Short conversational transcript from a YouTube video (Lori Harder) discussing how physical touch—holding others or oneself—helps regulate the nervous system. The speaker shares a personal anecdote about increased closeness from being more physically affectionate and peers normalizing the behavior.
When I was going through a really tough time. It was the first time I made Chris hold me all the time.
Holding another person, holding yourself is actually incredibly nervous system regulating.
I just talked about this with some girlfriends. I always observe myself wanting to like, either play with their hair or like touch them or hold their hand and I hold back. I actually shared it with them. I'm like. I actually feel like I want to be a very, like, physical person, but I feel like you're going to think that's weird. Yeah. And they were like, no. Oh my God. I struggle with this too. It's gotten me so much closer to different people.
Bringing in those childlike things that we love can be a really healing thing too. Like a childlike sense of play, braiding hair, doing a sleepover. I think that these things that we write off for ourselves as adults can be very powerful, healing and they're fun.
