I think it can be therapeutic, but only if T's are careful about the way they go about it. I've heard plenty of things about the way my T experiences me lately. T feels I'm beating up on her, she feels very critisised by me. Once she admitted she was very frustrated with me, it was only later that she admitted she'd never been so angry with a client before (because she thought I was resisting her and that made her feel like I'd physically hit her). She's said she expected more of me after four years. She basically yelled that I wasn't trying, and she rephrased that about 5 or more times in one session.

Because of what T said, I realise where I was going wrong. Often I wasn't communicating as well as I thought I was. However, the way my T said everything, all together (and there's SO much more than just those few comments), it so nearly ended a really good four year relationship. So far, three months later, things still aren't okay at all.

I think comments that let you in on the T's own reactions can be therapeutic, if they're carefully worded, if they aren't piled on all at once, and if the T can say them without getting too caught up in the emotions of it all. My T took far too much anger and frustration out on me and it's been really devastating. It sounds like your T got too caught up with his own emotions too, instead of using them to help you.