I hadn't really thought this through entirely for myself so I am genuinely curious about people's responses.

I used to think that intelligence was really important and it still is. My current therapist is extraordinarily smart (studied astrophysics at Harvard), but he doesn't "lead" with intellect. It's there, he's quick, and remembers everything, and knows a huge amount, but he is remarkably humble.

I guess it is like for others his attunement that really matters. In that he is uncanny and can almost without much expression on my part pick up on mental states and tiny shifts. Sometimes it leads to empathy. Other times to feeling understood. Both are important to me, even more so than support or emotion.