VALIDATION

While relationship and self-help books based on behaviorism are generally sound in their science, most are woefully incomplete. Rehashing behavioral principles from over 70 years ago, these books fail to incorporate the more recent and groundbreaking research on validationaffirmation that one understands and accepts another person's experience as valid.

Indeed, the discovery that validation is a catalyst for change is perhaps the greatest secret in modern psychology. This book explains how the validation skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that revolutionized psychology can help anyone decrease conflict, strengthen relationships, and drive specific behavioral changes. DBT's validation skills were designed to help therapists communicate acceptance. By placing equal emphasis on change and acceptance, DBT succeeded in treating disorders that had long been considered incurable and affecting behavior in ways no one thought possible.

VALIDATION reveals the skills that DBT therapists use to communicate acceptance and how they can be adapted to help everyday people achieve meaningful changes. In the end, this book is not about getting what we want; it's about the possibilities that unfold when we see people for who they are.

Dr. Caroline Fleck is a licensed psychologist, Adjunct Clinical Instructor at Stanford University, and consultant. She received her doctorate in Psychology & Neuroscience from Duke University and holds a B.A. in English and Psychology from the University of Michigan. Dr. Fleck is an expert in evidence-based treatments for individuals, couples, and parents, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She is renowned for her ability to help people make critical but challenging changes and is one of Silicon Valley's most sought-after psychotherapists. A respected voice in psychology, Dr. Fleck has been featured in The New York Times, ABC News, The Huffington Post, and other online and print outlets, as well as Good Morning America and NPR. She is an active public speaker on the topics of validation, relationships, and behaviorism.