@jcboy,
hi! Nice to see you here as usual.
Seriously, psychiatrists and counselors DO help many people with some problems but not ALL.
Where I think they can help reasonably well is with a problem such as obsession. However, one should never expect an instant cure..or sometimes a cure in the way you might think.
What you can learn is/are coping skills that allow you to work with the problem. This can lessen a problem's negative effect in your life. Behavior modification can make some people behavior less dysfunctional. Sometimes that is a reasonable expectation and result.
Yes, meditation can help. In my experience I've found that counseling can be a bit more helpful; however, using both can be an even more productive approach.