I'm so sorry you didn't get a hug

I have my own opinion on this, which is that not hugging long-term clients borders on cruel. I'm sure there are specific cases where hugging may be inappropriate, but it's such a basic, human expression of affection. I hug everyone - family, co-workers, clients, my children's friends, etc. It's just really strange to me that therapy, which is intimate by design, frowns on this in non-sexual situations.

Also, what the heck is there to discuss around wanting a hug? Clients want hugs because they want to be shown they are cared about by someone they care about. I rubs me the wrong way that therapists, upon basically rejecting the client, then expect the client to articulate this in agonizing detail. It demeans the whole thing and can be very shaming to someone that needed to work up the courage to ask in the first place.

Granted, I agree that it's not the therapist's responsibility to meet needs that a person didn't get in childhood. But hugging? Give me a break.