At the risk of derailing the thread (which I will not do), I was not judging "the profession" in the least. And I would encourage you not to infer from my post that it "didn't work for" me or that I find it offensive in itself. I do not.

The borderline offense comes from the comparison between the clearly "put on" affection or desire of a prostitute, and what is, for me, a very real and clear tenderness of feeling between my T and I. It devalues that relationship in the extreme, and makes it all about money, which in the vast number of instances is the case with prostitutes. I do not believe that is the case with many therapists.

Your belief may be that the therapeutic relationship is all about the cash; if that is your experience and feeling, then I can't argue with that. That is not my feeling or my experience. I saw a therapist for several years, when I was dirt poor, who would forbear my payment for extended periods of time, and I would pay her when I could, keep track and pay her back when I could, and sometimes not even that. And not once did it disrupt the quality or nature of our work or relationship. I doubt I would receive the same consideration from a prostitute.