therapist changes

I have read several books on therapy. Some were to help me learn more about a skill that I'm not so confident about, and some were just more along the lines of how, as a therapist, to deal with the other stuff, the emotional impact of counseling. People ask me all the time, "Isn't it depressing to listen to people's problems all day?" well, the truth is, sometimes, yes. However, the majority of the time, I am able to separate myself from other people's emotional states. I read an article once (or was it a book?) that stated that every patient changes the therapist...some a little, and some a lot. There are patients that I will never forget. There are the ones that say outlandish things, or streak (back when I was working more with the hospitals), but I'm talking about the emotional impacts...the ones that strike a chord when you realize..."Hey, that could be me". 
    There are some great books out there that talk about therapy, etc. One of my favorites is "Bad Therapy: Master Therapists Share Their Worst Failures" By Jeffrey Kottler and Jon Carlson. I was telling a colleague about this book, and they commented that it sounded really depressing. I stopped to consider this, because I hadn't thought of it that way, but I dont think so. I think there is something very refreshing about the idea that the most acclaimed, accomplished, highly educated people in my field are willing to admit that they too make mistakes. Most every job is tough, in it's own way, and I can only speak for my own career, but therapy is such a subjective, and generally private thing, rarely do we ever get evaluated by an outsider. Most of the feedback about our competency comes from the rare occasion a client voices some opinion. And in my experience, and the experiences of so many other therapists that I have spoken with, we are terrible judges of how the client feels therapy ended. Sometimes just listening to client is exactly what they need, though they may leave the session, and I think: "I dont feel like I did anything!" There are so many things that color our interactions with clients, not the least of which is the client's willingness and readiness to consider change, and of course our own filters that we use to see the world, including the client's issues. .
    It seems that in the past, no matter what, there was at least one patient every week (sometimes one a day!) who made me wonder after the session if I did or said "the right thing". I found a way to let that go...and here is the secret. Understand this: There is no Right Way. As long as I can remind myself, and understand that I am acting in a way that is in alignment with the best interest of the person I am talking to--or what I understand to be the best interest of the person, at the time of the conversation--then I have done what I could. I try to take advice from the book mentioned earlier, and take the time to consider my work, if I am serving the client in the best way I can, if I am meeting whatever need they have at the time. That's really all I can do. And yet, given all that, I wouldn't change careers. I love what I do. I will try to continue to allow myself to be open to the ways that others influence and impact me...every client. Whew. Sorry to get all philosophical there...I'm done now!