Download or read book Touch in Psychotherapy written by Edward W. L. Smith and published by Guilford Press. This book was released on 2001-02-01 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Should a therapist ever shake hands with a client, or touch a client's hand or shoulder? There are taboos against erotic touch in psychotherapy, for excellent reasons, but what about nonerotic touch? These latter forms of physical contact are not explicitly taboo and they can be powerful forms of communication. Research and clinical experience indicate that they can contribute to positive therapeutic change when used appropriately. What, then, is appropriate use?