I do not agree with this view, nor with the view that Gestalt therapy has any such fundamentalist doctrine. Gestalt therapy is by it s nature a herald of the value of experimentalism in attitude, in practice and in writing. By the way, I certainly see my book as, likewise, a transitional text and there are many things I would change about it if writing it today. But I think it stands as a fair contribution to the on-going dialogue of, yes, Gestalt therapy. I completely disagree with any of the comments that try to categorize touch as per se is irresponsible or inappropriate therapeutically.
Many verbal interventions are as intrusive and abusive as harmful forms of touch.
It is not touch per se which makes something abusive or intrusive per se, it is the transgression, without contract or permission, of ones personal boundaries and the misuse of power. The issue in use of touch, as in ALL therapeutic techniques, is to use it responsibly, knowledgeably, with informed consent, with adequate supervision and training from those who know what they are doing and who understand clearly it s limitations and dangers. I would further comment that many survivors of abuse find that they cannot completely heal the from the sequelae of abuse to their embodied being without safe, caring, nonabusive and therapeutic touch experiences. I discuss this in some detail in my chapter on body oriented work with survivors in my book Healing Tasks and would refer readers who are interested to take a look and decide for themselves as to the intrusiveness or abusiveness of the method. Likewise, I invite you to join me at my presentation on the subject at the AAGT conference in Cleveland in June.