As I am no longer promoting and organizing COMPASSIONATE TOUCH training workshops, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all the individuals who trained with me or attended talks, seminars and workshops I was privileged to give across the US and in Europe for thirty years. I wish the very best to all those who have continued to incorporate the principles and practices of COMPASSIONATE TOUCH for Those in Later Life Stages™ in your professional or personal lives.
During the challenges and adjustments we have all made during the world-wide Pandemic I was able to complete a transformational memoir. Little Girl Found: How I Reclaimed Myself After
Early Childhood Trauma
is now available on Amazon.comworld-wide,
Barnes & Noble,
other on-line and local bookstores across the US.
My earlier books are still available on Amazonand numerous other on-line bookstores, or you can purchase a signed copy (while they last) directly from me.
I am in good health and am choosing to spend more time with my recently retired husband, as well as with our adult children and grandchildren who seem to be aging as quickly as we are! I plan to continue writing, deepening my personal meditative practices, and doing some volunteer work. I will also continue to offer consulting sessions and seminars as requested, virtually, and hope to resume giving some other types of workshops from time to time at our home in Walnut Creek.
Blessings ~ Dawn
FROM THE HEART THROUGH THE HANDS is an evolution of the work Dawn began in 1991, when she created COMPASSIONATE TOUCH for Those in Later Life Stages™ as an outreach Program for the elderly, the ill and the dying. Her unique modality has proven especially effective as an adjunct therapy in Alzheimer's and dementia care, hospice care and in nursing home settings. Practitioners trained by Dawn include her pioneering work in their private practices, in nursing facilities and in hospice organizations across the U.S. Some have incorporated the key concepts and principles of the training into their jobs as chaplains, activity coordinators, geriatric physicians or specialists who work with autistic and disabled children. Others utilize the training in professional, volunteer or family caregiving roles or in combination with other healing art forms.
FROM THE HEART THROUGH THE HANDS educational offerings teach simple communication and skilled touch techniques designed to promote relaxation and positive interactions, reduce anxiety and challenging behaviors, enhance relationships, and ease caregiver stress. All of Dawn's articles and teachings emphasize self-awareness and the cultivation of compassionate presence.
Dawn Nelson is that rare practitioner who lives what she teaches, which makes learning "From the Heart through the Hands" so exciting and easy. In our current healthcare climate of rushed services without much personal contact, "From the Heart through the Hands" teaches healthcare practitioners to recognize and leverage the linchpin moments that will change the lives of those whom they serve, as well as their own, forever.
~ Stephan Betz, Ph.D., MT-BC, CGP
I have known Dawn for over 25 years as a dedicated teacher, mentor and facilitator of graceful, compassionate care for the elderly, the ill and the dying. She continues to inspire me to move forward in my own work with compassion and confidence. Dawn listens deeply and she walks her talk. Her knowledge, wisdom and professional skills combined with her personal life experiences make Dawn a unique and invaluable resource for those coping with aging, illness and transitions or for families in crisis.
When my Dad was at a nursing home and dealing with multiple physical illnesses, feelings of loss of control and isolation, Dawn helped both him and our family by visiting when we couldn't. She is compassionate and knowledgeable about end of life issues and we all were very, very grateful for her ability to fill in for us, and for her nurturing emotional support at a difficult time.
