Intimacy in a theraputic relationship

I personally don't have any desire to be intimate with the therapist. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, nor does it mean I just need more time to "achieve" intimacy with the therapist. At least, I hope I do not "progress" to feeling intimate with the therapist since in my case, that is not an outcome I desire. I do understand that the feeling of intimacy is important and relevant to many other people. I'm just saying that it's not a universal goal for everybody.

True. But I also found it common and normal in the American culture to hold a direct eye contact during conversations. It felt weird and uncomfortable when I just came here and it still does. I hate being stared at directly in the eye. I tolerate it here because I know it's a cultural thing, but in Russia, for example, this is usually not a good sign and, when someone does it to you, it's a good idea to find an excuse to leave. In Asian culture, as far as I know, a direct eye contact is outright disrespectful. I can only imagine how Asian clients feel about such "therapeutic" technique.

Eye contact for me was very helpful when I saw a previous therapist - for me it was one of the most effective parts of my therapy, the way my therapist was really obviously and unwaveringly present through his eye contact. This was in Europe where I was living at the time. I have on occasion actually wished my current American therapist would use eye contact a little more, and I have been a little curious why he hasn’t.

It’s always interesting to read about how other people experience things so differently.

No its, not.
We, all come into therapy with different desires.
Out of all my traumas. And there are lot.
I desired to be close to just one mother like figure.

For me, the intimacy and silence are not at all related to eye contact in any way. I'm lying down and so I don't even see my T. I could look at him if I wanted to, in which case he would probably offer me eye contact. But my silent moments with him have mostly been without eye contact, just by being together.