Nancy Rothner, a clinical and medical hypnotherapist, has used her life to help people deal with stress and anxiety. Her clients have included those dealing with traumas, phobias and addictions, as well as people needing help to manage pain without drugs or lose weight—all situations that cause or result from stress.
Nancy had longed hoped to find a way to help her clients in between appointments. After all, people do not tuck their stressors away until their next appointment. If only there were something to help them relax, something fun, something they could do anywhere. Something like Pinch Me Therapy Dough!
Nancy was well acquainted with the advantages of aromatherapy, the soothing effects of soft colors, and the ability of “fidgets” (stress balls, tangles and squigglets) to reduce restlessness and anxiety. So when her “aha!” moment came, it included all three.
Pinch Me Dough: Texture, Color and Scent
The recipe for the dough is top secret, but you can be assured that it is non-toxic and safe. The “squishy” texture is what we enjoy as we smash, squeeze, roll, twist and knead it. The repeated pattern of manipulating the dough alleviates tension and gives us something to focus on rather than our stressors. There are those times when our minds need a “time out.”
Colors affect us, emotionally, psychologically, sometimes physically. The language of colors seems to be universal—red is exciting, pink calming. Nancy wanted calming colors and had the palette for the dough professionally designed. Each subtle, soft hue contributes to a feeling of serenity and harmony—hues of blue, green, pink, and violet.
Our sense of smell originates in the same part of the brain that is responsible for storing emotional memories, so, unlike colors, scents evoke a personalized response. When we like a scent, we unconsciously take a full, deep breath, which is relaxing; we want to experience as much of the positive feeling as we can. With an unpleasant scent, we inhibit our breathing and that keeps any tension inside. Pinch Me Dough scents are due to high-quality essential oils, and the selection is large enough for users to find their favorite scents. Included in the selection:
- Zen brings visions of a tranquil forest.
- Chill is an invigorating scent with a tinge of pine.
- Surf has a tropical vibe of coconuts and pineapples.
- Refresh recalls fresh-picked melons and lazy summer days.
- Bumbleberry has a hint of vanilla among the scents of berries.
- Citrus is crisp and tangy like ripe fruit.
- Spice is for the autumn-philes with its tart berries and subtle cinnamon.
Marketing Pinch Me Therapy Dough
Nancy’s marketing efforts have been mostly introducing retailers to her products at trade shows, but Pinch Me has generated a great deal of interest.
- Pinch Me Dough was included in the gift bag at the American Music Awards. You cannot buy that kind of exposure nor a celebrity following. The orders flowed in.
- The awards show led to an interview for nationally syndicated radio show “Overnight America” on CBS radio. More orders.
- At the American Made Show in Dallas, a representative from Quinstance, an ecommerce site for American-made gifts, knowing that holistic self-care is a burgeoning sales category, welcomed Pinch Me to the website.
- Quinstance led to Grommet picking up on the dough as a “must have” for holistic wellness. The Grommet is a retail website with 2.5 million international subscribers. The website (think part-Shark Tank, part-Oprah’s Favorite Things) is a launching pad for undiscovered products made by independent inventors, designers and craftspeople.
Nancy donates a portion of the proceeds from Pinch Me Dough and Mist Me Spritz to the Wounded Warrior Project, a veterans service organization, to help soldiers overcome post-traumatic stress disorder through relaxation therapies.
