Ten Stupid Things Women Do To Mess Up Their Lives is not a self-help book, as Dr. Laura cautions. Over the course of her time on KFI AM 640, she has seen a plethora of similar issues arise time and again. It is these issues that Dr. Laura breaks down into specific chapters and outlines their origins, and the problems that crop up as a result. Interspersed with personal stories and transcriptions of callers from her radio show, she gets into detail over the ten most common mistakes women make, and what they need to do to fix them and avoid them in the future. Her blunt manner in explaining these issues is unmistakable. She wants to make sure that she is heard loud and clear. Dr. Laura also knows that the women she makes examples of in this book need to hear her advice as simply as can be. It is important to note that while some of her words may seem harsh, she truly stands with each woman in their predicament and wants nothing more than to see them succeed and be happy. For each of the ten stupid things that women do, Dr. Laura recommends positive things that they can be replaced with.

The issues that Dr. Laura covers in this book are stupid attachment, stupid courtship, stupid devotion, stupid passion, stupid cohabitation, stupid expectations, stupid child conception, stupid subjugation, stupid helplessness, and stupid forgiving. Despite the varying topics, there are a small number of key themes throughout. Some of these are dependency, fear and lack of self-esteem. These three things are apparent in almost each of the chapters that Dr. Laura breaks down for the reader.

Dr. Laura best conveys her message through her use of stories. In each of the calls that she takes on air and even in her therapy patients, there is something that touches everyone. It is clear the issues that women need to overcome in order to straighten out their lives. Some of the examples she makes are emotionally charged, while others are laughable. However, the message comes across loud and clear. The solutions she outlines for women are to leave their bad situations. Her advice is blunt and unmistakable, though many women have a hard time accepting her answers. Overall, she encourages her callers to build back their confidence and self-esteem and, most importantly, decide what it is that they want from their lives, not what they think others want of them. Sometimes the simplest advice she gives, such as taking a class or learning a new skill, is enough to restore a woman's self-esteem. This appears to be the root of all the problems outlined.