A common misconception regarding psychotherapy is the fear of losing one's independence and autonomy. This fear stems from the mistaken notion that the therapist somehow takes over the client, making important life decisions for him or her, telling him or her how to feel, and so on. Once again, the role of the therapist is more that of an expert consultant than it is an authoritative boss.

The therapist helps the client to find the confidence to function more and more independently and confidently in all aspects of life. To see the ways in which the individual may feel unnecessarily dependent on others, including the therapist at times, is sometimes a goal of psychotherapy.

At the same time, it is common for the client to re-experience some early aspect of childhood parental relationships within the context of therapy. In psychodynamic psychotherapy, in particular, this process is extremely important and (to some degree) necessary in resolving early conflicts with parents and other authority figures. In this sense, to feel a deep sense of love and attachment to the therapist can be quite helpful. Building a sense of trust and emotional intimacy with the therapist helps the client feel safe to better understand and restructure old patterns.