Customer Reviews

In Therapy We Trust: America's Obsession with Self-Fulfillment

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Eva Moskowitz appears to be forming an argument in this book, a critique of American faith in therapy with a historical perspective. Her concern is that the focus on personal fulfillment and happiness lures us into thinking that various problems can be solved through psychology, and the more immediate causes of these problems (eg. economics and politics) get placed in the background. Though this thesis hovers around most of the time, the book reads more like a history of therapy, divided by time period, and the problems that were focused on in those time periods (Illness, 1850-1900; Poverty, 1890-1930; Marriage, 1920-1940; etc...).

Moskowitz's critique doesn't extend to a serious scientific study of psychology and mental health. Rather, her emphasis is on the type of dubious, self-help talk of guru types of people who promise happiness and betterment but who have questionable motives. I think her ultimate goal is to get to the last chapter on talk shows and the plethora of specialized support groups, and how such a culture that embraces these things got to be. But however fascinated I am by Oprah's popularity, there is more to therapy than TV talk shows.

This book is an interesing account of history and the trends in therapeutic thinking in America, though I wonder if the phases of theraputic trends (represented by the chapters) were too cleanly divided. Just keep in mind that this book is more about pop-therapy than therapy.

After reading the excellent "One Nation Under Therapy", I picked up this book for a supplementary critique of the therapeutic gospel. However, I found that this book is more of a history of how the doctrine of psychological self-fulfillment came to have such a major influence in our society. Starting with the work of Phineas Quimby (the godfather of Christian Science) and moving through the Progressive movement and WWII to contemporary daytime talk shows, the author traces the evolution of psychotherapy's influence in American life. That's interesting, but this is not the book for you if you're interested in an actual critique of therapism's efficacy and legitimacy.