The Hug Therapy Book

by Kathleen Keating

Relax, raise your arms, place them around the person in front of you and squeeze gently. But, no bear hugs, please. Kathleen Keating and Mimi Noland combine their talents to show how and why all kinds of hugs have positive results on IQ, aging, self-esteem, and stress. Simple line art drawings of charismatic cartoon bears lend a whimsical touch to book guaranteed to touch your heart. A great gift idea for someone who needs a hug. A beary, beary uplifting book.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Humor, German Literature, Mental Health

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

The meaning of my life is to feel, know, and share the many dimensions of love: the courage to grow, the vulnerability to give and receive, to understand with compassion, to use anger constructively for justice ~ and to always be open to the delight of play and the deep pleasure of a warm embrace. ~ kks


My full name is Kathleen Keating Schloessinger because I’m married to Fred Schloessinger. He is my partner in love and life, but I thought I would keep it simple and stick with just ‘Keating’ as author for my books.

I wrote The Hug Therapy Book when I was director of professional education at a private psychiatric hospital in California. I was inspired to write it because I understood we need more than pills to heal our wounded psyches - we also need the touch of love.

However, if you meet me, you might be surprised to learn that I'm a ‘conservative hugger’ because I respect that many people find physical touch uncomfortable - especially with casual acquaintances. There is even a section in the book called Ethics of Hug Therapy. Still, we can all begin to break the touch barrier by giving and receiving lots of warm hugs and tender touching in our families and with close friends.

As a therapist, it was important to be a compassionate listener, but I also presented seminars on: The Power of Touch, The Nature of Love and Intimacy, The Wounded Healer - For Health Care Providers, How To Love Child, How To Talk To Women - For Men Only and How To Talk To Men - For Women Only.

On very rare occasions I'm available to give presentations - in exchange for travel expenses and a generous donation to my favorite charities! (I have a graduate degree in clinical psychology and am a registered nurse in California and Missouri - specialty in psychiatry and mental health.)

We live on Vancouver Island surrounded by all of the beauty and serenity of nature. I'm now retired from my practice as a psychotherapist and enjoy writing and reading - and walking in the beautiful parks of British Columbia.

Reviews

[Juli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un ensayo que me ha gustado mucho. Es muy fácil de leer, y creo que es una caricia al alma!

Para implementarlo

[J Jahir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pues nada, es un ensayo recopilatorio sobre abrazoterapia como ya se lee aquí, y la verdad es que me gustó mucho; no es nada que no se sepa ya, pero es un buen recordatorio de lo importante que requiere este tipo de abrazos. lo que menciona el libro de que hay personas que les puede costar ser abrazados es cierto. Es increíble cómo toma de importancia desde tu niñez y cómo te condicionas en ese tema conforme creces: si en tu familia eran afectuosos y muy abrazadores, tú también lo serás, de lo contrario serás un poco más esquivo o te sentirás extraño si te dan abrazos. por eso es muy interesante cómo aquí se manejan pautas para pedir permiso de darle a alguien un abrazo, y de identificar cuando tú necesitas de uno y saber pedirlo.
hay unos tipos de abrazos que me han dado y viceversa, y fue divertido irlos viendo. y nadie me va a negar qué tan bien se siente uno después de recibirlos y darlos!
y no será una lectura que cambie tu vida pero puedes leerlo si te apetece o te sientes identificado

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sentir, conocer y enseñar las muchas dimensiones del amor: el coraje para luchar; la vulnerabilidad para dar y recibir; la sensibilidad a la compasión y al poder del enojo; la apertura al deleite del juego y el intensísimo placer de un cálido abrazo".

[Ondřej]

Objetí bok po boku poskytuje radostné okamžiky při autostopu nebo archeologických vykopávkách.

[Jen3n · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very small book. The kind you give to a friend who doesn't feel well. It says some very true things about how very, very powerful a thing it is to just hold someone. Non-sexually and with sincerity, I mean. And it IS true. Hugs are seriously underrated in this society. maybe if we hugged more, we'd hurt less.

But what do I know.

Harmless, cute. Sweet.

Recommended. If you like that sort of thing.

[ade_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my 52th book for my Goodreads Challenge 2016. Yeayy!
I got this book from a friend in a Cancer support community. This is short and sweet book with wonderful advice. So, I'm studying to be a hug therapist, now! :)

[Berenice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute short book that reminds us the importance of hugging.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this little book. I would recommend buying several copies and giving them to your friends.

[Sebastián Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Abrazar es un medio de curación mutua"

En este pequeño ensayo, la psicóloga clínica Kathleen Keating, mediante una prosa sencilla, fluida y cómica, presenta el concepto de la abrazoterapia; los beneficios físicos, emocionales y psicológicos del abrazo; las técnicas puntuales que pueden mejorar la experiencia a la hora de abrazar; y la cultura del contacto físico como una práctica que puede mejorar la vida de quienes participan en ella, y que no está limitada a parejas y familiares y amigos cercanos.

Es una lectura muy, pero muy amena, breve y divertida; toma tan solo un par de horas.
Además, consta de ilustraciones muy lindas de ositos abrazadores.

Al ser alguien muy reservado, pero que al momento de un abrazo se deshace de las ataduras físicas y mentales, este librito me sirvió para darme cuenta de que debo pedir y dar abrazos más seguido.

Recomendadísima lectura.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is anyone else missing hugs lately? It feels so unnatural to run into a good friend after long months of Covid isolation and then to not hug them! “Hugging is for everybody” and I’ll be glad when we are back to hugging again.

In this adorable little book Kathleen Keating gives a brief overview of why we all need hugs of support and all the ways we can give them, including visualizing a good hug when one isn’t available. :) She’s got a perfect hug for every situation. (A-Frame hug, anyone?)

I love the whimsy of the line-drawing illustrations of bears hugging and the Institute of Hug Therapy Membership card for the reader to fill out at the end of the book. This was a delightful read.

[Cäroly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esimene raamat, mille beebile soetasin.🥺🐻

Hellitavalt kutsun beebit oma kaisukaruks kui ta süles uinub ning nõustub pikemalt kaisus tuduma. Aga raamatust. Antud raamat aitas meelde tuletada juba teadaolevaid kaisuteraapia võtteid, tutvustas uusi ning nüüd on endal erakordselt tähtis ülesanne neid kaisuteraapia võtteid rakendama hakata.🐻

PS! Raamatu läbi lugenud inimesed saavad raamatu lõpus ka ühe tähtsa instituudi liikmesuse.🎫

[Riin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Väga nunnu ja naljakas raamat kaisutustest (südamlik embus) ja selle tervendavast väest, eri kaisutusliikidest jm-st. Mõned mõtted sealt. Kaisuterapeut võib olla igaüks, kes usub kaisutuse tervendavat imet. Miks kaisutada:
🤗 on mõnus
🤗 tõstab enesehinnangut
🤗 ohjeldab liigsöömist 😄 (sööme ähem, kui käed embavad teist)
🤗 loodussõbralik, ei häiri keskkonda
🤗 energiasäästlik, hoiab soojust kokku
Ja 1 parimaid sõnumeid- kaisuta salgel, kaisuta hästi! ❤️

[Lakisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am funny about people touching me, but this book exhibits the importance of hugs and how they are important to our overall well-being. The Hug Therapy Book teaches us that hugs are important for everyone. They are needed to create peace and love and alleviate the loneliness we feel today.

[Faith Postma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness this is one of my favorite mini books ever now! It’s so cute and informative and you can read it SO fast. I love being a Hug Therapist! Best side “job” ever 🤩 Highly suggest to every hugger and non-touchy person out there. We all need it.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a life long lover and advocate of the power of hugs, I am now a certified hug therapist.

This collection is a charming combination of whimsical and earnest. It would make a perfect gift for a special occasion or just to keep on your coffee table or desk.

[Suélen Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Porque no podemos abrazar al mundo de la manera que este libro me a abrazado a mi? Una caricia a mi mente de la manera más bella que han hecho las letras en un buen tiempo.

[Antonia Goycoolea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toda una aventura para aprender a practicarlos. Con una amiga leimos una página cada dia en cuarentena obligatoria y nos sirvió para sentirnos cerca

[Cathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful message , beautiful illustrations.

[María Josefa Martínez Abad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un abrazo es acceder al interior del ser, sentir lo que siente, sin recibir nada a cambio, solo sentir que tu abrazo de oso, hace feliz a esa persona.

[M Johana Areiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro que vuelve a dar valor al abrazo, en esta época de reducción del contacto, puede ser sanador.
Siempre con el consentimiento de ambas partes.

[tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a quick easy read. probably one of the cutest books i’ve ever read with a good message and the illustrations are adorable as well. now i want a hug.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

What lovely advice! If we could be more generous with out hugs, how much happier we would be, and how much joy we could share! The sketches were charming as well.

[Nati · Rating 2 out of 5]

No creo que este libro fuera gran cosa, la verdad

[ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Me hizo apreciar los abrazos cotidianos mucho más. Y me dieron ganas de abrazar a alguien :)

[Felia Isaksson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein schönes, kleines Buch, was einen die Wichtigkeit des Kontakts wieder ins Bewusstsein ruft. ❤️

[Ro Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una caricia al alma ♡

[Hanna Hermlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jäi veidi lühikeseks. Samas ammendav.

[Arlette Salas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente libro para aprender a abrazar y ser abrazados. Definitivamente, el contacto físico puede mejorar el ánimo de cualquiera, hasta mejorar la salud.

[Eveli · Rating 4 out of 5]

More hugs!