Originally, the purpose of the profesional in mental health is to give tools a person can use on their own. At least in this part of the world you get to visit a psychologist once a week for an hour, the rest of the day, and the week you are on your own doing the homework you were assesed. In the best case escenario these techniques, used properly and consistently will grant the person a posibility of venting off nasty feelings without making further damage. Although, it is interesting to notice a good psychology professional is also a great person to speak with... he has to, because to endure the pain and the suffering, the oddities of a person you have to be forcibly openminded, or you might have breakdown real fast.
Since a goal in life to me is to become one, and naturally got that skill, I have considered about just why people don't become openminded themselves. Well, primarily because changing fucking hurts like hell and because they get a sensation of power when you give money to someone, in a way making you feel safe from attack. After all, people get the impression they can say anything to an employee without getting further consecuences.
A lot of the psychologists I have met are often broken people themselves, who got into the field because they wanted to fix themselves. I think that this is part of the reason mental health professionals can have a high suicide rate - it isn't listening to others that is the issue, it is not being able to handle themselves.
Indeed, it's not a perfect science not by a long shot. I am trying to become one myself and I am still dealing with issues, but there's a diference between having something wrong not admiting it and not doing anything about it, (which often translates into envy, remorse and hate) and actively trying to work on it and look for practical solutions you might also share. I believe that is what makes some professionals in the area capable of doing a diference.
That drive, you see? of trying to be better is what people is lacking nowadays. Most people one know is just suffering from who they are and blindly making others suffer like the passing of a storm, and when you ask them they say "I am like this and if you don't like it then go away". Like it's that simple!