No and yes. He does let me lead on "the journey," and I get to pick the topics for therapy, etc. But if he sees a particular problem I am having, he does do interventions or suggest them, based on professionally what he feels can help. (Like he will suggest we do some EMDR for resolving past trauma.)

Since the time I came to him, I was struggling with the divorce issue, he has helped me with that, and made very sure he doesn't tell me he thinks I should get a divorce or he thinks I should stay married. He knows it is my choice, my decision, and he has explored that with me. When he gets countertransference with me, and it is on this issue that it has happened (when I think he so strongly wants to tell me to "ditch the guy" based on his own feelings about his own marriage that ended), he will tell me of the countertransference and try to maintain his appropriate therapeutic position. I like that he admits to me this struggle but I also respect very much that he fights it off and has helped me explore rather than told me what to do (as a friend might). I do have plenty of friends/family willing to tell me what I should do about my marriage, and this again points out to me the uniqueness and value of the therapeutic relationship, that I can depend on him not to tell me what to do.