I guess if both T and the client wanted to be friends and sufficient time had passed after therapy for the therapy relationship to dissipate, then it would be OK. Maybe the "rule" makes it easier for the T's to disengage from the clients. Maybe otherwise, the T would feel they had dozens of former clients clamoring for their time as a friend. I personally feel my T is so "advanced" in interpersonal relationships that he would not want to be my friend "on the outside" due to my inadequacies at handling relationships. I say this despite the fact that we have an extremely close and attuned therapeutic relationship. Gerber, I think it is very cool that you feel you and your T could be friends after you are done with therapy.