Hi Penguin--it gets laid at the feet of the borderline stuff. The handshake thing is what really kills me, too. It's like I don't even get to practice being normal...

One time he moved from his chair to a footstool to lean forward to do a demonstration with a glass of water on the coffeetable (about having so much put into my glass that I just can't take anymore), and it was an upsetting moment. When he moved away again, I asked if he could sit back there again, closer. He said "sure!" talked for a few minutes--like 5--then moved away again.

Proximity is loaded now. I hate it. It's safest just to stay away, try to find the most neutral location and demeanor that I can. And that just sounds f..ked for a therapy relationship, doesn't it. As I've been writing about it here, I see that it has become a bigger and bigger problem over time. It should have gone away by now. I guess I should start by asking him why it hasn't...