What Do You Stand For? People-Pleasing to Self-Discovery: Therapist Explains Character & Integrity

Are you truly living in alignment with your values, or do the expectations of others shape you?

How do you begin to define your own character when emotional immaturity and narcissism are at play in your relationships?

In this episode, we dive deep into what it means to build a sense of character and integrity—especially for those who may have spent years putting others’ needs above their own.

Through stories, reflection, and therapeutic insight, we’ll explore how a pathologically kind person can break free from people-pleasing patterns and begin to understand their true values and beliefs.

Discover how character is not only about the values you hold but also what you’re willing to tolerate or excuse in yourself and others. We’ll unpack David Schnarch’s Four Points of Balance to guide you in building a strong, flexible sense of self, showing how true integrity is about standing steady in your own identity, even when external pressures try to sway you.

Join us to learn how you can move beyond external validation, live from your core, and start showing up as your authentic self in all your relationships.

And please have a good day!

Chapters:

00:00 Intro: Hey everyone!
01:13 Riley Hope's Anthem
01:38 Evander's Story Begins
02:32 The Social Club Dilemma
04:02 Sam's Concerns & Evander's Changes
06:35 Tony's Personal Reflection
11:48 Understanding Integrity & Character
17:51 Tom & Jerry: A Case Study
29:10 Navigating Relationships with Integrity
34:53 Navigating Integrity & Character in Relationships
35:18 Challenges for the Pathologically Kind Person
37:47 Understanding Emotional Immaturity & Narcissism
46:12 Pat & Chris: Real-Life Scenarios
53:31 Breaking Free: Strategies for Pat
01:01:31 Constructing the Crucible for Personal Growth
01:08:46 Final Thoughts on Integrity & Self-Discovery