The Genius Life
487: Why Feeling "Seen and Heard" Can Save Your Relationship and Your Sanity | Caroline Fleck, PhD
07 May 2025
Dr. Caroline Fleck is a licensed clinical psychologist and executive coach, and the author of Validation, a powerful new book that teaches how to transform relationships and communication through the science of being seen, heard, and accepted.15 Daily Steps to Lose Weight and Prevent Disease PDF: https://bit.ly/46XTn8f - Get my FREE eBook now!Subscribe to The Genius Life on YouTube! - http://youtube.com/maxlugavereWatch my new documentary Little Empty Boxes - http://littleemptyboxes.comThis episode is proudly sponsored by:Experience the unparalleled flavor and health benefits of fresh, artisanal olive oils delivered right to your door with the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club—your first bottle for just $1 at OLIVEOILGENIUS.com.BiOptimizers makes a magnesium mega-supplement containing 7 forms of magnesium. They also make great digestive support aids. Head to bioptimizers.com/genius and use code GENIUS10 for 10% off.Manukora makes delicious, creamy, glyphosate-free Manuka honey that’s rich in MGO. Head to http://manukora.com/genius for $25 off a starter Kit, which comes with an MGO 850+ Manuka Honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook!Struggling with diet culture confusion? Fay connects you with a registered dietitian—often for $0 with insurance. To create a personalized, evidence-based plan that actually works, head to FayNutrition.com/GENIUS.
Full Episode
What up, team? It's episode 487 of The Genius Life. Let's go. The Genius Life. What up, everybody? I'm your host, Max Lugavere, and welcome back to The Genius Life, a show where we're not afraid to get deep, get real, and occasionally question our own lunch choices. Today, I'm joined by Dr. Caroline Fleck, a licensed clinical psychologist, executive coach, and author of the book Validation.
This conversation is all about how validation, in its truest form, can radically transform relationships, improve mental health, and build bridges across even the widest divides.
We unpack the difference between validation and agreement, how it's used in high stakes clinical therapy, why it's more powerful than love in some relationships, and how to use it as a tool, even in arguments about phones with your kids. A tough one, I know. But make sure you listen through to the end because that's when things take a raw and vulnerable turn.
We talk about depression, trauma, chronic disease, and even navigate the complicated ethics of meat consumption, cognitive dissonance, and animal welfare. It's one of the most open-hearted conversations I've had on the show. Don't forget to share this episode with someone you love, and if you haven't yet, leave a rating and review on your podcast app of choice. It really helps.
And hey, if you want more insights like this delivered straight to your inbox, plus bonus content and exclusive discounts on the products I use and love, join my free weekly newsletter at maxlugavere.com slash newsletter. It's no spam, just science, and it's loved by over 120,000 high performers. And now with all that out of the way, let's get into it with the wonderful Dr. Caroline Fleck.
Here we go. Dr. Caroline Fleck, welcome to the show. How are you doing?
I'm doing well. How are you?
I'm doing great. I'm excited to have you in.
I am excited to be here.
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