Ten Percent Happier
July 5, 2023

#617. How to Disentangle from Toxic People | Lindsay C. Gibson

Our relationships are the most important variable in our health and happiness, but they may also be the most difficult. This is especially true when those closest to us turn out to be emotionally immature people.

Lindsay C. Gibson is a clinical psychologist and bestselling author who specializes in helping people identify and deal with emotionally immature people, or EIP’s. Her first appearance on our show was one of our most popular episodes of 2022. Now she’s back to offer concrete strategies for handling the EIP’s in your life, wherever you may find them. Her new book is called Disentangling from Emotionally Immature People.

In this episode we talk about:

  • A primer on the cardinal characteristics of emotionally immature people (EIP’s), how to spot them, and why you might want to
  • What Lindsay means by “disentangling” from EIP’s, and how to do it
  • What often happens to your own sense of self when you’re in relationship (or even just in conversation) with an EIP 
  • How to interact with an EIP 
  • How to prevent brain scramble when you’re talking with someone who isn’t making any attempt to understand what you’re saying  
  • How she reacts when she comes across EIP’s in her everyday life
  • Whether it’s possible to have some immature characteristics without being an EIP
  • Handling your own emotionally immature tendencies  
  • Whether or not EIP’s can change
  • The limits of estrangement
  • Why she encourages “alternatives to forgiveness”

Where to find Lindsay C. Gibson online: 

Website: www.lindsaygibsonpsyd.com/

Book Mentioned:

Other Resources Mentioned:

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