I think a T would ask you at the first appointment, why you are there. Some Ts might be more restrictive on what they work on with clients. They might be more medically oriented and choose to work only with clients who are mentally ill. Other Ts have a broader scope of practice. There are many reasons to do therapy, and a number of them are not about mental illness. Some people go to therapy to improve their lives, get help to achieve personal growth and satisfaction, learn to communicate better, get support through a crisis like the death of a loved one, etc., but they aren't necessarily sick. The comment on insurance is an interesting one. I pay out of pocket for my therapist so don't/won't have that ethical dilemma. I can understand that therapists might not want to keep billing insurance if the person is mentally healthy, but working on goals such as personal growth, etc. So maybe there would come a time when the therapist would say, "hey, dear client, you aren't depressed anymore, so I can't keep billing insurance, but I am happy to keep working with you on your life goals" or something like that. Has anyone had that happen?

About the woman who is jovial when leaving therapy--good for her! Sometimes I feel really good after therapy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, and it doesn't mean we just sat around chewing the fat. Plus, sometimes when I do think we are sitting around "just" talking, my T has another name for it, such as we were building the relationship or doing ego work, etc.

SAWE, I do think you could find a therapist who would provide what you may be looking for one day.