I have thought many times about having my T as a friend aside from therapy. But the more I think about it, the more I really wouldn't want it (as much as I would "like" it). The reason being is my T knows too much about me, and I don't think the transition could be made to friendship.

If I just wanted to "vent" to them as a friend, and not for introspective examination, I would be worried if something I said would be met with "well, how does that make you feel", rather than "yeah, that stinks, I agree with you" (as a friend would say). I would also worry whether the T could make that leap and leave the therapy hat home.

I have a really really close friend who had years and years of therapy but was not a therapist. I confided in her about one of my issues and she started "playing therapist" with me, asking me questions a therapist would based on her own experiences with therapy. She was helpful, and did it from a friendship point of view, and with care and love, but I found I was starting to resent her because she was making me mad with forcing me to look at myself the way a therapist would. Fortunately, our friendship was(is) strong enough and I was able to tell her to stop acting like a therapist and just be a friend.

I keep remembering that incident whenever I think I want to be friends with my current T.