Dr. Ingrid Clayton and Fawn Stars: The Hidden Cost of People Pleasing (Part 1)

What if the thing you’ve been calling “people-pleasing” is actually your nervous system doing a full-blown survival routine? In this episode, we welcomed Dr. Ingrid Clayton, clinical psychologist, trauma therapist, and author of Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves--and How to Find Our Way Back. Part memoir, part emotional mic-drop, Ingrid’s work reframes “fawning” as a deeply human, body-based response—not a character flaw—and helps us see how our most selfless instincts can actually mask self-abandonment. We unpacked the messy truth about over-apologizing, over-functioning, and why some of us can’t bring ourselves to hit “unsubscribe.” From survival to healing to what it really means to reclaim your autonomy, Ingrid’s insights hit right in the gut (and somehow also feel like a hug). Welcome to Fawn Star Academy! Class is in session.

Be sure to pick up Ingrid’s book, Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves--and How to Find Our Way Back. Also follow her on Instagram and Substack @IngridClaytonPhd or visit her website at IngridClayton.com.

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The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.

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