What is there to know? More than you can imagine.

Everyone thinks being a psychologist is easy. In fact everyone thinks he or she is a psychologist! After all what does it take besides a little common sense some knowledge of Torah and a bit of natural talent?

In possession of these basics almost anyone should be able to analyze other people grasp the complexity of their life situations and advise them wisely — or so it would seem.

You Can Thank Me

The final essential ingredient is the sincere desire to help others. “I love helping people” Yoni exclaims. “And I’m pretty good at it. It’s because of me that Chaim and Kayla are still married.”

Well maybe Yoni had a positive role in that one but he really shouldn’t take full credit for the outcome. After all we don’t hear him announcing “It’s because of me that Dovy and Freeda got divorced.”

In the latter situation Yoni’s more reasonable humility comes to the surface. He most likely wouldn’t make such a statement because he knows that a couple doesn’t divorce because of what someone else says or doesn’t say. He intuitively understands that the situation is complex and there are many many factors at play.

Why he forgets this when a marriage works out is understandable. Yoni is not a professional. He doesn’t understand his role in the “helping profession.”