There's self-disclosure and then there's self-disclosure. For example, if a therapist tells a client that he's going through family problems or having marital issues, then I think that's inappropriate. Because even if the therapist doesn't intend it that way, it dumps the therapist's problems on the client. I'm the type of person who would start taking on their stuff, and that's definitely something I wouldn't need to carry. Talking about where their child goes to college to me isn't inappropriate as long as the hour doesn't revolve around what's going on in the therapist's life. There's a line when it comes to self-disclosure, and the therapist should know where that line is. (Oh, dear...if I ever get brave enough to go back to therapy I fear I'm going to be a boundary nazi.)