Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren't Growing Up

From the author of Irreversible Damage, an investigation into how mental health overdiagnosis is harming, not helping, children.

Praise for Bad Therapy

• 'A pacy, no-holds barred attack on mental health professionals and parenting experts ... thought-provoking' – Financial Times
• 'A message that parents, teachers, mental health professionals and policymakers need to hear' – New Statesman

In virtually every way that can be measured, Gen Z’s mental health is worse than that of previous generations. What’s gone wrong?

In Bad Therapy, Abigail Shrier argues that the problem isn’t the kids – it’s the mental-health experts. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with child psychologists, parents, teachers, and young people themselves, she reveals the concerning realities behind many therapeutic approaches.

Key insights from Bad Therapy:

• Serious side effects, few proven benefits: Many therapeutic methods lack evidence of effectiveness.
• Talk therapy risks: Can induce rumination, trapping children in cycles of anxiety and depression.
• ‘Gentle parenting’ pitfalls: May encourage emotional turbulence as children lash out, seeking an adult to take charge.

Bad Therapy is a must-read for anyone questioning why our efforts to support kids have backfired.