Book Review: Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up by Judith Shrier
I picked up Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up by Judith Shrier with an eclectic mix of curiosity and skepticism. As someone who values intriguing discussions around mental health and parenting, the title immediately struck a chord. In an age where therapy often feels like a rite of passage, how do we navigate its potential pitfalls, particularly as they affect our children? Shrier doesn’t shy away from tackling this loaded question, and her perspective is as polarizing as it is illuminating.
The book opens with a culture scan of emotional health, dissecting the layers of "therapy culture" that have woven themselves into the fabric of modern life. Shrier’s deep dive into the pitfalls of victimhood, self-diagnosis, and the rise of therapeutic language elicited thoughtful reflections in me, both in conversations with friends and within my own psyche. I found myself nodding in agreement with her critiques—a reflection of my own aversion to the fetishization of trauma and the incessant recycling of internal struggles without real action to move forward.
Yet, while her arguments in the first section are compelling and resonate with my own understanding, the following chapters tread a more erratic path. Shrier’s diatribe against casual diagnosis by non-professionals—often teachers—seemed valid. The portrayal of kids as "fragile" devalued the resilience I believe many young people possess. However, I couldn’t help but feel her tone sometimes bordered on paranoid, dismissing the benefits of empathy rather too readily. It made me wonder if she’d forgotten her earlier points about nurturing strength within.
The writing style, while sharp, often teetered on the edge of condescension. The multiple threads of Shrier’s argument can be engaging but also become tedious as she moves between anecdotes and broader societal critiques. I wished for a more nuanced approach to empathy; her dismissal of mental health screenings felt too rash. As someone who values emotional intelligence, I believe that there’s a time and place for understanding, even when it can be uncomfortable.
Her personal anecdotes—especially those detailing her experiences as a parent—shone brightly in an otherwise dense narrative. These instances brought warmth to her otherwise biting commentary and fostered a deeper connection with me as a reader. While I may not agree with all her positions, it’s clear that her love for her kids and desire to protect them from unnecessary labels come from a genuine place.
In the end, I settled on a rating of three stars. The book is undoubtedly a conversation starter, filled with salient points about the therapeutic practices affecting today’s youth. Though it misses the mark at times, it’s a worthy read for parents, educators, or anyone interested in the intersection of mental health and modern society.
If you’re someone who revels in challenging societal norms or is keen to reflect on the nuances of empathy in today’s world, Bad Therapy may just provoke your thoughts and spark meaningful conversations. For me, it was a journey through my own convictions—one that left me contemplating not just the implications of therapy culture on children, but how we can redefine support without diminishing resilience.
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