I earned my doctorate in clinical psychology. It was a grueling ordeal involving highly complex readings and coursework, a research project and book-length dissertation, and (because of the field) a year-long clinical internship. Anyone who earns a doctorate in any field, as far as I'm concerned, deserves the honorific. Emphatically including Dr. Ford and Dr. Biden.

Now, however, I am happily setting the title aside, not just because I have retired from psychology, but because I am about to finish my next degree, which is the same as yours.

I still keep the letters by my name, because I think they're an important part of who I am. But in social situations, I'd rather use the "mister" that accompanies the MFA. Dr. Robson is the psychologist I used to be. Mr. Robson is the writer and teacher I am now.