From what she's indicated, my therapist has only been in therapy as a therapist, never as a regular client struggling for respect and balance in the relationship. I've tried to explain this to her, but unless she was ever a client before becoming a therapist, she will never know how we are treated differently than those in a peer to peer therapy situation. For example, I don't think that in a peer to peer therapy exchange, there is as much technique-y stuff going on or maneuvering, because the therapist as client is going to call that stuff out.

I don't really know if seeing a therapist helps my therapist be a better therapist because of this difference. I do think for some, it's really helpful--especially if they were in therapy prior, or on the road, to becoming a therapist (like Runcible).