I haven't read through all the responses and this is a quick response but a very wise pdoc once told me that most therapists and counselors don't become them because they don't know what it's like. And in my experience that's been true. Almost all of my tdocs have had their own problems and issues. Been through rough times and come out stronger. I've always felt it to give me hope. I also want to be a counselor sometime in life. I want to help people like me and help people like the ones I've known who no one helped at all. I can't make any broad and sweeping statements but I think a lot of tdocs know where we're coming from.