Thanks for your post Goingtogetthere. I am not a professional in this area and don't know why the Board changed their minds on it but how can they actually enforce such a rule? Does anyone really have the power to tell someone "you can't be friends with your client/former client?" I can understand such a rule protecting a vulnerable, perhaps unstable, client but a friendship is a choice by two individuals. If the T believed their client to be unable to handle a friendship, do you really think a T would want to be their friend afterward? I believe if you are both strong people and able to stand on your own then why not? If you found a special connection with your T and they felt the same way about you, then I think you are lucky.

You stated that:

[quote=Goingtogetthere;3062219] The only caveat is that if I make the decision to become friends, there is NO going back. So I have to, and want to be sure that all of my deep therapy is done, and that it will last. /quote]

I think this is wise to consider. Do you both feel that the deep part of your therapy is over? If you have that special connection that everyone says is so important to therapy, you want to make the most of it in working with your T until you are sufficiently healed. If you have reached that point now, I say you are fortunate indeed and I hope your friendship will last a long, long, time.