Grounded in Touch: The Science Behind Anxiety Relief and Human Connection

Authors

Misty Rhoads Ph.D. CZB, Eastern Illinois UniversityFollow
Mary Murphy M.A., LMT, CZBFollow
Mary L. Behrens PT, CZBFollow
Rhonda Salvo PT, CZBFollow
Sarah-Elizabeth Anderson LMT, CZBFollow
Clare Gowen PT, CZBFollow
Dawn Humbles LSH, CZBFollow
Veronica Quarry PT, CZBFollow
Deborah Rosene Ph.D., CZBFollow
Wendy Tribelhorn LMT, CZBFollow
Jared Urcheck L.Ac, CZBFollow
Deanna Waggy OTR, CZBFollow

Abstract

Background: Anxiety disorders are among the most pervasive mental health challenges worldwide, affecting individuals across all demographics and socioeconomic backgrounds. As a leading contributor to disability and diminished quality of life, anxiety continues to rise in prevalence, exacerbated by global crises and societal stressors. This study explored how Zero Balancing (ZB) supports individuals with anxiety. Researchers hypothesized that ZB would lower the perceived severity of general anxiety and reduce perceived anxiety symptoms.

Methods: A concurrent mixed-methods phenomenological research design was utilized to honor the holistic nature of bodywork and explore participants' lived experiences. This national study involved 320 ZB sessions facilitated by 12 certified ZB practitioners trained in research methods. Each participant received one ZB session weekly for four weeks, ensuring consistency by working exclusively with the same practitioner. Anxiety levels and symptoms were gathered via pre/post-session Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and General Anxiety Disorder-7 item Scale (GAD-7). Face-to-face, semi-guided, video-recorded interviews were conducted at the end of the series. The quantitative aspect included pre/post assessments reported with descriptive statistics and a paired samples t-test (one-tail). Qualitative data was assessed for themes.

Results: The t-tests (one-tailed) for generalized anxiety severity (M=5.8, SD=0.462, N=80) was significant (p

Conclusions: Zero Balancing effectively reduced anxiety severity and symptoms, highlighting the critical role of somatic awareness in anxiety management.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage

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Recommended Citation

Rhoads, M., Murphy, M., Behrens, M. L., Salvo, R., Anderson, S., Gowen, C., Humbles, D., Quarry, V., Rosene, D., Tribelhorn, W., Urcheck, J., & Waggy, D. (2025). Grounded in Touch: The Science Behind Anxiety Relief and Human Connection. Journal of Transformative Touch, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.58188/2767-7176.1047

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.