<p>Srinaldi, it might be helpful to tell us exactly why your son wants to be a psychiatrist. Wants to help people? Is fascinated by human behavior? Enjoys the sense of humanity gained by people unburdening themselves to him? Many seem attracted to the field because they are eager to understand themselves.</p>
<p>I always though it was interesting how people who like it when people unburden themselves with intimate details of their lives have such a wide variety of career options: psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, clergy, cab driver, bartender, barber. This wide variety suggests that people are often looking for another human to “spill their guts” to, even if that person isn’t a trained professional. I used to teach college philosophy, and it always amazed me how many students stayed after class and told me about their emotional troubles, even when I was teaching something dry like Introduction to Logic.</p>