Transforming Touch® in Durham, NC

A gentle touch-based approach for trauma and nervous system regulation

Transforming Touch® (also called Transforming the Experienced-Based Brain™) is a trauma-informed, touch-based modality developed by Dr. Stephen Terrell. It’s sometimes searched for as “trauma touch therapy” or “touch therapy for trauma healing.”

This work is especially helpful for those impacted by developmental trauma — early experiences of neglect, misattunement, or stress that can leave the nervous system dysregulated well into adulthood.

What happens in a Transforming Touch® session?

During a session, you remain fully clothed, resting comfortably on a massage table. With your consent, I apply light, supportive touch to specific areas (such as shoulders, hips, adrenal glands, brainstem, or joints) to invite your nervous system toward safety and regulation.

Unlike massage therapy, Transforming Touch® is not about muscle manipulation. It’s about supporting the body’s innate capacity to reorganize at a deep level, helping you feel more grounded, connected, and resilient.

Who can benefit?

Clients often come to Transforming Touch® when they:

  • Feel stuck in chronic anxiety or shutdown

  • Carry patterns of hypervigilance, dissociation, or emotional overwhelm

  • Have a history of developmental trauma or attachment wounds

  • Seek support for nervous system health alongside therapy, bodywork, or other healing practices

Many describe feeling calmer, more present, and more connected to themselves and others after sessions.

In-person sessions in Durham, NC

I offer Transforming Touch® sessions in person in Durham, NC, near Southpoint. Sessions are generally 60 minutes and scheduled by appointment. 90 minute and 2 hour sessions are also available. I serve clients in Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Morrisville, Raleigh, and beyond.

If you’re searching for “trauma touch therapy near me” or “nervous system touch therapy in Durham, NC”, this page is for you.

About me

I’m Audrey Burke, a licensed massage and bodywork therapist (NC LMBT #22197) and trauma-informed somatic practitioner. Along with Transforming Touch®, I’m trained in Somatic Experiencing®, another body-based approach to trauma healing. My work is grounded in nervous system regulation, developmental trauma research, and respect for each client’s pace and choice.

FAQs

  • No. While I am a licensed massage therapist, Transforming Touch® is distinct from massage. It uses light, gentle holds on various points on the body to support nervous system regulation, not deep tissue or muscle work. I may do gentle holds on the client’s joints (including shoulders and hips), adrenal glands, brainstem, and areas of the body where there is tension.

  • No. Transforming Touch® is a body-based, touch modality. I am not a psychotherapist, and my work complements — but does not replace — mental health therapy.

  • No. Sessions focus on what your nervous system is doing in the present moment. You share only what feels comfortable.

  • Comfortable clothing. Sessions are done fully clothed, generally on a massage table.

  • Everyone is different. Some notice subtle changes after one session, while others choose ongoing support for months or even years to deepen regulation and resilience.