Jo

Book Review: Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up. Shrier argues that we’ve reached a point where normal childhood and adolescent struggles are increasingly being medicalised, and that the mental health industry, alongside well-meaning parents, schools and therapists, may sometimes be doing more harm than good by encouraging young people to see themselves as fragile rather than resilient.

As someone with a background in psychology, I found it an engaging and thought-provoking read. I agreed with some of the broader themes around the importance of fostering resilience, avoiding over-pathologising everyday emotions, and being thoughtful about when psychological intervention is genuinely needed.

Where it lost me a little was that some of the arguments felt overly generalised or relied on more extreme examples to support the central thesis. The reality is often much more nuanced, and while I think the book raises important questions, I wasn’t always convinced by the way it answered them.

That said, I think it’s worth reading precisely because it challenges assumptions and encourages discussion. Whether you agree with Shrier or not, it’s the kind of book that makes you reflect on how we support young people and where the balance lies between validating distress and building resilience. ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)

Have you read it? I’d be interested to hear what you thought. #bookreview #nonfiction #finishedreading #psychology #bookstagram