T's are not our mothers or teachers. I do not believe they are strict or lenient in their behavior; they want to work with us or would not accepted the job we hired them for. If we do not do the work of therapy in their opinion, we cannot be in therapy with those therapists, they cannot allow that as there are others who they could be working with. No one is going to pay you to work with them if you do not do what work you are assigned, the work associated with that job. It would be a waste of their time and hurting them because they would be trying to work with someone not doing their part which could affect their own health and well being if they allowed it to continue.

My T let me know up front she did not "chase ambulances" and she did not do small talk or allow discussion of other people. My T was serious about her work and that was very helpful to me.