I think that people are far more likely to discuss emails and texts if there are problems with them though. I've been using outside contact successfully for more than three years and it's been extremely useful, without hurt feelings or other drawbacks. (In contrast, working with a therapist who didn't allow outside contact left me severely retraumatized.)

I don't need to spend a lot of time on here working out problems with outside contact because I'm not having any. I think trying to gauge the utility of outside contact is difficult just using what people are saying on this board.