Book Review | Bad Therapy

BOOKS | BAD THERAPY: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up, Abigail Shrer, Sentinial, 2024, 320p

In Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up, Abigail Shrier tackles the pressing and tumultuous issues surrounding contemporary youth culture, mainly focusing on the mental health crises that have engulfed an entire generation. With an incisive pen and commendable clarity of thought, Shrier presents a disconcerting portrait of a landscape marred by misguided therapeutic practices and a perplexing cultural zeitgeist that seems to thwart maturity at every turn.

Shrier’s central thesis—that many therapeutic interventions have become ineffective and potentially damaging—is provocative and timely. She deftly navigates the murky waters of psychological treatment, critiquing the establishments that profess to nurture and heal the fragile psyches of our youth. With precision, she dismantles the prevailing dogmas of modern psychotherapy, exposing a system that often prioritizes ideological conformity over genuine healing.

However, her choice of style is too stark. Driven by counter reactionary impulses, polemical clarity, or a mere strident voice, Shrier’s choice of tone creates too many broadly claimed or sweeping generalizations about those she criticizes, ultimately undermining her credibility. This is unfortunate given her largely factual, well-researched takedown of one of the largest cultural scams of modernity: therapy.

Her prose is imbued with a sense of urgency, calling attention to the alarming rise in mental health issues among young people and the dubious role of therapists who, under the guise of compassion, have sometimes led their patients further into the quagmire of identity confusion and existential despair. Shrier’s anecdotal evidence—drawing from a wealth of interviews and case studies—reveals a troubling trend: children and adolescents are often not equipped with the tools necessary to navigate the tumultuous journey into adulthood. Instead, they are handed an array of labels and medications that serve more as crutches than solutions.

One of the most compelling aspects of Bad Therapy is Shrier’s willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. She is unafraid to question the therapeutic orthodoxy that has come to dominate discussions about mental health, making her a beacon of rational inquiry in an age often steeped in emotional fervor. Her skepticism toward the contemporary obsession with self-identification and victimhood strikes a necessary and refreshing chord. Shrier resolutely advocates for a more robust understanding of human growth and development in a culture that celebrates fragility over resilience.

However, Shrier’s arguments do not come without their own set of challenges. At times, her stance risks veering into the territory of oversimplification, painting a broad brush across the complex interplay of mental health, societal pressures, and individual experiences. While her critique of modern therapy is mainly sound, it could benefit from a deeper exploration of alternative approaches that have proven successful for some. While enticing, the binary between good and bad treatment does not account for the nuances of human experience nor fully embraces the potential for reform within the therapeutic community.

Ultimately, Bad Therapy is an impassioned call to arms for parents, educators, and policymakers alike. Shrier implores us to reevaluate our understanding of adolescence and the tools we provide for our young. She emphasizes the importance of fostering resilience, encouraging personal responsibility, and, most crucially, instilling a sense of agency in a generation that often feels adrift.

In a world where the stakes have never been higher, Shrier’s work serves as both a warning and an invitation to engage more deeply with the complexities of mental health and the paths to maturity. With Bad Therapy, Abigail Shrier has penned a critical analysis that reflects our current societal malaise and is a beacon of hope for the future. Her clarion call is not just needed—it is essential.​