The more I read about self psychology, the more I like it. I get to study it a little more in my next class coming up too, and also Linehan. I think I see an excuse to buy some of the books on my wish list.

As far as the needs, I can see therapists readily fulfilling needs for idealising and mirroring. Not usually twinship though, because that tends to involve self-disclosure, and therapists have to be careful with that. I do think that therapists should fulfill needs when appropriate, and not just analyse the needs. I think that it is okay to need approval, and that we all do. It's also okay to need attention (and it ticks me off when people say someone "just needs attention" therefore they ignore the person - I had roommates who did that, fortunately not a therapist). Transference exists, but not everything is transference and there are real needs.