Excellent article. Very well written. My T told me early on, after he got to really figure me out, that he has to handle me differently. Thankfully, he has 35 years under his belt and knew he had to stretch the boundaries. The neutrality and distance that would have been used would have sent me walking right out the door feeling like he did not care or understand. The increased emotional availability has been critical for me. I never thought I would ever be able to trust another soul, but we have fought hard to get where we are and in my opinion the seasoned, well-trained and tuned-in T can offer this. They really have to do their own therapy too. He "breaks" many rules with me, but is extremely professional and cautious with me. It's like my therapy with him is customized for me.
Thanks for sharing.