I used to think they had one, in assisting people to recognise trauma where previously there was only denial. But now I've read a few buddhist texts I'm not really sure it's useful to work with the ego in the way traditional pychologists do. Basically buddhists are like...all suffering and negative emotion is the childish cry of the ego that seeks to assert it's own importance. When you cultivate stillness in your mind and compassion then you lose this desire to assert your ego. And I have to say, they've got a point. I did a meditation thing recently and still am in which I am trying to develop my mind in this way, health benefits, less stress etc. And you know what? Yeah a lot of things I get irate about just don't matter. Okay so some dude stole $200 off me, I could now waste months of my life in revenge or I could just say "fuck it, who gives a shit". I know which one of those scenario's makes me feel better and which one helps me to move on and get happy again.
While I'm not saying we should all be hapless victims in the name of not feeding the ego, I also think a preoccupation with fixing the ego through over analysing, dredging up things to be shitty about etc doesn't seem like the path to wellness either. And certainly the more I meditate the more I'm inclined to let the universe take care of the scumbags and just get on with it. Because in a way I think karma exists, and anyone who thieves from another is likely to have someone thieve from them too. Not because there's a God up there keeping score, but just because I have experienced times in my life where what I'm living really does reflect what I'm feeling and putting out. I have a vague notion that life can be a hell of our own making and sometimes the revenge we seek just isn't worth what it will ultimately cost us.
There is a great deal of presence and sanity in knowing when to let go of a bone and just cultivate something else. From that perspective I'm not sold that me venting off my suckful life to a paid friend is really going to do anything to materially change my life. Although at $100 an hour I'm reasonably certain it will materially change the therapists life. I've experienced more repair to my psyche and more upliftment from some insanely long sessions of meditating than I ever have from venting off steam. This developing an internal serenity thing is very powerful, and I intend to pursue it.