I was just reading an article by Carolyn Hax an agony aunt in the Washington Post where she discusses why she limits the advice she is prepared to give on realtionship issues.  When one of her readers asks why she isnt prepared to give an opinion on affairs when a marriage has broken down she says:

'..it’s not just affairs that I won’t advise; I also don’t advise people to get married, or divorced. Having or adopting children? Aborting or placing for adoption? I regard these also as courses of action too deeply personal to advise. People know of these options and don’t need me to suggest them — so if I did suggest them, it would feel as if I were putting my finger on the scale. I don’t want that power.'

But surely (shurely) the whole point of an advice columnist is to give advice rather than sit on the fence and say 'I'm not the right person to ask..'  I like agony aunts who say it as it is and nail their colours to the mast.  I'd much sooner give respect to Anne Atkins who used to be the Agony aunt on the Telegraph, who feels that sites like Loving links are the work of the devil and that infidelity is a sure route to damnation.  At least you know where you stand.  i have been on discussion programmes with Anne and she will never say " You know, David, you might have a good point there, nookie could be the answer.." At the other end of the spectrum I have enormous respect for Susan Quilliam who is quite likely to say " David, I think your service would be great for a couple of people I know, I'll pass on your mobile.."  Even Denise, the agony aunt on ''This Morning' show on ITV is prepared to speak her mind – nothing wishy washy there.  She dislikes our sort of service with a vengance and will give no quarter in a discussion.  None of these women would say these are  'courses of action too deeply personal to advise'.  They will advise, whatever you might think about it.   I am sure Carolyn Hax is a good columnist, I read her quite often but what is the point of billing yourself as an advisor and then opting out of giveing advice on the basis that you'don’t want that power.'