So as to not derail other recent posts, I will ask my question here.

When I stared therapy, T was this blank slate who shared very little about his life and internal experience of me. Some time ago we started more of a relational approach where we openly discuss our relationship, which has been very helpful to me. Fairly recently he started being more open. I hope someone here can understand when I say he's becoming like a real person. He shares more about his thoughts, reactions and life. It's like now he is changing but I think my transference is perhaps being resolved. I don't know.

Has anyone else gone through this realization that T isn't who or what your mind created, thought or wanted them to be? How did you handle the almost overwhelming pain associated with these realizations? If it wasn't painful, why do you think that is? If you had this lost feeling as a result, what did you do to help yourself?

Thank you kindly for any feedback.