First Session - Handshake/hug?

I am male, T is female.

No handshake at the beginning of first session.

Handshake at end of first session, initiated by me.

No further touching of any kind in 16 months and counting.

I don't remember shaking hands when meeting my ex-T for the first time, although she thinks we did. All I remember is waving at her when she introduced herself to me in the waiting room. But many hugs were shared before she moved away.

Current T and I shook hands upon meeting for the first time, and the only other time there's been physical contact between us was when I was having a panic attack and she asked if she could put her hand on my shoulder. She has offered hugs in the past, but I currently have no intention of taking her up on that offer.

I never had a handshake or a hug. My t works with abuse and assault victims, so my guess is the ts at that particular organisation don't generally introduce physical contact with clients. Though, I have to say, I am definitely holding out hope for a goodbye hug when the time comes.

I can not honestly recall. 4 years back. Doh my memory just cant find it.
We don't bother with any handshakes or things nowadays though. 3 times in all I think it was and nothing else.

My T. will text about appointments but not feelings. We never shook hands and just started hugging at my joint sessions with my H once a month because my H's a hugger. I never wanted to before and I now realize that she will not initiate but I think she's ok with it if the client initiates.

I've also found this to be true, and I appreciate it.

My T shook my hand at the beginning of my first session. We haven't touched beyond that since, and I've been seeing her for over 5 years. My T knows, though, that I'm not comfortable with physical touch...I'm getting better about it, but it's still an issue for me.

My T is very accessible to me in other ways, and provides her cell phone number and email address. I am able to text, call, or email as needed (within reasonable limits).

I honestly don't think, even after 5 years, that I would be comfortable hugging T. I've thought about this a lot, and sometimes feel like I want a hug, but when I try to imagine it, all I feel is a need to pull away.

I only hugged my old T on our very last session, kind of as a goodbye. I was turning 18 and she was a "young persons" T from CAHMS, so they decided it was time for me to move on. I shook hands with my old pdoc at the end of each session, my new pdoc only shook my hand the first time we met. I'm meeting my new T soon and hope that we can get close like I was with my old T. I think it depends if it's a man or woman too - my old T was a woman so it felt OK to hug her, but my pdocs have all been male so shaking hands felt appropriate.

No correlation. Some t's just use their cell as their business line too for convenience.

I don't remember our first session. It's been over a year now and I can't recall how it felt when I was first getting to know her. I guess that means it was pretty smooth.

She gave me one a couple months ago after a big crises in my life. I'm a hugger in my everyday life. So I was wondering what it would take to get another one, then last couple of times I got the vibe at the end of our session that she she might want to give me a hug but holds back.

Last session, post xmas, I was pretty depressed and again I got the vibe that she wanted to give me a hug but held back. Instead of reading too much into it, I just surmised that I just need to let her know that I wanted one. So I just kinda okayed it/asked for one like, "yeah, give me a hug."

It felt great. She acted almost grateful about it— and made a little comforting noise too. I think she might be a hugger too. Yay me!

I've had Therapists shake my hand after the first session, but I then tell them that I don't like to shake hands with people.

I've had one handshake among the four therapists I've seen (beginning of the first session). Otherwise, no touching.

We shook hands when he first called me back. We have never shaken hands since. Although we DID fist bump a few weeks ago.

Pdoc gave me my first hug today! I really needed it and decided to risk asking.