I just don't think this is true. I'm sorry you felt manipulated by a therapist and that colored your opinion of them. But do you think that all truck drivers are the same? Or all teachers? Why would all therapists have the same personalities?

I've had several acquaintances and friends who are therapists. These aren't therapists that I have seen for therapy and then became friends. I met them through other community activities and they became friends, which means I would never see them for therapy. Some of them are perfectly nice people and some of them are kind of jerks.

I truly believe that some therapists care very much about their clients. They likely don't think about the clients as often as the clients think about them, but they still care. I think that there has to be a bit of a distance in that caring, particularly when they are dealing with a lot of trauma. The therapist has to be the strong one in that dynamic. They can't get overwhelmed with the trauma too, or they won't do anyone any good.

They are also human and sometimes they screw up. The good ones will acknowledge this to themselves and to the client. The bad ones won't. It's a good way to screen out the good and the bad, honestly.