This book is a real disappointment. It's a sloppy collection of thrown-together materials that aren't particularly helpful to anyone who knows much about TT in the first place. There are a disturbing number of factual errors; and it certainly has to be confusing to the novice who is looking for a comprehensive overview of TT and its history.

This is the first book to take a critical look at the claims of therapeutic touch (TT). The editors, along with all of the authors in this book, have become familiar with the best evidence (or lack thereof) for TT and do a good job of going over the history, ethical issues, whether it should be used and taught, and if it actually works. Solid investigation has gone into all of these chapters.

TT is probably one of the branches of alternative medicine that is most accepted in the medical establishment (especially by nurses). If you have an interest in alternative medicine, you should definitely read this book to see where the science and evidence lead.