I know that your experience has been very bad, puzzle_bug, and I'm not dismissing that. But I actually think that there's enough anecdotal evidence of good therapists on these boards to claim that it's not that rare. In addition, it's not unusual to meet a competent therapist one just doesn't click with. (I've had two such therapists - very competent and ethical and knowledgeable and experienced, but not at all good matches for me. Which made the therapy experiences bad for me through no fault of the Ts.)