I don't equate being helpful with being a "do-gooder" and think any customer service job or occupation, from working at McDonald's to being a doctor in the ER could be seen as being helpful but I think of a certain individual mindset as being that of a "do-gooder" in the pejorative sense I think it was meant.

I equate "do-gooder" with "busy-body", not with a caring individual. Most people care about someone/something in greater or lesser degree; I just took a compassion survey http://www.authentichappiness.sas.up...t.aspx?id=1339 and came out as being "somewhat" compassionate. I think individuals are more/less compassionate about different things and just because one is a therapist, doesn't mean one is necessarily very "caring" about others, in general, though that probably helps with job satisfaction, but there are other reasons one could choose that job. Enjoying meeting other people, being an extrovert could be a factor and then, once you "meet" and get to know a person, like with therapy, you would then care more about that person because you know that person better. But I don't think therapists necessarily just pick clients off the street, "Hey, you look like you need help!"