One Nation Under Therapy: How the Helping Culture Is Eroding Self-Reliance

Summary

Americans have traditionally placed great value on self-reliance and fortitude. Recent decades, however, have seen the rise of a therapeutic ethic that views Americans as emotionally underdeveloped, requiring the ministrations of mental health professionals to cope with life’s vicissitudes. Today, having a book for every ailment, a counselor for every crisis, a lawsuit for every grievance, and a TV show for every problem degrades one’s native ability to cope with life’s challenges.

Drawing on established science and common sense, the authors reveal how “therapism” and the burgeoning trauma industry have come to pervade our lives. Topical, provocative, and wryly amusing, One Nation under Therapy demonstrates that “talking about” problems is no substitute for confronting them.