I don't see why therapy cannot be used like yoga or meditation or qigong or rugby (all of which I do or have done). It can be a part of life. It doesn't have to be - I think it depends on whether you view it as you go to fix/stop/ etc X or that you are using it to find out/explore/etc yourself.

I used it to vent about dying loved one. For me, using it for X did not work at all and I never went in order to explore or know myself (I think I already do and the therapists misguided attempts at making therapy into this only showed me I was right). I do not believe therapy is something that can help everyone.
But I do believe it is a perfectly valid use of therapy to use it like that if one finds value in it. I did not feel like my life was on hold because I hired a therapist.