If you start to be able to pay for a service, you start to become worse at performing that service yourself. If a whole society starts to be able to pay for a service, then everyone becomes worse at performing that service except the professionals. This is why professional counselors seems like a societal hazard to me: We’re all going to become worse at active, sympathetic listening and at helping our friends and family through tough times.
This reflection prompted by the shyness I heard in someone’s voice last night to talk with anyone other than a therapist about figuring out some strategies to make his life better.