I don't think it is enabling either, to hand you tissues, I just think it's a gesture of kindness and compassion and care....the other day T thought I might cry, so she put the box closer to me, as she said, just in case! But of course, in her doing that, it made me think she was expecting me to cry and it gave me some space to push the tears away again, actually.

Thanks for starting this thread, cats....we were getting off-topic in my thread, and getting into this line of thought about crying in front of T, so I'm glad you started this, since it's big on my mind....

This is what I posted in that thread before I saw this one -
***I have a huge issue with crying, period, never mind crying in front of others....think maybe I will forget about crying in session. If I want to feel like I am crying alone, I will cry alone, in private, at home, in the dark! Or here, virtually..... ***
I often feel moved and get teary, yes, but to really let the flood come forth....no. Just feels like losing control and this is frightening; but then I keep wanting to keep control, and this is holding me back in therapy and otherwise anyway, I do know it.
Gosh, I wish T would at least hold my hand or put a hand on my shoulder if I did cry....it would make it so much easier for me. But I know she won't....her boundary on this is unshakably firm, and so it is.....