Thanks for posting this, as I sometimes wonder if I was crazy to leave my male therapist when he refused to hug me. But his refusal made me feel like he saw me as an unlovable piece of garbage, and like it was wrong for me to look for physical affection from someone who mattered to me.

I'm glad you've found a therapist who can work with you on this. I don't plan to return to therapy, but it's nice to know there are therapists out there who understand that refusing hugs can cause as many issues as giving them.