Yeah...that statement of assertion sounds like something therapists say to convince clients they know what they're doing.

I mean, is it because of therapy or is it because the therapist is so dang annoying and performs poorly that the client becomes assertive? Which could well happen in real life without the sainted gosh darn therapist involved. And different clients have different thresholds. I would have wanted to assert the heck over a number of therapists mentioned here long before their clients did.

Also, I think therapists recognize and exploit client weaknesses like low self-esteem and use those to keep them on the hook. And when the client finally breaks free a bit, it's, hey, see what a great therapist I am?

Full disclosure: I have a terrible hangover and also recent events are such that for the next few weeks I will likely be feeling incredibly anti-therapist (nothing to do with CW, but rather one of her predecessors). Don't take me too seriously.