The first time he did it was after I'd grown quite attached, but it was still hard for me to be hugged. I remember coaching myself not to pat his back and not to pull away too soon, because those kind of distancing gestures just get mirrored by the other person, and then they pull away quicker. I didn't want short hugs with him, I literally trained myself by not being present in hugs to be a good hugee so that our hugs would be better and longer, and now my therapist hug is the best hug I get all week every week. I think one time he even mumbled that I was a good hugger!