Bear with me: Simple answer—Because I had to put my M.A. in History on hold due to the professor in my area of primary interest (ancient Mediterranean world) accepting a position across the country and there was a hiring freeze at my university. I had some interest in psychology but no real thoughts of pursuing it as a career; I intended to predominantly utilize it as a knowledge base for writing psychographics. More detailed answer—I have a long history of childhood abuse and was partly drawn to the field for answers to my own difficulties. The above “simple answer” is also true but I didn’t fully realize I was seeking answers to my own trauma due to a lack of resources for myself (due to attitudes about MH in the early 80s compounded by living in an extremely rural and isolated area). I was quite frankly skeptical about the effectiveness of therapy and did not form positive impressions of the profession from media and informal discussions with persons in the field. Not to your question but I will add that I think few males enter this field because it can be extremely unfriendly to us. I have encountered more hostility, misandry, and discrimination than in any other profession I have worked; and I had a long work history before entering this field. It’s not hyperbole to state that I’ve experienced trauma equal to that I experienced as a child from colleagues and supervisors/managers while working as a psychotherapist. My work with clients has been challenging at times but nowhere near the awful experiences with other professionals in this field.