I suppose I've done a bit of this with current T. He tends to, as he calls it, "give lots of feedback" (as opposed to mostly sitting and listening). Sometimes that takes the form of him suggesting what another person may have been thinking or feeling in response to me. Which can sometimes be difficult to hear. There have been a couple sessions where I've told him at the start that what I really needed that session was support from him, less feedback, and he's generally respected and obliged that. I also told him in an e-mail a couple months ago that maybe I need him to be a bit more gentle with the feedback for a bit (this was related to the stone thing and also to my dealing with ex-MC termination), and he said he would do his best to do that (and I think he has). He's basically come out and said before that this is his style of doing therapy, so if I wanted a completely different approach, I should probably see someone else. So I think it would be futile for me to try to completely mold him into a different type of T. But he's willing to make adjustments here and there to meet my needs whether in the moment or in a more general term, as I think all good T's should be willing to do.

As for walking on eggshells...I have found myself avoiding a few topics, like anything to do with transference/attachment to him (ever since the initial stone discussion), because I was concerned it would make him uncomfortable. We briefly addressed that avoidance last session (I brought it up). We both agreed that avoiding something could put sort of a block in between us and in the therapy in general, so it's better to talk about it than avoid it. So I'm going to try not to avoid things with him.