hey, i think there is a middle ground with respect to therapist burnout in the sense that there are things the client can do to help, and there are things that the therapist can do to help as well.

sometimes there are external things that are going on in the therapists life. those kinds of things... well they aren't so much the kinds of worries i'm having... i don't think that there is much i can do about what my therapists life is like outside therapy.

but what i do has an impact on how much my therapist looks forward to / dreads seeing me. if my therapist dreads seeing me then it is more likely that she is going to want to terminate me / give me away to someone else. if my therapist likes seeing me then it is less likely that she is going to feel burned out with me and want to terminate me / give me away to someone else.

throwing tables at therapists... probably doesn't help them look forward to seeing you...

yeah there is positive transference responses as well. there is also idealisation (which can be a concern 'cause it can turn to disillusionment and devaluation when the idealised object fails to live up to the ideal). but positive transference responses... tend to make burnout less likely too...

;-)