I think I've mentioned this before, my therapist, who has been very helpful, gives therapy online via Skype through TALKSPACE. I am in Illinois, she is in another state. And I wanted to move to the state she lives in as I grew up there. It would be like going back home for me, and I really like it there. So almost every session she asks when I am coming to that state? When am I moving there? She reduced my rate if I promised to visit her. She'll show me a good time. She'll introduce me to her brother and family. She'll hook me up with her friends. She'll invite me to her get togethers. She hopes I consider moving to that state. She has even mentioned that I consider moving to the city she lives in. Etc. Etc. I asked her about that this week, why she always mentions it and I reminded her she is my therapist, only. And the response I got back was she was modeling that behavior because I have issues with making friends, and wants to show me that I am a likeable person. That all sounds fishy to me. And wondering what you all think about this situation. Thanks.
I do understand that an attempt to provide proximity might be appropriate as I think a therapeutic relationship benefits from personal contact (as does just basic human interaction). But I just don't see otherwise how someone's residence has anything to do with providing competent therapy.
Bloom, in real life the therapist could be a lot of things, besides mean and nasty. She could be lonely, very lonely. She could be in a bad marriage. She could be anything, and used the therapeutic relationship to meet her own individual needs.
But I think that building her own clientele makes a lot of sense. I would suspect that's probably a violation of the terms by which she was hired, but frankly, I wouldn't get involved in that.
If she's done this with you, it's possible it's made overtures to other clients, and eventually management (as well as professional licensing entities) may become aware of it. That isn't your battle, so don't enlist.
And be circumspect about people with whom you share your actions. I always automatically document certain situations, but I would never tell people I have unless I feel the need to use mild threats. Don't tip your hand, and don't put yourself in any potentially unsafe position.
I hope your "therapist" gets more than a talking to---she needs to be fired!