Goes too far for me, but I can see what you are getting at. Again, I don't equate trust with power, but I can easily see how the two are tangled up together for many people.

When I trust (which I do pretty easily amazingly enough), it isn't about handing someone power. It is faith; that is for sure, but I don't equate faith with power either. It is more innocent than that I guess.

I mean, our children have trust and faith in us, and I doubt, in healthy parental/child relationships, they are spending much time worrying about the power their parents have when they are quite young. As they get older, they begin to recognize that their parents do have power, but again, in healthy relationships, that isn't something particularly negative AND good parents know how to parent rather than dictate so that their children don't feel like their parents' power is being inflicted on them but rather that they are being empowered to act on their own as much as possible. AND, healthy parents will back off from their "power" and influence as a natural part of allowing those kids grow into healthy adults.

Likewise, a good therapist should be empowering clients to be as autonomous as possible and should hopefully be working towards that time when the client will be comfortable and able to function healthily on their own. I have always had the trust and faith that my therapists were working toward that goal. My most recent therapist probably most clearly explained that very concept to me; it was always quite clear that his goal was never to be the one in power. I was always the person in control, even when I didn't feel it or believe it. Over time, I really began to feel that internal power and autonomy that I didn't trust in myself for most of my life.

Maybe it isn't about trusting the therapist's power. Maybe it's more about learning to recognize and trust our own power. Hmm.