When Validation Matters More Than Solutions
Caroline Fleck's insights.
What’s the difference between making someone feel heard and making them feel right?
Clinical psychologist Caroline Fleck shattered my assumptions about human connection when she shared how validation differs from both agreement and praise.
Caroline has discovered that people don’t need you to fix their problems or even agree with their perspectives—they need to feel genuinely understood first.
Her eight-step validation ladder provides a practical framework for creating the psychological safety that makes real change possible, whether you’re parenting teenagers or leading high-stakes business negotiations. Through her book Validation and years of clinical practice, Caroline proves that acceptance doesn’t enable dysfunction; it creates the foundation for authentic growth and transformation.
The key lesson: you can’t influence someone who doesn’t feel accepted by you, making validation the most powerful tool for lasting change.
Listen here!
Mahalo,
Guy