The relationship you have with your therapist is not a friendship.
Even though the therapy relationship involves genuine human connection and care, it has very different boundaries than friendships and even other professional relationships (like physicians or lawyers). Therapists do not spend time with clients outside of appointments and they do not have multiple types of relationships with their clients. For examples: your therapist should not also be your supervisor, family member, teacher, friend of a friend, etc.
The therapy relationship is a unique relationship that is based in confidentiality and getting an outside perspective.
The privacy and distance allows you to talk with someone who won’t get caught up in what they want for you. Instead your therapist is there to help you get caught up in what you want for yourself.
Therapists are here to help you reflect, be validated and learn to validate yourself, practice boundaries, be challenged, and try new things. By keeping distance from your personal relationships, therapy can take away some of that pressure to people please or help you get honest feedback.
It is absolutely normal and good to feel connected to and cared for by your therapist. It can be helpful talk directly with your therapist if you feel like the boundary between professional relationship and friendship are blurring.
Holding healthy boundaries in the therapy relationship is the key to effective therapeutic work.
Thanks for reading up on this Tackett Tip! Yall take care.
Dr. Tackett