FKM and I agree on this. There is an illusion of a power differential that is somewhat propogated by the therapy insitution itself, but it simply doesn't exist in my opinion - except in inpatient situations. Outpatient therapy? I just don't buy it.

You control the session, what you say, when you leave etc... In fact, you hold the power over whether he hurts you or not AND how you react to it should (or when to be precise) that happens. You are by no means at your therapist's mercy. You are your own person in and out of therapy.

Yes the therapist may know more about all this stuff than you do, but if they didn't you wouldn't even be there right?

Knowing more does not equate to having power. It equates to knowing more.

The only power differential that exists in that room is what you allow to occur.

This fact may be hard to hear as we can feel as though we have no power at all to influence our surroundings in general, much less in therapy.

However, I would encourage you to just "try on" the fact that you do. Ask yourself, "what would it feel like if there were no power differential? What would it feel like if I assumed my own control?'

Just try that exercise, perhaps with your therapist.

I think you might be surprised at what you discover about yourself!