Life changes, and so do relationships. All lasting relationships are built on choosing each other everyday, and when we lose sight of that, the foundation begins to crumble.
Although I keep up with continuing education courses in order to examine every angle of a given topic, I do not claim to specialize in any area in which I do not have personal experience. I believe it matters that I live or have lived the situations in which I claim to be able to guide my clients through. You might not need to share similar experiences to have empathy, but it sure helps.