Many people find themselves constantly pouring love into a relationship cup that never seems to feel full. Loving someone who is emotionally unavailable is painful and confusing, and the exhaustion that comes from trying to connect while being kept at arm’s length deserves acknowledgment.

When it comes to navigating your partner’s emotional unavailability, understand this: emotional unavailability isn’t about you. It’s a complex pattern rooted in psychology, past experiences, and deeply ingrained protective mechanisms. Let’s explore what’s really happening beneath the surface and, more importantly, how you can navigate this challenging dynamic with clarity and self-compassion.

What Does Emotional Unavailability Really Mean?

Emotional unavailability describes a pattern where someone consistently struggles to be present, vulnerable, or intimate in a relationship. They are emotionally distant, often reluctant to share feelings, resistant to deeper conversations, and unable to commit to the relationship’s growth.

This is different from the occasional bad day or needing space after a stressful week. We all have moments when we’re less available emotionally.

Why Are Some People Emotionally Unavailable?

Understanding the “why” doesn’t excuse hurtful behavior, but it can help you see the situation more clearly and make better decisions for yourself.

How Do I Know If My Partner Is Emotionally Unavailable?

If you’re wondering if your partner is emotionally unavailable, look for these consistent patterns:

Can Emotionally Unavailable People Change?

Here’s the truth that’s both hopeful and hard: people can change, but only if they want to and are willing to do the work. Change requires self-awareness, acknowledging the problem, and a commitment to personal growth, either through therapy or another healthy avenue.

The question isn’t just “can they change?” but “are they actively trying to change?” There’s a vast difference between:

How Can I Cope With an Emotionally Unavailable Partner?

If you’re dealing with an emotionally unavailable partner, here are strategies to protect your well-being:

What If I’m the Emotionally Unavailable One?

If you’re reading this and recognizing yourself in these signs, that’s ok. Awareness is the crucial first step, and emotional unavailability isn’t a character flaw: it’s a learned protective pattern that served you once but may now be limiting your capacity for deep connection.

Take the First Step in Coping & Growing

You deserve a relationship where you feel seen, valued, and emotionally met. Whether that means your current partner commits to growth and change, or you decide to seek that connection elsewhere, trust that your need for emotional intimacy is valid and worthy of fulfillment.

If you’re struggling with this dynamic, reaching out to a therapist who specializes in relationship issues can provide the support and clarity you need to move forward with confidence and start building your emotional intelligence.

Not sure where to start? Take our quiz to find out what you’re looking for and how trained professionals at GoodTherapy can help.

Step 1: Establish and Maintain Firm Boundaries in Co-Parenting with a Narcissist

Establishing clear boundaries while co-parenting with a narcissist is crucial for emotional safety and stability.

A person with narcissistic traits often views boundaries as challenges to their control. Your ability to create and enforce clear boundaries becomes your most powerful protective tool.

Strong boundaries can protect you and your children when co-parenting with a narcissist.

Be Direct and Unemotional

When setting boundaries with a narcissistic co-parent, clarity and emotional neutrality are essential. State your boundary clearly and calmly: “I am not going to discuss this while you are yelling. I am hanging up now, and we can talk when you are calm.” Then, crucially, follow through immediately.

The follow-through matters more than the words. Narcissistic individuals test boundaries constantly, so consistency proves you mean what you say.

Don’t Explain or Justify

Avoid getting pulled into arguments or debates about your boundaries. Lengthy explanations provide manipulation opportunities. The boundary is non-negotiable, not because you’re being difficult, but because it protects your family’s emotional health.

When you justify boundaries, you’re implying they’re up for discussion. They’re not.

Remember Your “Why”

Adhering to boundaries with a narcissistic co-parent will be uncomfortable. You’ll likely face gaslighting, a manipulative tactic that the National Domestic Violence Hotline describes as making someone question their own reality, memory, or perceptions.

You may also encounter guilt trips, condescending behavior, or accusations of being “difficult” or “unreasonable.” Remind yourself regularly: you’re not doing this to punish them. You’re protecting your children and yourself from emotional manipulation and creating a healthier environment.

Step 2: Validate Your Children’s Reality

Co-parenting with a narcissist means being vigilant about your children’s emotional needs and offering them the validation they may not receive from their other parent.

Children of narcissistic parents often feel their feelings, thoughts, and very identity are invisible or “wrong.” Your role as the other parent is to be a consistent source of validation and unconditional love.

Children’s self-esteem is profoundly influenced by how their parents respond to them. When one parent is narcissistic, the other parent’s validation becomes even more critical.

Acknowledge Their Feelings

When your child expresses hurt or frustration about their interactions with the narcissistic parent, validate their emotions: “It makes sense that you feel upset about that” or “I see how hard you’re working, and I’m proud of you.”

Never dismiss their feelings, even when you’re trying to keep peace. Your validation teaches them to trust their emotional experiences, a crucial life skill that research from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University shows is fundamental to building resilience.

Separate Their Worth from Their Performance

Narcissistic parents often tie a child’s value to their performance or how the child makes the parent look. Counter this damaging message consistently.

Remind your children that their worth is inherent and not dependent on grades, athletic achievement, appearance, or living up to someone else’s unrealistic expectations. Celebrate who they are, not just what they do.

Correct Unhealthy Messages

If your children have been told they’re “too sensitive,” “not good enough,” or that their emotions are problems, gently counter these messages.

Without directly criticizing the other parent (which can backfire), you might say: “It’s important to learn how to manage emotions well, and yelling is an example of not managing them well. You are not broken or ‘less than’ because you have feelings. Feelings are information, and learning to understand them is a strength.”

Step 3: Prioritize Your Own Healing and Growth

Your healing journey is crucial in the context of co-parenting with a narcissist, where emotional turmoil can affect everyone involved.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. To be a strong, resilient anchor for your children while co-parenting with a narcissist, you must invest in your own well-being. This isn’t selfish, it’s essential.

Focus on What You Can Control

You cannot control another person’s behavior, manipulations, or emotional outbursts. But you can absolutely control your response. This shift in focus is incredibly empowering and reduces the emotional toll of the co-parenting relationship.

The concept of the “locus of control”, whether you believe events are controlled by your own actions or external forces, significantly impacts mental health. Research published in Frontiers in Psychology demonstrates that an internal locus of control is associated with better psychological outcomes.

Build Your Own Self-Esteem

The most powerful defense against narcissistic manipulation is a strong sense of self. Engage in activities you love, set and achieve personal goals, and celebrate your victories, no matter how small.

When your self-worth comes from within rather than external validation, narcissistic tactics lose their power over you. Mental Health America offers excellent resources on self-care practices that support mental wellness.

The Secret to Understanding the Narcissist

Understanding that narcissistic behavior often stems from incredible insecurity can help you emotionally detach from their manipulation. This doesn’t excuse the behavior, but it prevents you from internalizing their criticisms or taking their actions personally.

Your goal isn’t to force them to change, it’s to change your response and speak life into your children.

Step 4: Seek Professional Support for Co-Parenting with a Narcissist

Seeking professional support tailored to co-parenting with a narcissist can make a significant difference in how well you manage interactions.

You don’t have to walk this challenging path alone. Navigating co-parenting with a narcissistic individual while protecting your children’s emotional health requires tools and perspective that professional support can provide.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides a national helpline (1-800-662-4357) that offers free, confidential, 24/7 support and can connect you with local mental health resources.

A qualified therapist can help you:

• Develop effective communication strategies that minimize conflict
• Set and maintain healthy boundaries without guilt
• Process the emotional toll of the co-parenting relationship
• Recognize manipulation tactics and respond strategically
• Build resilience for yourself and your children
• Create a parenting plan that protects your children’s interests

Professional support also provides a safe space for your children to heal, process their experiences, and learn that their feelings are valid. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers excellent resources on personality disorders and their impact on families.

Finding professionals who understand the intricacies of co-parenting with a narcissist will help you navigate this challenging relationship.

Legal and Practical Considerations

When co-parenting with a narcissist, documentation becomes essential. Keep detailed records of all communications, agreements, and concerning incidents. Many family law attorneys recommend using court-approved co-parenting apps like OurFamilyWizard or TalkingParents, which create timestamped, unalterable records of all communications.

If safety concerns arise, the Office on Women’s Health provides resources for creating safety plans and understanding your legal options. Remember that emotional abuse is just as serious as physical abuse, and protective measures may be necessary.

Building an Unshakeable Foundation

You and your children deserve peace, emotional safety, and healing. The greatest defense against the negative effects of narcissism isn’t winning arguments or changing the other person, it’s building an unshakeable sense of self-worth for yourself and your children.

When co-parenting with a narcissist, remember:

• Your boundaries protect your family’s emotional space
• Your children need validation more than they need you to keep the peace at all costs
• Your healing directly impacts your children’s resilience
• Professional support isn’t a luxury, it’s a strategic investment in your family’s future

Every step you take toward establishing boundaries, validating your children, and prioritizing healing creates ripples of positive change. You’re not just surviving this co-parenting situation, you’re modeling strength, self-respect, and emotional intelligence for your children.

That’s a legacy worth fighting for.

We all want to feel needed, appreciated, and connected. But when your sense of worth hinges on how much you do for others; when saying no feels dangerous or caring for yourself brings guilt; you might be caught in an over-accommodating loop. Caring deeply and showing up for others isn’t the problem. The trouble begins when your own needs fade so far into the background that you forget they’re even there.

Research shows that people pleasing behavior is more common than you might think, often having roots that stretch back into childhood and significantly impacting mental health outcomes.

What It Feels Like to Over-Accommodate

If you’re someone who regularly adjusts your plans, preferences, or even your personality to keep others happy, you might be stuck in an over-accommodating loop. This can look like being easygoing, selfless, or “low maintenance” on the outside – but inside, you may feel overwhelmed, unappreciated, or exhausted.

While this pattern can be rooted in a genuine desire to help, it’s often driven by deeper fears: fear of conflict, fear of being a burden, fear of not being enough unless you’re useful. And those fears can quietly shape your relationships, your self-worth, and your overall well-being.

Common Signs of People Pleasing Behavior

Understanding the patterns of people pleasing behavior is crucial for recognizing when caring crosses into self-sacrifice:

Taking on Emotional Responsibility: You often feel responsible for keeping others happy or avoiding their discomfort, even when it’s not your job.

Struggling to Say No: Turning down requests makes you feel guilty, selfish, or worried someone will be upset.

Putting Yourself Last: Your own rest, needs, and boundaries get pushed aside to make room for others.

Guilt Around Self-Care: Doing something for yourself feels indulgent – or even wrong.

Resentment or Burnout: You feel drained or underappreciated, but you keep giving anyway.

Harvard-trained psychologist Debbie Sorensen notes that people pleasers are at significantly higher risk for workplace burnout due to their difficulty setting boundaries and saying no to additional responsibilities.

The Trap in Romantic Relationships

People pleasing behavior can really show up in romantic relationships, especially with partners who are more self-focused or entitled. If you’re overly other-oriented, you might feel pulled to caretake, smooth things over, or manage the other person’s moods. Your needs take a backseat, sometimes so far back you lose sight of them entirely.

Without meaning to, you may even reinforce the idea that the relationship revolves around their wants – because you keep showing up, quietly stretching yourself thinner. Over time, this dynamic can leave you feeling resentful, emotionally alone, or unsure what you even want from a partner.

Change starts by noticing these patterns, getting curious about them, and slowly learning to voice your needs and limits. That’s not selfish – it’s how mutual relationships are built.

Where People Pleasing Behavior Comes From

This habit of over-accommodating usually isn’t random. Most people learned it somewhere. Sometimes, the pattern forms in response to unspoken expectations – subtle cues that your role was to be the helper, the fixer, the one who stayed calm. Even if no one ever said it out loud, you may have absorbed the message that your value came from being easy, helpful, or emotionally low maintenance.

Research indicates that people pleasing behavior often stems from childhood experiences where love or approval was conditional. If caregivers only validated them when they were obedient, accommodating, or high-achieving, they may have learned that their worth depends on meeting others’ expectations.

Maybe you grew up in a household where conflict felt dangerous, so you kept the peace. Maybe you had a parent who struggled, and you stepped into the role of emotional support. Or maybe you were simply rewarded for being the one who didn’t “cause trouble.” When your safety or connection depended on being agreeable, helpful, or invisible, it makes sense that you internalized those ways of coping. They helped you survive then, but they might be hurting you now.

Moving Toward Balance: Overcoming People Pleasing Behavior

You don’t have to stop being caring or supportive. But what if your own needs got equal airtime? What if tending to your well-being wasn’t something you earned after taking care of everyone else? These changes don’t happen overnight, but they’re possible with time, practice, and support.

Here are a few steps toward that kind of shift:

Practice Assertiveness: Speak up about your preferences and needs – even in small ways. Start where it feels hard, but possible. Studies show that learning assertiveness skills is crucial for breaking free from people pleasing patterns.

Make Self-Care Non-Negotiable: Rest, connection, creativity – whatever refuels you – deserves space on your calendar.

Challenge the Guilt: Just because it feels bad doesn’t mean it is bad. Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish – it’s sustainable.

Notice the Roots: Start gently unpacking where these patterns came from. What were you taught about your role in relationships?

Seek Out Mutuality: Surround yourself with people who want to know the real you – not just the version who shows up for them.

FAQ: Understanding People Pleasing Behavior

Q: Is people pleasing behavior a mental health condition? A: While not a diagnosable condition itself, chronic people pleasing behavior is often linked to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and codependency. It can also be a trauma response known as “fawning.”

Q: How do I know if my helping is healthy or unhealthy? A: Healthy helping comes from choice and maintains your boundaries. Unhealthy people pleasing feels compulsive, leaves you drained, and often involves sacrificing your own needs consistently.

Q: Can people pleasing behavior be changed? A: Yes! With awareness, practice, and often professional support, people can learn to set healthy boundaries, practice assertiveness, and build self-worth independent of others’ approval.

Q: What’s the difference between being kind and people pleasing? A: Kindness comes from genuine care and choice, while people pleasing is driven by fear, guilt, or the need for approval. Kind people can say no when needed; people pleasers struggle with this.

Q: How long does it take to overcome people pleasing habits? A: Recovery is a gradual process that varies for each person. Some may see changes in weeks with consistent practice, while deeply ingrained patterns may take months or years to fully transform.

Reclaiming Your Authentic Self

Being someone who cares deeply is a gift. But when that care becomes a quiet erasure of your own needs, it can be a heavy burden to carry. You deserve relationships that go both ways – and a life that honors your needs just as much as anyone else’s.

Healing people pleasing behavior doesn’t mean giving less. It means giving in a way that includes you – where your voice, your needs, and your inner steadiness are part of the equation. You’re allowed to show up fully, not just as the one who helps, but as someone equally worthy of care.

In fulfilling relationships, it’s natural to want our loved ones to change. We often recognize their potential and believe that if they adjusted certain behaviors, things would improve. But this mindset can lead to frustration and disappointment, because we ultimately cannot control others.

The key to fulfilling relationships lies in focusing on what we can control: our own reactions and expectations.

Why We Try to Change Others in Fulfilling Relationships

Our urge to change others usually comes from a place of love and concern. We want the best for them and for ourselves. Yet, this well-meaning desire can lead us down a path of trying to “fix” someone, which often strains the relationship.

Instead, it’s far more productive to look inward. Ask yourself:

• Are my expectations realistic?
• Am I projecting my own fears or insecurities?
• What do I truly need in this relationship?

Turning Inward: The Path to Self-Awareness

One powerful approach is practicing mindfulness and self-awareness. Becoming attuned to our own thoughts and emotions helps us uncover the roots of our desire to change others.

Consider this: Are you seeking validation through their changes? Or are you fearing rejection if things stay the same? These insights open the door to personal growth and emotional clarity.

For more on this topic, see Self‑Differentiation and Why It Matters in Families and Relationships.

For deeper context on this practice, you might also explore Verywell Mind’s guide to self-awareness.

Setting Realistic Expectations in Fulfilling Relationships

Accepting that we can’t control others is liberating. It allows us to love and appreciate them as they are, not as we wish they would be.

This doesn’t mean tolerating harmful behavior. Instead, it means:

• Setting healthy boundaries
• Clearly communicating your needs
• Letting go of perfectionism

Learn more in Making Love Last: The Importance of Emotional Intelligence.

Communicating for Connection, Not Control

Effective communication is crucial. Rather than blaming or criticizing, share your perspective honestly and respectfully. Use “I” statements:

• “I feel hurt when…”
• “I need support in…”

This approach fosters empathy and connection, making space for understanding and mutual growth.

See Conflict in Relationships: Do You Own Your Responsibility? for strategies to enhance responsibility and connection.

The Power of Outcome Independence in Growth

Outcome independence is a transformative mindset, especially in personal development and therapy. It means focusing less on the result and more on the journey.

When we detach from specific outcomes:

• We reduce fear of failure
• We become open to experience
• We celebrate progress over perfection

Therapists often use this to help clients embrace self-discovery. By trusting the process, we create space for true transformation.

Explore this concept further in Mindfulness and the Art of Letting Go.

Final Thoughts: Creating Meaningful, Fulfilling Relationships

Ultimately, the only person we can change is ourselves. When we shift our focus inward, toward growth, awareness, and intentional response—we enrich not only our lives but our relationships.

Embracing change within can lead to more fulfilling relationships built on balance, understanding, and mutual respect. It’s a journey worth taking.

See how Five Domains of a Healthy Relationship: Mindfulness and Resilience outlines the role of mindfulness in relational well-being.

To further explore the emotional side of healthy connections, see this resource on how emotions influence our relationships from HelpGuide.org.

I remember a few years ago, my therapist, who was from a non-Asian culture, asked if I would ever walk away from my family. I sat there, looked at her and started crying. 

How do I explain the importance of family and the guilt and shame I would feel if I did that?   

Setting boundaries is a popular topic, especially during the holiday season. Some people start to dread family gatherings and the drama that will no doubt arise when your uncle or aunt says something hurtful. 

In Western culture, setting boundaries is often seen as essential to maintaining healthy relationships and protecting your mental health. However, setting boundaries can be very challenging for those who grew up in collective cultures. 

Are Boundaries Bad in Asian Families? 

Maybe. In many Asian families, there is no clear line between your needs and mine.  

Boundaries are seen as a separation from family and can create separation in the family dynamic.  

In a collectivist culture, group/family needs are prioritized over individual needs.  

What is normal in an Asian family might be shocking to a white person. 

• Parents opening your mail. 

• Your relatives make mean comments at a family gathering, whether they are picking on your weight, relationship status, job, the way you dress, or who you are dating. 

So when do you need to set boundaries?  

• When it is affecting your mental, physical and spiritual health. 

• When your family’s expectations of you are not realistic or feasible. 

 When discussing setting boundaries with my Asian clients, the typical response is, “Oh, I can’t!” There is a lot of guilt and shame attached to setting boundaries due to the way we were brought up, with the emphasis on family and loyalty. 

However, these are also the clients who are struggling, as many were brought up in the Western culture but are still entrenched in Asian traditions and values. 

Setting boundaries does not mean cutting off all contact. However, if that is needed due to abuse and trauma, then there needs to be a deeper discussion. 

Setting boundaries means caring for your feelings, thoughts and needs without sacrificing your mental, physical, or spiritual health. 

 What Does Setting Boundaries with Your Family Members Look Like? 

Here are a few examples: 

• Pause, and take a deep breath. Check in. How does your body feel? 

• Can you wait before you say yes or react? 

• Assess your needs. If you know you must attend your grandmother’s 80th birthday party but dread seeing most of your family members, ask yourself: Do you need to eat first? Can you limit the time you spend there? Can you ask a friend to text you regularly to check in? 

• Can you say No? If your aunt asks you to do a task, can you say no and ask your cousin to do that instead? 

• Be very selective about how much time and information you share with your family. 

• Gratitiude and redirect. “Dad, thanks for cutting the oranges. I am very full, and I will take them home to enjoy tomorrow.” 

The truth is, sometimes, we need to do certain things out of obligation. If that is the case, consider what you can do to make your experience easier. It may be inviting a friend along. Or eating before you go to dinner so you are not emotionally eating. It could be taking your parents out for dinner instead of going home so you can control how long the outing will be and what you will eat. 

Boundaries are important. It can also be challenging and threatening to your Asian family. 

Using individualistic values to exist in a collectivistic culture and family can hurt our relationships with our families. 

The invitation is to be mindful of your and your family’s needs and then set healthy boundaries to maintain a good relationship with your family without sacrificing your health. 

Yes, we should probably also talk about the shame and guilt at some point, but that is for a future blog post. 

Note: I am all for open communication and setting boundaries while respecting our family. However, if you are subject to toxic, emotionally abusive situations, please seek help. Contact your community, the local crisis line, or a healthcare provider to get care. Look after your safety. You don’t have to perpetuate their behaviours, and you can break the cycle.  

Link to blog: 

https://www.patriciapetersen.ca/blogwriting/setting-healthy-boundaries-with-your-asian-family-is-it-possible 

Individuals with a people-pleasing disposition are often characterized by their relentless pursuit of peace and their aversion to conflict, which frequently comes at a personal cost. These individuals are typically highly empathetic and have a tendency to prioritize the needs of others over their own, a trait that sometimes leads to being taken advantage of. Furthermore, their deep-seated need for acceptance and approval exposes them to vulnerability, especially with certain personality types. Despite being cognizant of this self-defeating behavior, altering it is a significant challenge due to a multitude of factors. 

Primarily, the impulse to appease others is rooted in a conscientious and selfless attitude. However, when pushed to the extreme, this behavior becomes self-destructive. This inclination towards relational self-sacrifice is often underpinned by subconscious mechanisms, many of which are established through early attachment relationships with parents. 

In cases where parents are self-absorbed, their attention to their children’s emotions is often conditional, based on how closely these emotions align with their own. When a child’s feelings deviate from those of the parent, the typical parental reactions range from dismissive to punitive. This dynamic teaches the child either to distrust their feelings or to suppress them in favor of the parents, inadvertently setting a precedent for future relationships. 

In addition to this, experiences of rejection from emotionally detached parents can further contribute to a people-pleasing disposition. These parents often use acceptance and approval as leverage, maintaining a dominant position in the parent-child dynamic. Their unpredictable and critical nature keeps the child in a constant state of seeking approval. Furthermore, such parents often fluctuate between idealizing and devaluing the child, rarely expressing genuine and deep affection for who the child truly is. The child, often treated as either an extension of the parent’s desires or as an unworthy entity, rarely experiences a sense of normalcy in these interactions. This cyclical pursuit of not disappointing people and achieving an elusive state of ‘perfection’ often extends into adulthood. 

Another aspect that contributes to the development of a people-pleasing personality is the tendency of some parents to adopt a victim role in their relationship with the child. In situations where a parent is unable to manage their emotions effectively, they might resort to a victim stance to manipulate scenarios and induce guilt. For instance, a child may return home to find a parent in distress, blaming the child indirectly for a situation, thereby instilling a profound sense of guilt and responsibility in the child. This instilled fear of causing upset often transitions into adulthood and permeates other relationships, where the individual constantly endeavors to avoid causing any displeasure. 

For people-pleasers, recognizing their inherent worth is a crucial step in the journey toward psychological well-being. An essential part of this personal development involves learning how to establish healthy boundaries, a task that may not naturally align with their accommodating disposition. Nonetheless, understanding the importance of self-care and assertiveness is key to their emotional and mental health. 

Here are five practical tips to aid people-pleasers in setting effective boundaries: 

1. Acknowledging the Right to Prioritize Personal Needs: It is essential for individuals to give themselves permission to put their needs first. This might seem counterintuitive to someone who is deeply empathetic and accustomed to tuning into the emotions of others, but it is fundamental to maintaining good mental health. Cultivating healthy boundaries often empowers individuals to care for themselves before extending themselves for others. 

1. Simplifying Boundary Communications: When establishing a boundary, it is advisable to avoid elaborate explanations. A concise approach can prevent the other party from using your reasons as an opportunity to impose their own viewpoints. For example, rather than giving a detailed account of why you cannot fulfill a request, a simple and straightforward explanation is more effective. 

1. Maintaining a Warm and Considerate Tone: It’s important to maintain warm intonations and inflections in your voice while communicating boundaries. This ensures the message is delivered in a caring and kind manner, even if the content may not be what the other party wishes to hear. Adapting the interaction to suit the people-pleaser’s inherent empathetic style makes the process more comfortable and authentic. Employing humor can also be a useful strategy in these situations. 

1. Timeliness in Establishing Boundaries: Avoid delaying the establishment of boundaries, as procrastination can lead to increased resentment and anger. Addressing boundary issues early on helps in maintaining composure and handling the situation more effectively. 

1. Planning and Rehearsing Responses: It is beneficial to plan and practice your responses in advance. Engaging in role-play with a trusted individual can help in easing the stress associated with asserting oneself. For people-pleasers, articulating ‘no’ or setting 

 

Lorena Salthu 

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Psychopratician -Life coach -Psyconeuroimmunologist -Psychoanalyst 

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References 

Maté, G. . How to stop people pleasing and set authentic boundaries while staying kind? In Reclaiming Authenticity: Conversations with Dr. Gabor Maté. Science and Nonduality (SAND). Retrieved from https://scienceandnonduality.com/videos/how-to-stop-people-pleasing-and-set-authentic-boundaries-while-staying-kind/.