Validation: The New Psychology of Influence

Validation by Dr. Caroline Fleck is a practical guide to one of the most powerful but overlooked skills: making people feel truly heard and understood. Validation means recognizing the truth in someone’s experience, and research shows it can calm conflict, build trust, and even strengthen influence and self-compassion. Drawing on science, therapy insights, and everyday examples, Dr. Fleck teaches eight simple skills to practice validation in daily life. With clear steps, stories, and humor, this book shows how the ability to see and be seen can transform relationships—and yourself.