Phenomenology of Practice (2014) written by Max van Manen incorporates aspects of the study of phenomenology. From page 272 there is discussion about the gnostic and the pathic related to touch occurring in the healthcare setting. Van Manen explains gnostic touch as the diagnostic, anatomized experience of touch. In contrast, pathic touch is described as touch with a special quality that conveys a healing attitude and relates to the individual as an embodied whole. When observing patient-physiotherapist encounters for my PhD research I became fascinated with touch as part of physiotherapy practice. I read Max van Manen’s writing about touch and his ideas resonated with what I had observed … [Read more...] about Amy Hiller – Gnostic and pathic touch – 30DoS #20