Have you developed an emotional attachment to your therapist?

As my first *excellent* T said to me when I felt ashamed about my attachment to her: "The deeper the connection, the deeper the work." This is sooo true! I think of the progress I've made with Ts to whom I struggled to attach to/didn't attach well to versus those whom I did attach to and was "emotionally intimate" with (I like how sunrise puts it above). I've done infinitely better work on myself with the latter group of Ts and the attachment was much healthier.

I find it amusing the the censor filter on this site doesn't allow 'b!tch' or 'Moby ****', but is fine with 'boning', 'shagging', and also I've noticed, '*****'...

ANYWAY...
I don't think emotional attachment is at all the same as romantic feelings or wanting to have sex, so in my opinion you've posted two very different questions. I agree with what farmergirl had to say on it.

I would say that yes, I am emotionally attached to my T (as in I see her as a lovely human being, someone I admire, someone I'm glad is in my life) and yes, to a point, at the moment, I am dependent on her. Maybe some would say too dependent - that's how it can sometimes feel - especially to me as I've never liked having to depend on ANYONE, but, I think in order for me to do the work we're doing in therapy at the moment this is necessary, and I need to feel like we have a connection and that she's lovely and she cares and I can trust her - otherwise, I'd have been all "**** this ****!" by now (censor filter justified this time )

I agree with j_s_g that the way farmergirl unpicked the issues was really helpful.

Studies show time after time that about 1/3 of the outcome of therapy depends on the strength of the therapeutic relationship (see Carr's 'What works for whom'). Who am I to scoff at that?

Sarcasm can be a useful means of expressing disapproval.

Like I said in the OP: I want you to be honest with yourself and others, as it is in your own best interest.

Avoiding the question by asking a sardonic question is not in your own best interest, as it is an evasion technique.

I most certainly have developed an emotional attachment to my therapist. It's absolutely healthy to do so and, in my case, absolutely necessary.

I'm not in love with him and don't lust after him, but I'm definitely attached.

Yes, I am attached to my therapist and I depend on her in a healthy way.
I have talked to her about the sexual attraction that has come up and was able to work through it. Am I too attached? Maybe. I have bipolar disorder and deal with SA issues, am single but also have a great support system outside of therapy. The work I have done in therapy as well as having an amazing T has made a huge difference in my life.

Yepper, a normal attraction to ex T I guess.

Yes, I do have an emotional attachment to my T. I'll admit that I generally enjoy and look froward to therapy. I like talking to her, and I like the safe feeling of being able to share without judgment. I know I'm definitely attached though. For instance, she had to cancel on me one week because she had unexpected family in town. I was pretty bummed and cried a little. Then fast-forward a few days, as I'm paying for group (with another T, same office) I hear the girl in front of me want to pay for seeing individual T on Monday. Every week, I see this girl leave as I go in to see the indiv T. So I was soo upset that T had cancelled on me, but had likely seen the client right before my time slot. My T also said she'd try to fit me in later in the week, and when she called to say that she wasn't able to do so, I broke down. I shared my perspective of the situation, and asked if I was the only client she had cancelled on that day. She said I wasn't, but it still hurt and I felt like she specifically didn't want to see me.

I really admire my T and kinda wish I was her or had what she has- a great career helping people, a husband, kids, her fun and compassionate personality, and she's beautiful. I also wish I could be her friend. A few years ago when I moved, I had a really rough time with losing my T (and she was super pregnant, so I couldn't talk to her at all after I moved bc of her maternity leave). I am moving from my current location in a few months and think losing this T will be tough, because she is the best T I've ever had, she's helped me grow so much, and she's so kind and understanding. At the same time, I think I'm in a better place now and expect it not to be so heartbreaking as it would have been before. It'll be hard though, and we'll be addressing it in therapy to prepare.

That's great news. And the confession to a "sexual attraction" conveys great honesty. Being able to talk through your attraction with your T must have been both challenging and rewarding.

The reason I asked this question is that therapists and patients are people, and even though therapy should be initiated and sustained for the right reasons and on a strictly professional basis, the fact is we are human, are attracted to other people, and when we are sharing intimate details of our lives with another person, sometimes we feel that we have connected on a deeper level, and that we have been understood.

Being understood by just one other person can make a fundamental difference in our lives, and the lines between transference, attachment, liking someone, being sexually attracted to someone, and falling in love with someone are somewhat blurred, and we rarely have the capacity or privilege to choose what we are feeling for someone, as feelings usually just happen.

I guess managing those feelings and not allowing them to contaminate or jeopardise the professional, therapeutic relationship that you have established with your T should be priority number 1.

reading all this post-im lost! I been feeling emotionally attached to be therapist. but i havnt seen him for six week, im hoping to see him soon.

I accept the deep attachment I have with my T and consider our theraputic relationship to be the most important part of my therapy. I feel dependent but not overly dependent. I have made more progress with this T than any of my other Ts because I have a healthy attachment to her.

YES. I have the worst parental attachment to my T. I've been w/ him a year and I can't go more than 4 days without a session. I text/email him daily. I'm VERY attached.