I think it's unhealthy because usually it comes up as a result of incosistent treatment by T. It is a 2 person emotional dialogue but T's typically do not want to meet their vulnerable client with vulnerability as well. Mutual vulnerability is the bedrock of a healthy relationship. Usually this is more about protecting their own emotions than helping the client, so the client ends up meeting the T's emotional needs, and paying to do so.

I feel like therapists do not realize just how many mixed messages they are typically sending to people. On one hand, saying this is a relationship, on the other hand, saying it's not a normal relationship. On one hand, encouraging vulnerability and dependency and regression, on the other, reserving the right to establish any boundary any time, to neglect any or all of the client's emotional needs, also reserving the right to stop treating at any time. These are T's that want to be heroes and saviors but get bored when being savior turns to being a caregiver. They want a baby but they don't want to hear it crying at night. It's all feeding their own narcissism, nothing more. If it sounds too good to be true, it is, and I think psychodynamic therapy as a whole is sort of confused right now about what services it's even meant to be offering. It's kind of gross. I think you have to clearly define what you expect from therapy, and demand that. Of course the problem is that they are deliberately working with a vulnerable population. Eugh, what can you do? Seems like a big mess.