For me, therapy was a place where I could talk about whatever I needed to without feeling the need to protect the listener, and it is a place where the listener is truly an objective, uninvolved party who can just be straight with me. All those real-life personal dynamics where we have old history with people and are inhibited in one way or another because of all that history aren't a factor in therapy. Fresh, objective ears and straightforward, honest feedback--I so value that in my therapists. I love my family and my friends, but that level of complete openness and honesty with them is just not going to happen because there is just too much history and personal emotional involvement and baggage involved.