The Fawn Response: People Pleasing, Self-Abandonment, and Standing Up for Yourself

Dr. Rick and I finish our series on the stress responses with the fawn response. The fawn response is an appeasement strategy, where we try to manage stressful situations by giving others what they want. Rick and I start by discussing common symptoms, including people pleasing, self-abandonment, difficulty saying no, weak boundaries, and chronic self-sacrifice. We talk about the roots of the fawn response and its connection to complex PTSD before exploring people pleasing in detail. In the second half of the episode we focus on practical tools for developing healthy boundaries, self-acceptance, and a stronger sense of self.

Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction
2:10 What the fawn response looks like
9:10 Power imbalance, shame, and contempt
11:35 What predisposes someone to a habit of fawning
20:25 Where to begin working on the tendency to fawn
36:05 Shame, self-acceptance, and opening up to self-expression
41:05 The fawn response in relationship
46:20 Becoming your own source of safety
52:05 Making equitable arrangements, and acknowledging your best efforts
1:01:30 Recap

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Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (https://amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (https://apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.

I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.

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