Thanks for the responses all.

No, the picture of his daughter does not bother me at all for some reason. She has a sweet smile and I feel that I like her.

I asked him because I was wondering why he keeps his office free of personal life stuff yet he brings his wife into the office and I have to deal with his personal life live and in real time. Does he not think that my dealing with that does not contaminate my therapy?? That seeing them cozily chatting and worrying about running into them or her in real life does not cause a distraction, or prevent me from accessing feelings, have me avoiding topics and preventing me from creating an attachment to him? I can't seem to find that "play space" where I can work on things through the transference I have with him because that space is filled with his real life live and in person.

I would rather have the pictures in the office. That would feel less threatening.

We never finished our conversation today. We were deeply and seriously discussing attachment and my struggle with tolerating some feelings around that and there was about 5 minutes left to session when suddenly there was a loud banging on his office door. I got so scared I thought I was going to be sick right there. I froze. Then I started to cry from fright. He got up and peeked out the door and said to someone... please sit down and wait. Then he said to me we have to end now. I was in a terrible place between our previous unfinished conversation and the abrupt ending with the banging on the door. I was terrified his wife was going to walk in. I knew she was there today.

He did come back and tell me that the woman had a medical issue that caused her to become confused about the date and time of her appointments. I didn't really give a crap at that moment. I was so rattled and felt like I was being thrown out. When I could pull myself together I got up to leave. I put out my hand to shake T's hand and he said no, not until you are present enough to remember. I said I can't be present right now. And then I held out my hand until he shook it and then he said he wanted me to be present but I couldn't do that. So I just ran out of his office.

When I got back to work I checked in and then had to leave my desk for a long while because I was too bruised to be in public. I had a long talk with a very dear friend who helped me to calm down but the rest of the day was rough. This is not the way a session should ever end.

Thanks
TN