My T allows unlimited emails and phone messages, but doesn't respond unless I specifically ask for it. And I don't often ask for it. Yet just sending him a message is therapeutic. I also know he takes in each message with good attention because he remembers it all at the next session.

At one point when I was experiencing a crises due to medication problems, I asked for phone calls several times per week. He gently stated that it was appropriate at this point for me to look for other sources of support to supplement calls with him, such as therapy groups.

I never get the impression from him that he resents my needs or defends against neediness, and he doesn't detail his boundaries up front, but he definitely has boundaries and gently sticks to them.

He has been wonderful, particularly this way he never gives the impression of resenting my needs, even if it should happen that a boundary is briefly crossed (such as that period of calling him and asking for a return call every day).

Mike