I had a very bad experience with my first therapist. Maybe I was exceptionally naíve and had unusually low self-esteem; if I had not, it might not have affected me so much. I might have been able to counter the suggestions he made to me, or maybe not. It seems to me, maybe particularly at that time, which was quite a while ago, that therapists were maybe not well trained in looking compassionately at themselves to detect signs of "countertransference", so they tended to deny that such a thing could take place. It wasn't part of the image they had of themselves as "helpers" to believe that they could have significant problems themselves. I think awareness of oneself is a very significant factor in whether a therapist or other mental health professional can be successful in treating other people -- and I think there are some who do not have that high a level of self-awareness. I am not sure that is a standard part of the training even now.