Dear Blake,
I am married to a successful mental health professional. I believe therapists are like shoes. Sometimes you need to try on a few before you find a good fit. And, like shoes, you can grow out of them and need new ones. Sometimes you need a more appropriate pair that matches a different lifestyle. (You wouldn’t go running in high heels, or wear flip-flops to business meetings.) So do you recommend people that are looking for solutions to problems in their life, to listen to just you, or to also solicit advice from others?
Signed, Gilbert
From Fort Wayne, Indiana
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Dear Gilbert,
I admire your wife for her career choice. And I have no doubt that she has a lot patience having to deal with a bunch of kooks on a daily basis. You were wondering if people should get advice from others once they start getting it from me. The answer is “no”. Since I never meet any of the people that write me, and have no emotional connection to them, I say what I feel, even if it’s borderline insane. I don’t bother censoring what I write, because that requires additional editing and time, and I prefer not to give any particular loser an excessive amount of attention. I don’t charge anyone for my counseling. But if I am under the impression that one of the screwed up people that contacts me has money, I would encourage them to buy a one way ticket to a deserted island, and avoid bothering people with their constant whining , due to the fact that those morons just can’t seem to get it together. The therapist that I’ve used when I had issues a long time ago, either quit their profession after having a few sessions with me, recommended that I get committed to a mental health institution, or they themselves were later forcibly institutionalized. I’d like to think that their interaction with me had nothing to do with them being placed in a padded room, but I must admit that the possibility is disturbing. I hope this helps.
Blake