Not to hijack, but I think the ‘good enough mother’ treatment of therapy is extremely dangerous and I have a physical negative response reading about therapy patients as infants.

We aren’t infants. Moreover therapists aren’t our parents.

I’m failrly sure my former therapist tried to reparent me, and till the end I emotionally felt like my therapist WAS my mother. I think back on the things she did to encourage that, and feel so manipulated. Rationally, I knew she was not my mother and I found the disconnect between feel and thought harmful and frightening. Also, the reality of the 50 minute session and running into other clients coming and going added to the confusion.

What happens to Winnicot’s ‘infant’ if a therapist gets terminally ill, moves away, stops liking the client, or terminates suddenly for a stupid arbitrary reason?

I like to think therapists that reset boundaries simply feel like it’s for the betterment of the client. Or that the client is ready for more independence.