I believe it's as much a connection as any person who's providing a long term service in exchange for money.

Although as a client we usually value our connections because a service would mean less if the only drive was to get paid.

But unfortunately therapists usually thrive for their own personal gain. Each and every individual client is perceived as a new challenge and while they're dedicated to help us, it's also the only thing that defines them as an asset within their work.

And just like any service job we're required to work more than 40 hours per week in, we're not working just to do people favors. We work because we want to provide the best possible service for ourselves and our clients so that they're happy and our reputation and business can prosper.

If we decide to build too much a connection with every single client we'd end up going bankrupt from all the favors we're giving away. And in a therapists perspective they'd be empathizing with each and every one of their damaged clients, which would result in their own self destructing mannerisms.

So as much as we'd like to have a therapist who's supporting us mentally and emotionally, it's safe to say that an intelligent therapist is one who's detached from his/her emotions, because its safest way to survive in that field of work.