Validation: How the Skill Set That Revolutionized Psychology Will Transform Your Relationships, Increase Your Influence, and Change Your Life

By Caroline Fleck

Book Overview

"Warning: this book will make you a better parent, partner, colleague, and friend." --Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Potential

Unlock the secret to true and lasting change.

We all spend a lot of energy trying to get people to listen to us, and despite our best efforts, we often fail. But what if the secret to influencing others was to demonstrate acceptance?

Enter validation--communication where one accepts and sees the validity in another person's experience. Research on validation shows that it has profound effects, from improving relationships and de-escalating conflicts to increasing one's influence and self-compassion. In this groundbreaking book, clinical psychologist Caroline Fleck explores how validation's unique ability to demonstrate acceptance while fostering change makes it one of psychotherapy's best-kept secrets. More importantly, she takes us step-by-step through eight skills we can use to communicate validation and experience its power firsthand.

Full of captivating stories, laugh-out-loud moments, and actionable takeaways, Validation reveals how the science of seeing and being seen is the key to inner and interpersonal transformation.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0593541219
• ISBN13: 9780593541210
• Release Date: February 2025
• Publisher: Avery Publishing Group
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.09 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A funny and valuable guide to dealing with people, based on evidence-based clinical psychology

Fantastic, hilarious, and incredibly valuable guide to communicating and connecting with people. (and feral cats, it turns out) This book teaches you skills for improving relationships with and getting what you need from everyone in your life, from close family on down to those you can barely tolerate. It's based directly on the skills taught to the author, a practicing clinical psychologist, that clinicians use to help patients in crisis, meaning this stuff works on the toughest cases. This author's style is immensely readable- the book is filled with fascinating studies and memorable storytelling that evokes Malcom Gladwell in her ability to share academic study learnings with everyday language. Amazing stories about patients, deeply personal moments, and many pop culture references (Oprah to the NY magician Derek DelGaudio) keep you hooked throughout.