Month: March 2025

Excerpt: We all want to connect with our children, understand their world, and support them through life’s ups and downs. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, we struggle to truly “get” what they’re going through. This is where the power of validation comes in. Validation isn’t just about agreeing with our kids; it’s about acknowledging their…

Article Excerpt: You can’t control how other people see you, so needing — or demanding — that someone else understand your perspective has always seemed like a flaw to me. And depending on the approval of others feels risky because there is no guarantee you’ll actually get it. That’s why I was surprised when Caroline…

Article snippet: What’s the big idea? The secret to influencing others isn’t about persuasion—it’s about validation. In Validation: How the Skill Set That Revolutionized Psychology Will Transform Your Relationships, Increase Your Influence, and Change Your Life, Fleck reveals how acknowledging and accepting others’ experiences can strengthen relationships, defuse conflicts, and even increase self-compassion. Through captivating stories and…

Article snippet: Being a perfectionist is like playing a rigged carnival game. It’s presented as easy and within reach when it’s actually impossible and unattainable. People who are expected by others, or expect themselves, to be perfect are trapped in a nonsensical world where normal and difficult are confused with perfect and easy. Unable to achieve…

Article snippet: Want to know the secret to keeping employees engaged and productive? According to a new book, managers should learn to “praise the work, validate the person.”  In Validation: The New Approach to Change That Will Transform How You Love, Lead, and Live, Dr. Caroline Fleck writes that research shows that employees on teams that score…

We tend to view entrepreneurs and innovators as mavericks. The lone hero taking risks and changing the world. But here is the paradox. The best innovators don’t just think differently, they work well with others. The ability to build relationships is the defining characteristic of the serial intrapreneur. The Myth Of The Risk Taking Entrepreneur The…

What’s the big idea? The secret to influencing others isn’t about persuasion—it’s about validation. In Validation, clinical psychologist Caroline Fleck reveals how acknowledging and accepting others’ experiences can strengthen relationships, defuse conflicts, and even increase self-compassion. Through captivating stories and actionable techniques, she introduces eight powerful skills to harness validation’s transformative impact. Validation uncovers how truly seeing and…

Caroline Fleck is a clinical psychologist with expertise in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), a treatment for borderline personality disorder. According to Fleck, DBT was the first behavioral therapy to balance an emphasis on change with one on acceptance. “The underlying message in DBT is, ‘You’re doing the best you can, and you need to do better.’ DBT therapists…

February ushered in a variety of groundbreaking psychology books that explore the complexities of human emotion, connection, and personal growth. From mastering emotional regulation to understanding the power of storytelling, these five works offer fresh insights into how we think, feel, and navigate the world. Whether you’re looking to break free from routine, strengthen relationships,…

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