Americans have got traditionally placed great value on self-reliance and fortitude. Recent decades, however, have observed the rise of a restorative ethic that views Americans as psychologically underdeveloped, needing the ministrations of mental medical researchers to cope with life’s vicissitudes. Today, creating a book for each health problem, a counselor for every crisis, a lawsuit for each and every grievance, and a TV show for every problem degrades one’s indigenous ability to cope with life’s difficulties.

Drawing on founded science and common sense, the writers show how “therapism” as well as the burgeoning trauma industry attended to pervade our lives. Topical, provocative, and wryly amusing, One Country under Therapy demonstrates that “discussing” problems can be no substitute for confronting them.