A new and lasting approach to changing others and ourselves, from a world-leading psychologist at Stanford University

Unlock the secret to true and lasting change

We all spend a huge amount of time trying to get people to listen to us, and despite our best efforts, we often fail. But what if the secret to influencing others was in first accepting them?

This is known as validation: the communication that one is mindful, understands, and empathises with another person's experience, accepting it as valid.

As both a means and an end, validation has profound effects - from improving our relationships and de-escalating conflict, to increasing our ability to drive change and influence growth in others and ourselves. In this groundbreaking book, Stanford University psychologist Caroline Fleck explains how and why validation is a catalyst for transformation, while taking us step-by-step through the eight skills we can use to communicate it.

With practice, these skills become a way of life, helping us to focus on the possibilities that unfold when we see ourselves and others for who we really are.