I went back and pulled this from one of my earlier posts. My T told me once that one of the reasons why he's a therapist is because it makes him feel good.

I had some more thoughts about reciprocation. Imagine yourself as the therapist for a moment. Imagine that your job every day is to show other human beings positive regard and acceptance and (while in the room) to give them unconditional love...perhaps something they have never received before. People who have been hurt, abused or are down and feeling hopeless...and you have to look deep within yourself and find within yourself the very things that person needs to see a ray of light. So the therapist has to find the very best in him/herself and try to be selfless. I can't imagine how that would not feel good. Not only that, but to see many people and know them and experience them in ways that they don't often show to others...that would have to be fulfilling, I would think. Finding the best in yourself to help another and for an hour trying to enrich their lives, trying to show the client what they have to offer. In a world where there seems to be so much unkindness, how could it not feel good to be kind? I'm sure that each therapist has their own temperament and style when they work with clients, but there has to be something they get out of it besides a paycheck or I would think they'd suck at it.

I'm sure that being a therapist can be draining at times, but I have no doubt that the rewards for making a difference in someone's life make all of that well worth it.