One compelling theory suggests that Frasier's titular radio psychotherapist is actually terrible at his job in multiple ways. Frasier is considered one of the most successful spin-offs of all time, taking one of Cheers' most memorable characters and giving him his own show set over 3000 miles away from the iconic bar. Establishing himself as a Seattle radio personality with his own call-in show, Frasier's solo spin-off proved to be a lasting success, earning itself a loyal following that endures even almost two decades after Frasier aired its final episode.
Although the Frasier would have made the show very different—including, most notably, not having it be a Cheers spin-off at all—the ultimate premise centered on Frasier's radio show and his father moving in with him. While Frasier primarily focuses on the family dynamic between the Cranes and their close friends and family, Frasier's job is often a major part of the show's stories. In addition, his brother Niles is also a psychotherapist who isn't shy about voicing his disdain for his older sibling's radio show.
In fact, many of the reasons for Niles dismissing Frasier's chosen career path actually contribute directly to this theory. While much of what Niles says about Frasier's radio show is played for laughs, there's a certain validity to it—particularly as the younger Crane brother is in the same profession, albeit in a more traditional sense. It would seem that 's main character simply isn't a good psychotherapist. The nature of his talk show prevents any real confidentiality, and his behavior toward his patients is often unprofessional. Put simply, a brief conversation live on radio is not conducive to good therapy, and it's something that forms an integral part of Frasier's premise.
Frasier's Advice Is Inherently Flawed
Though Frasier Crane is a trained psychotherapist, his radio station offers very little in the way of genuine therapy. The nature of his show means that every piece of advice he gives out is inherently flawed. By definition, Frasier marketing the show as a form of therapy is something that violates many of the core principles of psychotherapy itself: it's public, and there's no time for complex analysis of any wider issues. As his callers (who double up as Frasier's celebrity voice cameos) are only given a brief slot on his show, they're forced to summarize their issues into concise problems. This means that Frasier is advising them on simplified versions of their specific problems, as opposed to having the tools to look at the context around them. Ultimately, this makes every piece of advice that Frasier gives out innately flawed, as it's unlikely he's ever given the full picture to work with.
Frasier Diagnoses “Patients” Too Quickly
In addition, Frasier's speedy diagnosis of many of his "patients" is far too quick to constitute any real therapy. The oversimplification of his callers' problems is a part of this, but Frasier's own willingness to deliver a swift solution belies another issue entirely. As Frasier Crane is clearly an intelligent man, his fast diagnosing of his callers could easily be construed as both callous and careless in equal measure. In this, the theory takes something of a sinister turn. As he is capable of understanding how reckless his advice can be - it even comes into play multiple times over the show's run - Frasier seems not to truly care at all about his callers. After all, they briefly summarize their problems and he's happy to dole out potentially life-altering advice on a whim, even though he doesn't have the time or the information to do so in an informed manner.
Frasier Struggles To Operate Under More Structured Circumstances
As he was a trained psychiatrist long before Frasier started, it would follow that his job at KACL came as a natural progression of Frasier Crane's career. However, the show itself hints that Frasier is incapable of returning to practice as a psychiatrist, as when he attempts to, it ends in disaster. This is actually a major argument for Frasier being a bad therapist, as it evidences just how difficult he finds it to follow the basic rules of psychiatry. Although this is played for comedy within the show, it's clear that Frasier's abilities as a therapist are very much limited to fielding calls on the radio.
Frasier's Ethics Are Often Questionable
Another element of Frasier's career that's used for comedic effect throughout the show is his questionable ethics. Though his constant struggle between his professional ethics and his personal desires is mostly a humanizing trait, in practice it's actually something that would threaten to ruin Frasier's career. Though psychiatrists are, of course, only human, many of the things that Frasier does over the course of the show (sometimes in a public forum, no less) would be enough to make real therapists cringe in horror. This includes becoming romantically involved with his patients and exploiting his position as a therapist for his own gain. In fact, he even deliberately gives bad advice in an attempt to further his own causes, which is a betrayal of the trust that his "patients" place in him. Factoring in that Frasier Crane is also a public figure, his questionable ethics are even more condemnable.
Frasier's Success Is Because He's Inept – Not Because He's Good
Part of what makes Frasier's premise work is that its pretentious protagonist is most often the butt of its jokes. However, within the show's story, Frasier's success could also be attributed to this - he's not a particularly good psychotherapist, and he regularly makes public missteps that result in ridicule. This indicates that Frasier's success within the show's own narrative is in line with his show's success with viewers: Frasier is nowhere near as capable as he believes himself to be, and people find this entertaining.
Of course, that wouldn't entirely explain why people continue to call in to Frasier's radio show with their problems, but it's certainly consistent with Frasier's relationships with Roz, Martin, Niles, Daphne, and practically every other character on the show. In fact, Frasier all but confirms that its titular character is not a particularly good therapist on multiple occasions, particularly in the way that Niles views his brother's chosen career path. While he may be a relatively successful public figure, Frasier certainly doesn't seem to be a particularly good psychotherapist by any measure.