My T has banned ever touching. I think I shook his hand after we first met, when he did an eval. Once he became my individual therapist--prompted by my need to have an individual therapist because it is a DBT requirement, it came up quickly, because I had seen him hug another patient upon leaving, and I often see him shaker their hand, or put a hand on their shoulder in encouragement. So, his no-touching policy hurts. When I asked for a hug, long ago, he said, "You, more than anyone, should know where hugging leads." It's definitely because I have borderline personality disorder as well as being bipolar, but it felt to me like it immediatly sexualized touching! Maybe he's right, but it makes me really, really sad. Oh, and not long ago, I put out my hand to shake his, in thanks, and he looked at it for a moment, and I was so ashamed that I had asked. So, nope, no hugs, not ever, even after four years.