What you say makes sense to me. I never experienced her mirroring my facial expressions, but they were mostly appropriate, neutral, for the particular discussion. There were a few times I did question her facial expressions that did not seem to fit, because the one time i didn't, I was wrong, and l decided I was too much for her, and sought out a second therapist.

When I was struggling with shame and talking or being silent through it I could not look at my therapist, but I would feel her looking at me, either with a smirk or pity. I would demand that she not look at me. She always told me she wasn't, and that was true. She waited for periheral movement and then waited a few seconds before looking at me. It allowed me to compose myself.