My therapy seems to have gone pearshaped, which I'm devastated about (I might do a different thread about that). I interviewed a new T yesterday. I knew exactly what I was looking for. My previous T was blank slate, and not very smiley, and perhaps didn't use her 'self'. I was looking for the complete opposite, especially regarding the smiling. I didn't get what I wanted, the potential new T didn't smile once. I was quite struck by him though. It's my view that therapy can be oppressive and that there can be or is always an element of power and control. I think this can be very subtle. The T can subtly give approval or disapproval. I had a sense that this T was very aware of this and was careful around that. He didn't even tell me which chair to sit in. He didn't lead the session in any way. He made some wise comments to things I said. I cried at one point. It was a breath of fresh air to talk to a new T. I don't know whether to go again as I so wanted a T who would smile at me.