
The Manipulation Expert: 4 Hidden Signs You’re Dealing With a Toxic Person
From The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins
July 20, 2026 · 1h 4m · Episode 416
About this episode
In this episode, Dr. Leanne ten Brinke discusses how to identify and deal with manipulative individuals in various aspects of life.
In today’s episode, you’ll learn the hidden signs of a manipulative, toxic person from the #1 researcher in the world on dark personalities, Dr. Leanne ten Brinke, PhD. She is here to teach you how to spot the poisonous people that are hidden in plain sight around you – in your family, your community, and at work. And, she’s giving you the science-backed guide to understand poisonous people: how they operate, how to spot the patterns early, and what to do when you realize you’re dealing with one. Dr. ten Brinke is a professor at the University of British Columbia, where she directs the Truth and Trust Lab and has spent nearly two decades studying trust, deception, manipulation, and dark personality traits. She wants to make one thing perfectly clear: most people are good. But one poisonous person can create an enormous amount of stress, confusion, and pain. This episode will help you recognize the pattern, trust what you’re seeing, neutralize their behavior, and know exactly what to do when you’re around them. In this episode, you’ll learn: -How to spot dark personality traits of narcissism, psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism in daily life -The #1 sign you’re being…
People in this episode
Host: Mel Robbins
Guest: Dr. Leanne ten Brinke
Topics covered
- manipulation
- toxic people
- dark personalities
- gaslighting
- emotional intelligence
Keywords
- manipulation
- toxic people
- dark personality traits
- gaslighting
- narcissism
- psychopathy
- Machiavellianism
- sadism
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of British Columbia
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