I'm ambivalent about therapy. Sometimes I think that the erotic transference is kind of necessary for a working through. Like the fact that I do have erotic feelings for a therapist kind of shows me that I have some issues that I need to work through. Having those feelings and talking to my therapist about them could help me work through them.

On the other hand I wouldn't have those feelings if I didn't go to therapy and / or if I picked different therapists (females, for example) or if I picked a therapist with a different theoretical orientation. I sometimes wonder whether having those feelings for a therapist is likely to harm or likely to help...

I think it depends considerably on the therapist. On whether they are able to work for the clients good in the face of erotic transference or whether they are unable to do that. I think there is a danger in erotic transference that the therapist will act inappropriately and / or become invested in keeping those feelings continuing on or something like that. I don't expect this is just about erotic feelings either, I expect that therapists can similarly respond helpfully or harmfully with little kid feelings too.

It IS a hard one.

I went through a phase where I had to stop reading the psychology board someplace because it was crammed up with people talking about erotic feelings that they had for their therapist. Erotic feelings and / or little kid needy and dependent feelings. I really couldn't face that for a while there.

I too worry about whether it is good for us to encourage those feelings. I worry about whether encouraging someone to accept the feelings might be encouraging someone to act them out might make it more likely that their therapist will take advantage of them and %#@&#! them up bad.

It IS a hard one. Especially for people who have been hurt / sexually abused before, yeah.

Hang in there everyone