I did not bring it from start, I was very open to anything when I first started therapy and very curious. I did not even have strong and well-defined expectations, more just curiosity. Not even strong specific goals oAbout the whole relationship aspect (that I had read about tons before) as well. It was more that my views and expectations had changed on the based, based on my experiences and also hearing many others' experiences here on the forum and elsewhere.

My second T (who said those things about marketing strategy etc) was very relational actually. He mentioned even during our first phone talk before starting that he believes that therapy is a relationship and works with clients that way. But then he told me about the marketing as well, and strategies. I imagine he did because he got a sense of who I am and how I tend to think, he asked me to send him an introductory email before the first session and I wrote a quite comprehensive and honest one. By that time I narrowed down my expectations (based on the first T) and I was quite goal-oriented and practical. I think we definitely had a relationship and I liked it as long as it lasted, it just did not help my particular issues. But I agree that my experiences and the expectations created by my therapy experiences tend to be different than most, on this forum at least. Now, if I ever wanted to try therapy again, I would specifically look for an even more goal-oriented, business-like exchange, more something like consulting. But you are right that these kinds of threads are not usually from that perspective.