Psychobabble: Exploding the Myths of the Self-Help Generation - Softcover

Briers, Stephen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0273772392 ISBN 13: 9780273772392

Publisher: Pearson, 2012

Synopsis

Exposing the self-help myths that make us all more miserable. This is what your psychologist would really tell you–if he thought you could handle it!

 

This is the kick up the backside the self-help genre needs: an intelligent, provocative and thought-provoking expose of the modern myths that we’re told make us happier, but in reality screw us up.

 

Clinical psychologist, Dr Stephen Briers shines a light into the dark corners of self-help and explodes the myths, false hopes, quack philosophies and unrealistic expectations it routinely advocates. It is a refreshing antidote to the `same old same old’ approaches, offering a radical re-think of the way we approach problems in our lives, offering empowering new perspectives and expert advice on avoiding the biggest life traps. Dr Briers questions the perceived wisdom, shakes up the status quo, and encourages us to think again.

About this title

About the Author

Exposing the self-help myths that make us all more miserable. This is what your psychologist would really tell you–if he thought you could handle it!

 

This is the kick up the backside the self-help genre needs: an intelligent, provocative and thought-provoking expose of the modern myths that we’re told make us happier, but in reality screw us up.

 

Clinical psychologist, Dr Stephen Briers shines a light into the dark corners of self-help and explodes the myths, false hopes, quack philosophies and unrealistic expectations it routinely advocates. It is a refreshing antidote to the `same old same old’ approaches, offering a radical re-think of the way we approach problems in our lives, offering empowering new perspectives and expert advice on avoiding the biggest life traps. Dr Briers questions the perceived wisdom, shakes up the status quo, and encourages us to think again.

 

From the Back Cover

Is self help really helping?

 

Self help is now seriously big business. It’s also having a big influence on all our lives – whether we’re aware of it or not.

 

After several decades of huge growth in the industry, most of us believe without question that we should do more, be more, expect more. But given that we seem to be less happy than at any time in history, could it be that self help is actually counterproductive?  Is it possible that self help is just messing with our minds?

 

It seems that in the quest for greater confidence, happiness, wealth, attractiveness and success, we’ve lost our ability to critically assess what we’re being fed. Many of the ‘undisputed truths’ of self help have precious little scientific support, and some have a fair body of evidence against them.

 

In this brilliantly articulate pause for thought, Dr Stephen Briers takes a hard look at the casual psychologising of everyday life, exposing the science that has been swept under the self help carpet, and questions whether what’s supposed to set us free is in fact providing the shackles on our lives.

 

Psychobabble eases the heavy burden of unrealistic expectation, gently suggests that some things need to be endured not fixed, and leaves us with the liberating possibility that we might be good enough just as we are.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pearson
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0273772392
• ISBN 13: 9780273772392
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 278