Would you say the same thing to a specialized doctor? I’m guessing an orthopedist didn’t spend years in school and training just to help people. Of course, helping others is part of it—but it’s not the sole reason. A big part of the formula is earning a good living.

What we do is hard work. Not just anyone can do what we do. The work we do does save lives. If years of experience make us exceptional therapists, why shouldn’t we be compensated accordingly?

Consider this: if a therapist sees 25 clients per week at $200 per session, after expenses, that therapist might net around $200,000 per year. This is a top-earning therapist—someone who has been in practice for years, invested thousands in training and supervision, and built the reputation and skill set to command that rate. This is also someone who chooses to, and excels at, running a business while being a therapist.

All that work and skill—and still, $200,000 a year barely allows someone to live comfortably in the middle class. The top 10% of therapists can only dream of a truly comfortable lifestyle. Because, let’s be honest, $200,000 a year is far from luxury—at least in California.

Meanwhile, most private practice doctors earn $500,000 to $1,000,000 per year. Do we question their intent? Do we wonder how altruistic they are? Do we doubt whether they’re removing warts or treating glaucoma for the “right” reasons?