What It’s Like to Be a Therapist for the Ultrarich

Clay Cockrell always knew he wanted to be a therapist. But growing up in small-town Kentucky, raised by a father who made a living salvaging auto parts, he never imagined that he’d specialize in treating the superrich — or “ultra-high-net-worth individuals,” as he calls them. That changed after he set up his practice in Manhattan and started seeing a wealthy entrepreneur who passed Cockrell’s name around his inner circle. Eventually, Cockrell embraced his niche, and today all of his clients are part of the one percent.

While Cockrell now has a unique understanding of what the rest of us might consider “Champagne problems,” he tries to keep a healthy distance. “I’m in their world, but I’m not of their world,” he says. “In some ways, I’m a reality check for my clients, and I think they like that.” Here, he discusses dealing with entitlement, teaching his clients how to make non-rich friends, and the right way to talk about your private jet.

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