I think this is where there is so much room for interpretation.

My T doesn't get in my space and say "You have to do X" or "We've talked about a million times", but I would never say he responded with "fluff" or that our relationship was based on "fluff".

Just because your T isn't "pushing" you or showing you "tough love", it doesn't mean that it's not a healthy, positive relationship that fosters change. Honesty doesn't have to equal something that is negative.

Everyone needs something a little different.

I thought I was the type of person who needed someone to push her to do things, push her to talk about certain issues....but that type of therapuetic relationship fostered a more chaotic life.

If you're only changing because someone is pushing you, guilting you, or making you feel like you don't have a choice, that isn't change. That's manipulation. To me, the article wasn't about tough love (which I'd consider to be honesty within a supportive relationship, absent of the treat of termination because you're not changing), but about a therapist's own frustration with a certain type of clientele.

True change should happen because you WANT it to and it's your decision. Telling a client that they need to stop therapy until their ready to do the work doesn't equal creating a safe place where you want to change.

That's why I don't think this is a practice that could be blanketed over everyone (like any approach).