I think this idea of a therapist as an authority figure is an interesting one. I do see my T as an authority on psychology and relationships, given her training, experience, and what I assume is a natural knack for dissecting human interactions. My sense of her authority in that domain comes from years of hearing her observations and predictions and then comparing them to my real-life experiences. She has accurately explained people in my life that she has never met, so I do weight her opinions about certain things pretty heavily, probably more than anybody else's except my own.

Aside from my estimation of her expertise, I also see her as an authority figure in the traditional sense. But I see that as power that I have given her in the context of our relationship, and I retain the ability to revoke my consent and either leave therapy or change the parameters of our interactions. I give her that power because I can't experiment with being vulnerable and trusting somebody to take care of me without putting her in a position of authority to do that. This is all reworking childhood stuff, which is where I personally need to be. I could see other people not needing to play out that dynamic, though, and thus seeing their therapist more like a consultant or a trusted friend or somebody who is paid to sit there and stay back.