I agree with the things you said about cognitive distortions, TayQuincy.....emotions/feelings that people have after their sessions can certainly distort the rational facts of what happened in sessions, cause them to have interpretations/perceptions that aren't necessarily the whole truth of the matter, make them feel upset with their T - and probably their perspective is different than the T's perspective on the same session. So - it's not always the T, no; but then again, sometimes it is! Sometimes people are in distress after their sessions because the T did make a serious mistake, say something that was wrong, use techniques/have reactions that were harsh and harmful, whether intentional or not; sometimes it really is on the T, and not the client!
I have left sessions in terrible pain.....generally, I know it is not my T's fault and I have never posted here claiming any of my distress was my T's fault - nor do I think I have been judging that others' distress is the T's fault, or anyone's fault, really.....it's basically just that the emotion exists, and whatever the reason it exists, the fact is that it exists and I find no sense in assigning fault to myself or to my T (or my husband or my friends...) for my emotions. Not so long ago, I had a situation in my therapy that was not me....it was my T (one week she said one thing in regard to a boundary; the next week she said an entirely different and clearly contrary thing.......now, in that case, I find it reasonable to say that she had some responsibility for the hurtful effect that had on me! It had nothing to do with a cognitive distortion. But I talked to her later and she owned her mistake.....)
So anyway, I'm aware that there can be misperceptions/misunderstandings because of cognitive distortions......and that emotional distress can cause them. And I am aware that we don't have the full story whenever someone posts about their distress from a session or difficulty with their T. And I am aware of the danger of being quick to make judgments based on only half the story.....
But my point is that I am feeling like when there is a consistent pattern of distress that seems to be caused by a T's techniques, techniques that don't seem to be helping and rather seem to be harming, or when there is a pattern of distress that seems to be caused by inconsistency in a T's manner in dealing with someone, that, yes, this is on the T, not on cognitive distortion or emotional over-reactions! And that I have seen this pattern with granite and her T.....