I'm honestly surprised by some of the responses to this issue. Perhaps it's my age. I grew up in an era when there were distinct personal boundaries, especially with professionals in the medical field.

I'm stunned that therapists are touching their patients in any way. To me this is inappropriate behavior and no patient should expect it.

I'm equally surprised that contact occurs outside of the office, the appropriate setting for therapy, and that people are exchanging emails, texts, and phone calls with their therapists.

Also surprising is that therapists are discussing their personal lives with their patients. To me this, like touching patients, is crossing a strict professional boundary.

IMHO, none of these things should be happening. I think they encourage the crossing of boundaries that, in a professional medical relationship, should never be crossed. While I understand that some familiarity is necessary to make the patient comfortable, so much familiarity seems to me to be more along the lines of a personal relationship than a professional one.

As I stated, perhaps it's my age. I maintain a strictly professional relationship with my doctor and therapist.