Being in the same stage of life has been a big plus with my current T. He is 5 yrs older. He is going through some of the same things--taking care of elderly parents, moving parents to assisted living, the death of a parent, sibling squabbles RE the parents, etc. He has also gone through a divorce. All that has been helpful. My first T was 3 years younger and that was OK too, although we didn't have as much in common. I think I would want someone to either be older or no more than 10 years younger. However, if I had to see someone younger, I would approach it with an open mind.

My family doctor is younger than I am and it has not caused any problems. It seems more important that I have this shared life experience element with my therapist than with my MD. If my family doc is competent and a good listener, then that is enough. I can always go see a specialist if I exceed her knowledge in an area.