Irvin D. Yalom, M.D. who is a renowned psychiatrist and psychotherapist and has written many textbooks on psychotherapy has written,

"Don't be afraid of touching your patient."

In his book, "The Gift of Therapy; An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients", he writes, "I make a point to touch each patient each hour - a handshake, a clasp of the shoulder, usually at the end of the hour as I accompany the patient to the door. If a patient wants to hold my hand longer or wants a hug, I refuse only if there is some compelling reason - for example, concerns about sexual feelings."

" But, whatever the contact, I make a point to debrief at the next session - perhaps something as simple as: 'Mary, our last hour ended differently - you held on to my hand with both of yours for a long time [or 'you asked for a hug']. It seemed to me you were feeling something strongly. What can you remember of it?'"

"Do touch. But make sure the touch becomes grist for the interpersonal mill."

Yalom then offers a few stories about touching and then he ends the chapter with this paragraph:

"... a widow who was in such despair that she often came to my office too distressed to speak, but was deeply comforted sheerly by my holding her hand. Much later she remarked that it was a turning point in therapy; it had grounded her and allowed her to feel connected to me. My hand, she said, was ballast preventing her from drifting up and away into despair."

These quotes came from chapter 63; pages 187-190