

The Fawning Trauma Response: Ingrid Clayton on Healing People-Pleasing and Codependency
Have you been told you’re a people pleaser or found yourself saying yes when you meant no, without even thinking about it? Have a friend who struggles to express their feelings or share their preferences? If so, you might have encountered the fawning trauma response. Join me and Ingrid Clayton, author of Fawning, and the memoir Believing Me, as we unpack the misconceptions regarding this trauma response, share our experience, strength, and hope, and show you how to join the unfawning revolution she’s spearheading with her new book.
Episode Highlights
- 1:30: The Fawning Trauma Response
- 5:51: The Problem of Co-dependence
- 10:04: Complex Trauma’s Impact on Our Nervous Systems
- 12:50: Fawning’s Influence on Writing
- 22:29: The Energetic Signature of Your Book
- 28:45: The Unfawning Process
- 43:45: The Role of Tears
Resources for this Episode:
- What is the Fawning Trauma Response by Ingrid Clayton
- How to Stop Gaslighting Yourself with Ingrid Clayton
- Believing Me by Ingrid Clayton
Ingrid’s Bio: While Ingrid has a clinical background, she believes there is no theory, diagnosis, or therapy that can replace the power of shared experience. Her memoir, Believing Me, is written from the heart, where all our hurt lives—so it speaks the same language. In addition to raising her beautiful son, Ingrid believes that gaining the courage to write Believing Me is her greatest achievement to date. Her latest book, Fawning, addresses an often-overlooked piece of the fight-flight-freeze reaction to trauma—explaining what it is, why it happens, and how to help survivors regain their voice and sense of self.
Connect with Ingrid:
Website: https://www.ingridclayton.com/
Instagram and YouTube: @IngridClaytonPhD
Get a free copy of her PDF on the fawning response: https://www.ingridclayton.com/fawningtraumaresponse
Get a copy of Believing Me: https://www.ingridclayton.com/books
Order your copy of Fawning now: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/779579/fawning-by-dr-ingrid-clayton/
Connect with your host, Lisa:
Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/
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Produced by Espresso Podcast Production