apologies for my offending, but that was not my intention when i responded with curiosity about why or what is it that attracts people to remain in therapy for extended periods of time. i shared my view that for me therapy is intended to help one grow, to eventually leave the nest, sort of speak. that is how i view my own 7 year experince of therapy, but i don't think i would have ever 'left the nest' if i didn't overcome the feeling of being 'addicted' and truama boded to my therapist. for me, it was working through the transference, ending the constant negative reenactments of my early childhood, ending the trauma bond with my T that helped me to grow to where i was no longer afraid to live a life without him in it.

you are correct, it is absolutely about fear. personally, this was the biggest revelations to come to me in therapy. i didn't want to live a life of fear anymore and fortunately found a way to get past the fear and move forward in my life.

so i guess the real crux of my thinking in my prior post was wondering when a client remains in therapy long term, how much of that is of the clients own free will or how much is it influenced and maintained by the therapist triggering and perhaps feeding that fear which keeps the client 'stuck' in long term therapy?

i appreciate hearing others views, including yours, and like many have already shared. i reckon that is where the insightful conversations begin.