I'm extremely attached to my T. While in the long run it's not healthy, currently it has its purpose.

My problems with attachment stem from my parents. I rarely felt comforted by my parents. I had mother-figures since at least age 5. So therapy or no therapy, I have attachment issues.

I tried not to get attached with current T, but that went out the window on the first session. I couldn't be "saved" from it. But now after discussing it with my T, I wouldn't want to be "saved". Trust me, I don't like the pain and frustration that comes with it, but it does actually help me. It allows me to have a connection, develop trust in order to open up and also follow her advice, to relate, to feel safe, etc. It allows me to work in myself because I know I have someone to fall back on. She's my safety net.

And my T doesn't deny or encourage attachment. It is what it is. She of course wants me to be able to get to a point where I am not attached to her and still maintain a connection, but until then we keep working with what benefits it does provide me and processing the issues causing the attachment.

I found this article about attachment to be interesting. I do find Buddhist concepts (also used in DBT), helpful. This article gives me a basic understanding of what I'm trying to achieve in terms of attachment and therapy and relationships in general. But for now, I try to utilize the attachment to help me progress through my issues.

Attachment and Buddhism -- Buddhist Teachings on Attachment and Clinging