I totally understand where your coming from with the therapist not smiling or greeting the client and being unwilling to engage in small talk. I don't mind sticking to the time as it means appointments run on time. I wouldn't want a therapist to waste time but just an opening comment to break the ice. Anytime I've been for treatment for a physical ailment, the doctors and nurses always put me more at ease in this way, which is especially important if the patient is nervous about the treatment or procedure. They do this for everyone, not just for those with mental and/or emotional difficulties. In light of this observation, psychoanalytic or psychodynamic therapists seem almost punitive with their refusal to engage in a normal human exchange. It is not surprising that this triggers feelings in the client and they want to know about these feelings, so yes, they do orchestrate the situation. I think most people without mental and emotional difficulties would be peed off if they found themselves in a situation where a healthcare professional behaved in this way. Therefore, I wonder how it cannot be flawed to analyse the client's reaction and come to the conclusion that it is abnormal and a sign of their "illness" when the majority of people would feel the same way.