Other than Philip Brownell bravely standing up for his position that there may be a place for physical contact in therapy, all of the other opinions seem to run strongly against. Many people who end up in therapy are there because they have been subjected to physical and or sexual abuse by their family, friends. and alleged lovers. I believe that it is for this very reason that physical contact can, under the right circumstances, be very healing. Considering the inclusion of touch in therapy can be a scary prospect, but it can be very worthwhile.
Touch is such a primal part of being human.
After all, newborn babies die or at least fail to flourish without sufficient touch by caregivers. As a client over the years, I have experienced many occasions where touch was helpful in my own therapy. These ranged from supportive, nurturing touch as in a gentle hand on my back or hug, to pressing firmly on my chest and abdomen to help facilitate emotional discharge. As a Gestalt Therapist I have used touch to good effect in similar ways. At one point he was struggling to say something good about himself.