These are people with formal secular training who have degrees, and keep up with and understand the latest literature.. They can be psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and the like.
When they are frum, this helps in providing an insight into particular issues relating to frum people and directions that may be more palatable.
When qualified, they are answerable to a professional board. If there is a complaint of misconduct, they must face that board. They must be accredited and re-accredited.
What they cannot be, is people with either no degree, or people with a degree in geography or history or economics or whatever, who suddenly become “experts” in dealing with social issues and call themselves therapists. There are creeps out there who do this. They are silver-tongued and charismatic. Beware.
Admittedly, there is the occasional very good one (e.g. Rabbi Yanki Horowitz), but there are some deeply troubled and sinister ones, who are answerable (currently) to nobody, some of whom will face their day, sooner than later.
It remind me of the apocryphal story of the big maven who built a succa according to all the shittos. His Succa fell down and he came to complain to his Rav. The Rav, said “Nu, Tosphos asks the same question”.
Beware of fraudsters parading as therapists. Don’t go to them or give them a podium to speak. Let them get an education and be answerable to a board.
pitputim 