This study explores the powerful influence of therapeutic imperative in Anglo-American societies where nearly every sphere of life has become subject to a new emotional culture. It suggests that the cultural turn toward the realm of the emotions coincides with a radical redefinition of personhood.

Introduction; Chapter 1 The culture of emotionalism; Chapter 2 The politics of emotion; Chapter 3 Targeting privacy and informal relations; Chapter 4 How did we get here?; Chapter 5 The diminished self; Chapter 6 The self at risk; Chapter 7 Fragile identity; Chapter 8 Conferring recognition; Chapter 9 Therapeutic claims-making and the demand for a diagnosis; Final thoughts;

'Professor Furedi has written an important book ... which is essential to the understanding of our times.'- Theodore Dalrymple, Sunday Telegraph'"If you give it your little finger it will soon have your whole hand," Sigmund Freud said of psychoanalysis in 1900. He had obviously seen the future. As sociology professor Frank Furedi says in his new book Therapy Culture, we live in a culture that takes emotions very seriously.' - Ursula Kenny, The Observer'Furedi forensically examines this brave new emotional world: the rush of counsellors to the site of every trauma, the ways in which economic problems are recast as psychological phenomena, the cult of the Victim, the decline of political activism.' - Melissa Benn, The Independent'Therapy is indeed the new opium of the people, as Frank Furedi makes clear in this fascinating, readable - and disturbing - book.' - Virginia Ironside, The IndependentForensically examines this brave new emotional world - The IndependentThis is what our life is all about. Instead of seeking a treatment for it, we should try living it. - The Times'Can it really be such a bad thing that we are now more aware of the place of mental health in our make-up? Furedi leaves us in no doubt that the therapy culture has invaded our media, our workplace, our intimate relationships and our politics. It is an interesting polemic. We should be grateful for the balance this book inspires'- Community Care 25/4/04'Furedi gives us much food for thought that we would do well to consider ... This book highlights the dichotomy between schools as centres of learning or of socialisation.' - Alan McLean, Times Education Supplement (Scotland) 'I enjoyed this book, and found it compulsive reading.' - www.AutoBiographyJournal.com