If you really look at the therapy relationship, there is really very little that mimics a real friendship - at least not a close one. Only the client shares information, the T shares nothing. There is nothing reciprocal happening as far as emotions are concerned. Healthy friendships are two way. Both parties confide in each other, both serve as emotional support systems and both seek out each other's company. There is a mutual benefit emotionally (or they should). When one friend shares and the other doesn't, I wouldn't consider myself close to that person. One of them may be a confidant, but that is not the same thing.

I don't think the general public thinks of therapy as a replication of any real world relationships. I always think of someone laying on a couch spilling their souls to a blank slate in a leather chair. Nothing about that image suggests a friendship to me. If anything I think the general image is that of a mentor/teacher/guru (which isn't the case either). I think some people may interpret empathy, concern and possibly kindness for friendship. Unfortunately it's not - we can be empathetic, compassionate and concerned about a lot of people who we are not friends with. Friendship involves a lot more than these things and there's always a contribution from both people involved. If you took the therapy relationship out of the office, it wouldn't translate into a relationship that would ever last. There's too much that is one sided and lacks the complexity of a real relationship.