I bet they don't tell everyone that. I think there are different degrees of closeness in the therapeutic relationship and that Ts probably don't say "I care about you" to many of their clients. To many clients, they probably demonstrate by their actions that they are caring, or at the very least, that they are skilled, professional, and trying to be helpful. I think that there are probably only certain clients to whom a T says "I care about you." These may be clients to whom the T is especially close or clients who need this extra reassurance because they are very doubting of the T due to trust issues, abandonment issues with family of origin, etc.

I don't think my T has ever told me, "I care about you," although he has said a lot of really great things to me (things that are actually far more meaningful to me than if he said, "I care"). I have no doubt he cares about me and haven't needed to hear him say it. I just know he does. It feels great. I really think he would reserve those words for clients with specific needs.

Do you mean your T? It sounds like you're talking about all Ts, and many in this thread have told you their T does care. Plus we have had Ts here say they care. Do you think all these people are lying? Deluded? I hope you can believe them--at least some Ts can care!

As you get to know your T and develop a relationship, you will come to know them well and be able to tell if they care about you. If you have a therapist who prizes authenticity and being genuine, they are not going to lie to you about this or fake it.