Abstract

Across the world anxiety, stress and depression are on the increase, a trend which looks set to continue as austerity measures bite. The official response tells people that unhappiness is just a personal problem, rather than a social one.

Written by a practising psychologist, with nearly thirty years' experience in the fields of mental health and learning disabilities, The Therapy Industry offers a concise, accessible and critical overview of the world of psychological practice in Britain and the USA. Paul Moloney argues that much therapy is geared towards compliance and acceptance of the status quo, rather than attempting to facilitate social change.

The Therapy Industry fundamentally challenges our conceptions of happiness and wellbeing. Moloney argues that therapeutic and applied psychology have little basis in science, that their benefits are highly exaggerated and they prosper because they serve the interests of power.
'A brilliant and erudite book that might help us see through the mystifying fog of ideas in our present culture that leads us to seek individual therapy and self-help as cures for our ills'
Dr Guy Holmes, Clinical Psychologist
'The most comprehensive, accessible and best-documented critique available of the whole theory and practice of psychological therapy. Indispensable'
David Smail, author of 'Taking Care: An Alternative to Therapy'
'Combines intellectual acuity, a well-developed political sensitivity and a comprehensive grasp of the literature with an experienced clinician's tacit knowledge, wisdom and insight. Reading it may change how you think about psychology, about therapy, and perhaps even about yourself'
Dr John Cromby, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Loughborough University
'A fascinating critical tour of the role of therapy in modern Britain'
Charlotte Potter-Powell, Peace News