Yes, but not-so-healthy attachment (insecure?) can be quite different from healthy (secure) attachment. We don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water! Secure attachment is healthy and can be very therapeutic.

That's a different experience than I've had, and I can see that it could be frustrating to never work on real issues in therapy. In my own therapy, we do work on "real" issues, such as dealing with the impending deaths of my parents. We don't work overtly on the attachment. T and I have a great relationship and don't need to spend a lot of time officially working on it. We keep it strong and build it by sharing in session, having success, not giving up, telling difficult things and getting supportive reactions, etc. Our relationship just "is", and doesn't take up our time and attention. It is strengthened through the work of therapy (on "real issues"). Being securely attached to my therapist allows me to do the deep and difficult work of therapy. If I didn't have that, I don't think I would have made as much progress in therapy, turned my life around, etc. Plus, some of the interactional work we do, such as my being scared to bring up topics in therapy, or shy, or not a good listener, or whatever, reflect things in my real relationships that I would like to change, so working on those challenges in therapy is helpful. The relationship and communication patterns with T serve as a laboratory where I can try out new behaviors and have success with them before trying them out in a relationship with a friend or relative. I believe that those interactional/relational benefits of therapy are working on real issues.

TinaL I understand that you might not want to be attached to your therapist--maybe you want solution focused therapy on a very defined problem, or you are very uncomfortable with close relationships and doesn't want to work on that, or many other reasons. That's great you know what you want. I just don't want you to think that attachment to a therapist necessarily detracts from therapy, is unhealthy, or means you focus on attachment issues with the therapist, etc. Secure attachment to the T can be like a helpful background to therapy, not an issue that need dominate the discussion and work.

TinaL, it is true that in only 8 sessions, a person might not have attached to their therapist. But it is also true that they may never attach to the therapist, so I don't think you need to worry. You don't want attachment and you are not feeling it. So all seems good, right? It sounds like your therapy may be going just the way you want it. Have you found it helpful so far?

Sometimes when we read or hear about other people's accounts of their therapy, we get to wondering, hey, why isn't my therapy like that (either good or bad). Every person's therapy is a unique experience and it is OK if you don't have what your next door neighbor has. Hopefully, you and your therapist can co-create a therapy that is ideal for you and your needs. Good luck. Hope you will post more.