Are You Mad at Me? (Meg Josephson)

About this episode

Meg Josephson discusses the fawn response and its impact on relationships and self-perception.

Meg Josephson is a psychotherapist and the author of the instant New York Times–bestseller, Are You Mad At Me? In her own life and in her work with clients, she’s come to focus on why many of us have an overactive fawn response. (You’re likely familiar with the other classic responses: fight, flight, freeze, and perhaps faint.) The fawn response can look different depending on the person but it is often related to a desire to feel safe, to be liked, to secure approval, and to please others. In this conversation, Josephson shares the five fawn-related archetypes, or behavioral patterns, that she’s identified. (My guess is that at least one will resonate with you.) Josephson explains why these patterns and responses make sense and why they can be protective—and also what to do if their overuse has become a strain on your life and relationships. For the show notes, head to my Substack. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Elise Loehnen

Guest: Meg Josephson

Topics covered

• fawn response
• psychotherapy
• behavioral patterns
• self-improvement
• relationships

Keywords

• fawn response
• psychotherapy
• behavioral archetypes
• self-approval
• relationships

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New York Times

Books & works: Are You Mad At Me?

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