A client need not surrender. The therapist need not try to get a defeat. Progress may be had in vulnerability(if that is what the client wants) without it. In my opinion.
Again, I use myself as an example. I am not the most submissive, non confrontational client ever. And the second one I see is not a marshmallow. And although we may agree more or agree less with each other, I have never felt like she was trying to get me to submit or surrender anything. She steps aside so it is more a struggle with myself. The first one injects herself into the struggle.