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The Hug Therapy Book

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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.

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.

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

6 people are currently reading
117 people want to read

About the author

Kathleen Keating

35 books4 followers
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.

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5 stars
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71 (31%)
3 stars
39 (17%)
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23 (10%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Profile Image for Juli.
1,536 reviews143 followers
February 28, 2019
Un ensayo que me ha gustado mucho. Es muy fácil de leer, y creo que es una caricia al alma!

Para implementarlo
Profile Image for J Jahir.
1,034 reviews90 followers
March 1, 2019
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
Profile Image for Karla.
1,053 reviews171 followers
March 1, 2019
"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".
Profile Image for Ondřej.
99 reviews13 followers
Read
January 14, 2020
Objetí bok po boku poskytuje radostné okamžiky při autostopu nebo archeologických vykopávkách.
Profile Image for Jen3n.
357 reviews21 followers
March 30, 2010
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.
Profile Image for ade_reads.
317 reviews19 followers
June 18, 2016
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! :)
Profile Image for Berenice.
147 reviews52 followers
December 30, 2013
Cute short book that reminds us the importance of hugging.
Profile Image for Phyllis.
91 reviews
January 12, 2015
I love this little book. I would recommend buying several copies and giving them to your friends.
Profile Image for Sebastián Silva.
23 reviews
February 26, 2020
"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.
Profile Image for Maureen.
381 reviews
January 25, 2021
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.
Profile Image for Cäroly.
124 reviews4 followers
August 31, 2024
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.🎫
Profile Image for Riin.
30 reviews
January 5, 2025
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! ❤️
Profile Image for Lakisha.
283 reviews24 followers
March 9, 2019
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.
Profile Image for Faith Postma.
22 reviews1 follower
January 11, 2020
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.
Profile Image for Rebekah.
17 reviews12 followers
February 18, 2024
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.
Profile Image for Isabel.
221 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2020
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.
Profile Image for Antonia Goycoolea.
149 reviews2 followers
July 5, 2020
Toda una aventura para aprender a practicarlos. Con una amiga leimos una página cada dia en cuarentena obligatoria y nos sirvió para sentirnos cerca
Profile Image for María Josefa Martínez Abad.
23 reviews
May 6, 2021
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.
Profile Image for M Johana Areiza.
335 reviews
December 1, 2021
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.
Profile Image for tori.
100 reviews13 followers
January 30, 2022
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.
716 reviews
May 2, 2023
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.
Profile Image for Nati.
249 reviews1 follower
November 9, 2023
No creo que este libro fuera gran cosa, la verdad
Profile Image for ana.
102 reviews
January 2, 2024
4.5
Me hizo apreciar los abrazos cotidianos mucho más. Y me dieron ganas de abrazar a alguien :)
Profile Image for Felia Isaksson.
128 reviews1 follower
February 11, 2025
Ein schönes, kleines Buch, was einen die Wichtigkeit des Kontakts wieder ins Bewusstsein ruft. ❤️
Profile Image for Arlette Salas.
6 reviews
February 7, 2017
Excelente libro para aprender a abrazar y ser abrazados. Definitivamente, el contacto físico puede mejorar el ánimo de cualquiera, hasta mejorar la salud.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews

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