Saying that the whole enterprise is manipulative from the furniture on is a bit strong, isn't it? I mean that stretches the word "manipulative" so much that it almost loses its meaning. Everything may have some effect or other, and some may be planned or at least considered. Of course. It wouldn't be therapy if it were just neutral and powerless. What would be the point? Manipulation usually has power and ulterior motives connected to it. Having a red couch instead of a black one seems not to rise to that level.

A somewhat amusing type of manipulation was used by family therapists who called themselves Strategic. They would do paradoxical reverse psychology things to directly manipulative clients into changing and would not say what they were up to. An outrageous example of this was a case where a boy was brought in by his parents for masturbating all the time all over the house.

The therapist started by not telling the boy to stop, but instead by asking him to keep a detailed log of all the places and times. Then the therapist asked which were the best places and times and told the kid to double his efforts!

The kid of course stopped. This treatment is called by the therapists "an ordeal," and is designed to make the cure so unbearable that the original symptom goes away.