my wife doesn't like that I am on the phone with patients on the weekends?

You are absolutely right, your wife should not be telling you how to run your business.

HOWEVER, she has a right to ask you how to run your marriage and her time with you.

Being on call on the weekends is a bit much. Sure, you have clients, but man, you also have a wife and if you do not treat her with respect and care, you will be available to your clients 24/7 after she leaves you.

As a freaking psychiatrist, surely you understand this. Man up and be a husband on the weekends.

I really don't think that being available (unless in an emergency) on weekends should be expected of you. You have a life and your patients should have respect for that. Sometimes it needs to be just about you and your wife, no patients included. I don't think that's an unrealistic demand on her part. Also, you say it isn't proper for your wife to tell you how to run your business. This may true, but a marriage is a partnership and she should be able to give you her opinion, even if you choose not to go that route. If you respect and value her opinion, you will at least listen. I can understand how it would be difficult to change your business practices after 40 years, but at the same point, people should understand your need to take some time to yourself after so long. I had a marriage counselor who was semi-retired after about 40 years of practicing and knowing that he was less available was fine with me because I knew I was getting a counselor with a lot of experience and knowledge.

I respect and love that you want to be their for your patients on weekends due to their condition. However, if you weren't here tommorow, then who would take your place. It seems as though you are disabling your patients instead of being there for them. What time in their lives do they stand alone or do they? On the other hand, in the biblical sense you've become one with your wife now; no longer is it your business. You should respect and submit to each other and have time where no one can intervene. She is your main focus and everything else is second. She is doing her job by making sure you have time for you without distractions of anything else especially work. You should always take care of yourself first (marriage) and then take care of others.

I can understand you wanting to help your patients, but you also have a family that need you. You have office hours, so you should limit your weekends to maybe only a couple hours a day, and Sunday is off. All people have to have time off. Maybe you should consult your Dr. to find out why you have such a need to be in constant contact with your job. You should also remember that when you married, your wife deserves time with you also. Sorry but I agree part way with your wife, Phone off on half days saturdays and completely off on Sunday.

I'm an astronaut and my wife doesn't like me calling from the Moon or Mars, because she thinks I'm banging an alien. She's partially correct because my girlfriend is from Mexico and is an illegal alien, but why does she rag on me like that!

So in other words, you're a psychiatrist, like I'm an astronaut. Yahoo answers is a symptom most psychiatrists deal with, not a place a legitemate one would ask a question. Nice try though, Buckwheat...yeah I just called you Buckwheat.