I never called my T much but when I did, she usually steered the conversation to, "I'll see you next session and we'll talk about it then," sort of. I understood there wasn't a whole lot she could do on the phone or in my life away from her. As painful as it was, I liked that and the implied trust that I would continue to cope as I had been as the adult I was/am.

I like your thought, mouse, of T being there to "witness" our growth. It is that trust that I would continue to grow that I held to and leaned on the most I think.