Over the years, I too spent a lot of time and money on professional "help." I never found that it made much of a difference, other than kind of feel good while I was sitting there, getting this person's attention. The insights and changes I needed to make I pretty much figured out on my own.

Most of these professionals struck me as decent people with good intentions. However I've come to look at them in the following way: that professional sitting in front of you is there to make a living. He or she probably has a mortgage to make payments on and a car loan to keep up with and some student debt and maybe some kids in need of all that kids need. This person is earning a livelihood and trying to do so without getting burnt out. My problems are my problems. They've got their own. They'ld probably like to be helpful, but I don't think there's a lot they can do. Over the course of a week, they see client after client with problem after problem, and I think they get a little bored with it all.

A therapist's ad may say she's offering help for the following problems: marital difficulties, depression, gambling addiction, career dissatisfaction, child rearing problems, sexual issues, eating disorders, sleep irregularity, unresolved grief, personality disorders, substance abuse, and on and on. I guess these people should get hired by the United Nations to solve all the issues that cause all the wars on the planet. It's ridiculous to think that getting MSW or PhD or MD after your name makes you some kind of wizard who can solve all the problems bedeviling the human condition. I'ld be more impressed if each professional stuck to one specialty issue.

I've known some psych professionals. Some were pretty screwed up themselves. Yet, over the years, I've seen how what they get paid for 45 minutes of their time has gone up and up and up through the roof. When your health insurance covers it, I guess a person has nothing to lose by going to these professionals. When it's your own money, there's possibly better ways you can spend it.