Can I address the original thread question? Why do some of us need or really want to hear "those three little words" from our ts? I think, to remove the words' power over us. Because they have been withheld from us for too long. We went thru a phase where we did say it. I would feel moved during a session to say it because I was so glad for his help; I felt very connected. He would usually say thank you, then a session or so later, we would switch roles. But other times we have talked about it, and it feels scary to me. But we have been together 7 years - your relationship, while intensive, will be short-lived. So maybe you need it to get the most out of this connection. Maybe the workers there need to not say it for their own self-protection, to save themselves from too many ups and downs as people come in and leave? Idk.