It's an odd and complicated relationship for sure. I think the client gets more emotionally involved than the Therpaist. I'm sure that some therapists might develop further feelings for certain clients.

For me when I took my first long break it was treacherous and my thought process was the same as yours. I knew I had to continue my life as if I've never met her and as I do with my regular doctors. I'm really nothing to her and I shouldn't expect anymore than just a client-therapist relationship. I had to engrave it into My head that it's her job to be there. That's what we pay them to do. If I didn't pay her then she wouldn't be there. I took 6 months off and it was tough. It got easier as time went by but it was still really tough. Plus my boys see her best friend who's also a T and I would Bump into her often.

I now took another break. This time we both separated angry via text. It's not an easy process but if you take it for what it is and be realistic about it then within time it gets better. I found it easier to stay busy and try to tune her out. It was a lot of coaching myself on my part.