SG,
You know I really believe this is true. I think the ultimate goal of therapy is to learn to love ourselves and mirroring that through our T's reaction to us (and our needs)is one way we achieve that. An infant learns its value and place in this world through the response of it's primary attachment figure. By feeling and experiencing being loved they learn to love (themselves). When that doesn't happen properly we get a second chance in therapy through developing a deep attachment to our therapist.

I hate to repeate myself, but I made a remark to my T about how much I love being with her in session and her response was because it was all about me there and that I am learning to enjoy being around myself. In therapy it is all about us. What we enjoy about being with our T is not because we are learning anything about them, but that we are learning so much about ourselves, our belonging and place in this world, and how our tragedies do not define us, but that we are important and worthwhile, and lovable despite what we have suffered.

Thanks for sharing SG. This is so important.
JM