"The power play inherent in therapy feel awful to me. One person plays poker with their cards up and one person plays with their cards hidden. I have so many times almost quit because I got in a negative interpretation of him, and actually I think therapy in many ways does mirror unhealthy relating in how unreciprical it feels."

I agree. The blank-slate idea is an old one, and I think it is slowly dying out. I think the therapy field is realizing that while too much disclosure is certainly a very negative thing, appearing human and not as a blank wall helps to even out the power balance a bit and helps people to trust more. Hopefully in the coming years we see more of this.