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

From self-esteem talk on Oprah to self-help books like Negaholics and Your Sacred Self, we live in an age fixated on emotional well-being. Rich or poor, black or white, male or female, straight or gay, Americans share a belief in the therapeutic gospel. As Eva Moskowitz argues, Americans today turn to psychological cures as confidently as they once petitioned the Lord with prayer. How did the land of the free become obsessed with self-fulfilment? Has America gained or lost by placing so much emphasis on personal well-being? Taking a historical approach, Moskowitz explores the country's tendency to find psychological explanations - and excuses - for nearly everything.