rooted in the belief that trauma is held within the body and that healing requires a safe, supportive environment where clients can explore their experiences. Roger Jackson's approach combines the fluid, nurturing qualities of Esalen and Californian massage, together with an awareness of the window of tolerance, the client’s ability to be with the content arising in the session without the activation of the freeze response. This integration of the modern understanding of neurophysiology into the work has transformed Conscious Touch into the vanguard choice for trauma informed touch modalities in the UK. 

Conscious Touch is the proud descendant of a long line of wonderful healers and therapists who have all brought their gifts into this ever growing and evolving bodywork style. We give thanks to all off those who came before us and paved the way for this modality of bodywork.