The Healing Power of Touch: How Touch Therapy Supports PTSD Recovery

For many first responders, the trauma they witness daily can leave emotional scars that don't always surface right away. While talk therapy and medication are essential tools for healing, a growing body of research supports the use of touch therapy—including massage, craniosacral therapy, and Reiki—as a complementary path to recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Studies show that therapeutic touch can help regulate the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and promote emotional grounding. One randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that massage therapy significantly reduced PTSD symptoms in combat veterans after 12 weeks of treatment (Collinge et al., 2012). The participants reported improved sleep, reduced anxiety, and decreased physical tension.

Another study in the Journal of Traumatic Stress explored the effects of Reiki on veterans with PTSD, concluding that participants experienced reduced symptoms of depression and improved overall well-being after just six Reiki sessions (Baldwin et al., 2017). While Reiki is more energy-based and less physically manipulative than massage, both approaches share a common goal: calming the body to help regulate the mind.

Touch therapy also appears to lower cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, and increase oxytocin, a hormone associated with feelings of safety and trust. According to a meta-analysis in Psychosomatic Medicine, physical touch interventions consistently lowered cortisol and heart rate—two biomarkers elevated in people with PTSD (Field, 2010).

For first responders, touch therapy can reintroduce a sense of safety, reduce hypervigilance, and reestablish body awareness—essential steps in the healing process. Trauma often creates disconnection, not only from others but from one's own body. Gentle, informed touch can begin to restore that connection in a nonverbal, deeply impactful way.

At riseupfight.org, we’re committed to supporting first responders on every level—mentally, spiritually, and physically. Touch therapy isn’t a cure-all, but for many, it’s a profound and grounding part of their healing journey. If you're struggling with PTSD, you're not alone—and there is help.

Stay safe out there.

-Tom

References:

1. Collinge, W., Kahn, J., & Soltysik, R. (2012). Promoting reintegration of National Guard veterans through complementary and alternative medicine (CAM): Outcomes of a peer-based holistic retreat program. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 73(5), e557–e564.

2. Baldwin, A. L., Vitale, A., Brownell, E., Scicinski, J., Kearns, M., & Rand, W. (2017). Effects of Reiki on post-deployment veterans with PTSD. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 22(4), 996–1004.

3. Field, T. (2010). Touch for socioemotional and physical well-being: A review. Developmental Review, 30(4), 367–383.