Can a therapist and client become friends (or more) during the course of therapy?

 

Short answer: not if the therapist is working ethically.

Also: SPOILER ALERT

I’m going to be talking about Kim’s Convenience, a show on Netflix. If you’re about to watch it, you may want to skip this post.
.
.
.
.
.
So I’m binge-watching (as one does) Kim’s Convenience, and I love it. Absolutely love it. It’s funny without being slapstick, has a diverse range of characters, and the typical Asian mum/daughter relationship is portrayed pretty accurately. Enter Pastor Nina, who is not only a Pastor, but also a counsellor for the churchgoers. So far, so good.
Then, it turns out Pastor Nina is actually dating one of her clients! As she explains to Mr. and Mrs. Kim, they “got to know each other during therapy.”
And right there I was like NOOOOOOOOO! That statement is wrong on so many levels!!! That’s not how therapy works!
PSA: An ethical therapist will NEVER be your friend, or worse, your romantic partner, certainly not while you’re in therapy with them. If your experience has been different, please report your therapist and look for a new one.
There is some debate about whether therapists and clients can be friends AFTER therapy has ended - some people say at least 2 years need to have passed, some say never.
But one thing is for sure: speaking to a therapist is not like speaking to a friend. Therapy is a one-sided relationship: it’s all about the client (as it should be). Anything the therapist says/does has to be in the client’s interests. Never the therapist’s.
I’m disappointed to see misrepresentation of therapy in such a great show. Portrayals like this really hurt the profession. It leads people to believe they can cross boundaries with therapists, or that therapy isn’t actual work.

End rant.

Let me know your thoughts?