I love my therapist because we've known each other for years now and I have learned that I can depend on him. He's open, non-defensive, accepts criticism and admits his part whenever we hit a rough patch, and he has a wry sense of humor. He's older than me and has the wisdom of age. I feel we are fellow travelers, and even though we have had different life experiences, we share a connection that comes from both of us being willing to be open and to take emotional risks in the therapy room. He is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but neither am I. I think he's helped me to grow as a person and I suspect I have helped him as well, because my suspicion is that no client truly changes unless something within the therapist changes too, or at least is open to being changed.