I've been working with my therapist on and off for something around ten years - (I am in my mid-twenties). About three years ago, she temporarily relocated, which was when I chose to see a colleague of hers (a therapist I had also seen prior). For several reasons, when she returned, I chose to go back and work with her (therapist 1) again. That's where I am now.

Rewind a bit - therapist 2 and I had a very strict dynamic - boundaries were in place, she rarely spoke about her life outside of the office (which is fine). I believe the most personal thing she has said was that she and her husband enjoyed going to the city to see plays. Now to take it back further, therapist 1 and I have always had a very relaxed dynamic. She believes in creating transference relationships (I personally hate them!) as well as bringing examples into therapy (both about her life and "friends"). Prior to her leaving, she had been slightly personal. I knew her family structure, college information, feelings on many things, her high risk pregnancy, etc - she has used them all in examples for things we discussed. When returning phone calls, she would call straight from her cell phone, which she did not do with others (or so she says). Fast forward though to now, and I worry that she is self-disclosing too much in therapy. For example, while mentioning an event I attended - she went on to tell me that her family was going to go, but her son had practice from this time to this time and her daughter (naming each of them and stating the times) had class from this time to this time. While discussing how much I missed a particular person in my life, she told me about her friend "Carol" that recently moved to such and such a state because of such and such type of relationship with her family, that this friend of hers used to babysit for her, she cared about her, etc (mind you, she mentioned specifics).

I know that many clients in therapy want this information from their therapists - I know that at some point in the past, I too wanted that type of information. But since working with therapist 2 (who did none of this), I see it differently. I recognize myself wanting to know more about her and what her life is like - I suppose on some kind of friend level. I realize that she 'started this', but I think it's my responsibility to stop it. I feel like her disclosing so much, so many specifics, may create some type of transference relationship - perhaps that's what she wants? Do I mention it (and have her never mention anything personal again) or do I leave it alone (and not risk things changing)? She is creating a thought in me that is not realistic - that we have the potential of being friends outside of the office (if we were to not work together) or is it just that she trusts me with this information?

I am interested in hearing if others have gone through something similar ... or from folks that simply have an opinion!