Quote:
Originally Posted by stopdog
It is a job for them. Clients are not that interesting or special for the most part. The therapist is often more unique to the client than vice versa. I don't think it matters whether they care or not. But even if one of them does care as general proposition, it is not going to keep them from being self-protective, or focussed on career changes, or their own life and if a client does not fit into that - the client is going to be a client of theirs no longer. I think the problem often comes from clients being lead to believe the illusion that it is not a job for those guys.
|
I think this is fairly true. That doesn't mean Ts see all clients are "just" a job and I think they do care about people. However, most Ts compartmentalize relationships with their clients, in much the same way teachers and other service providers do, so they can keep their personal life separate. Otherwise they wouldn't be able to have lives of their own - families, career and social lives have to remain their priority or they would eventually lose all of these things.
That said, I think some Ts do encourage the illusion that the therapeutic relationship is more personal than it really is. Even the best intentioned Ts can do this simply because their perspective is so different from the clients perspective. It may very well be a flaw in the system in this way. I think clients who are more susceptible to getting overly attached or who struggle with boundaries end up feeling abandoned and betrayed when the illusion falls apart. I also think some Ts struggle with boundaries (probably moreso than clients) or have their own neediness, which just makes a client even more vulnerable.
Still, although it doesn't seem like it from these forums, many clients have no interest in their T on any personal level - even if they really like their T and therapy. And many Ts are very clear about their role from the get go and don't struggle with boundaries. But for the others who don't see it this way, they can often create a false reality and cause a lot of hurt.