I think it is a real job. They get paid money and pay taxes. If they are in private practice they own a business and have a business license. I think therapists are evaluated to an extent. They are evaluated by their clients. If their client has a problem they can either tell the therapist and the therapist can change or the client can quit. As clients we are technically their boss since we are paying them. If they lose too many clients they might have to ask themselves why. What makes any job a real job? Every job out there is different.