BOOK RECOMMENDATION by Julie White, MA :
Laziness Does Not Exist, by Devon Price.
Devon Price, a social psychologist, authored the book “Laziness Does Not Exist” in 2021. He wrote this book after writing an article with the same title that got a lot of attention.
Devon debunks what is called “The Laziness Lie”, in that it is not possible for a human being to be “lazy”. Devon teaches us where this concept arose, and why it’s so harmful to our health.
A lot of clients coming to therapy are going to struggle with negative self-talk, self-esteem difficulties, as well as internalized ableism. This book is an excellent starting point to challenge someone’s “internalized ableism” and see that their difficulties are largely a result of societal problems as well as systemic oppression.
When clients learn that their mental health difficulties are not actually their fault, it helps them to begin to be more gentle and compassionate with themselves. It’s so crucial to read this text because it teaches us that our worth is not defined by our productivity, our ability to work or attend school, and so much more. We are inherently worthy as we are.
Life is going to be a challenge for so many of us, because our society doesn’t nurture our need as humans to prioritize our health, rest, relationships, and communities. If we are able to prioritize those aspects, we have to acknowledge our privilege in that. If we aren’t, we have to stop blaming ourselves.