I had a very kind psychologist in California for almost 10 years.....he was actually from Israel but came to the US & got his PhD at Berkley. It was basically useless therapy as I talked & he sat there & listened without much of any feedback.....but he was a very kind man & always had hugs....he was in the same office as my pdoc & it was my pdoc that recommended him after one of my hospitalizations that came after abuse in my marriage. So my H would come to T many times also (along with my 2 eskie dogs).......a hug at the end of therapy was just normal.

What is really interesting is that I finally left my H & moved 2100 miles away to where I didn't know anyone.....but I have made wonderful friends & have a really outstanding psychologist along with an outstanding psychologist DBT group leader with outstanding feedback & I have grown absolutely so much in the last 7 years & especially the last 4 years of therapy......but NO HUGS.......but my meaningful words of thanking her for the support & the feedback & being able to really work with her & my DBT group leader......so for me words are more meaningful than my hugs as they express what I am actually thinking & feeling.

I am surrounded by the most wonderful friends in many different groups I'm involved with & the hugs are free flowing all around so I share hugs with friends & very meaningful words that express what hugs would only represent with my psychologist & psychologist DBT group leader.

I like it just the way it is.