Prozac became one of the most popularly prescribed drugs in history because it provided significant relief from the depressed and anxious feelings for many patients. It is controversial for many reasons. First, our society generally frowns upon taking medication as the long-term answer to a mental health concern. Second, many people believe Prozac is over-prescribed. Prozac’s popularity suggests that more people may use Prozac than really need to. Finally, there is the very real threat that by turning first to Prozac distressed individuals may forego other therapeutic approaches that would be helpful in resolving the dilemmas of their lives.

Most therapists don’t think a perfect match on all personal dimensions is a requirement, but many clients do find that a therapist who shares their own background may be able to identify and address their clinical issues more quickly. To maximize their effectiveness with a variety of clients, therapists do need to be very astute about the manner in which gender, race, socioeconomic class, and age can influence the life of the client. Such awareness helps the therapist develop an intervention strategy that promote the strongest working alliance with the client.

Thankfully, no. Talented therapists should have an array of strategies they can use to bring relief to an individual in distress. This also suggests that what works well for one client may be less effective with others. Good therapy is as much an art form as a science. Being able to decode the client’s issues and design an effective intervention efficiently is the hallmark of a talented therapist.

It all depends on the nature of the problem. Sometimes when the symptoms are very obvious, a clinician can diagnose and even self-treat. However, it is more likely that the professional therapist will also benefit from the more objective problem-solving skills of another therapist. Therapists have defensive behavior and self-defeating patterns just like other people. Just because they have specialized training, professional therapists have no corner on good mental health.