I have to respectfully disagree with you BufFox.

Vulnerability-Therapists also have to risk being vulnerable It's a hazard of the job. How can any person 100% of the time, day after day, client after client, not empathize with some of the people and some of the things they hear. Are they expected to manage it? Most definitely. Usually, one puts up defenses when they are feeling vulnerable. And, most likely she felt vulnerable at times working with you before the rupture. Maybe, you would not be railing continuously if your therapist hadn't put up defenses when things went south between the two of you. There are articles written and bodies of research being compiled on therapist's vulnerability.

Honesty - that's a toss up. I suspect clients lie more to therapist. But , we clients have our psychological reasons.

Disclosure- Some therapist disclose more than others, and for them to even trust a client with some of the things they reveal about FOO, spouses, divorce, kids, substance abuse...can be used against them by any irate client. I was able to ask whatever I wanted, including things of an intimate nature. She answered all, but I also realized that was not me. It was more testing the limits of the relationship, her willingness to be VULNERABLE and HONEST with me. She passed with flying colors. Did not need to ask anymore and would never ask a close friend. I respect their right to share private things in their time table, if at all.



Power- there was a thread a few months back on PC that beat that topic to death. I don't think of therapy in terms of power. But, if I had to take a side, I'd go with the client having the power. Sometimes, they just don't realize it. To me, all relationships are asymmetrical over time.

So BudFox, we will have to agree to disagree.