My (controversial) view is that a psychologist is to a friend what a prostitute is to a lover. In a truly healthy society there would be no need for psychologists and prostitutes because everyone would have a handful of good friends and at least one lover. Back in messy reality, psychologists and prostitutes are a decent fix to keep society on the rails.

So. I think I agree with you.

Well, a psychologist is also given years of training about what healthy behavior and relationships look like. Some best friends have this skill, others absolutely do not.

Well, no this doesn’t make sense. If you think about intent, most psychologists probably want to help people’s mental health. Prostitutes, although they offer a service that helps some people, I’m sure their motivation is primarily financial.