People pleasing and obsessive-compulsive personality occur together far more than many might think. Some people put all their determination and perfectionism into making other people happy with the assumption that it will come back to them in love, support or affirmation. It often does not happen that way.
Compulsives and perfectionists often feel responsible for making sure that things don’t go wrong. We’re naturally more meticulous, future-oriented, and risk averse. And all of those tendencies serve a very important function in relationships. But we need to be smart about how we use these tendencies. Without flexibility, they hurt more than help.
Our North American culture has become obsessed with happiness and has made itself miserable in...
I often write about how essential it is for perfectionists and compulsives to let go...
Gaslighting. It’s become a popular term to describe what happens when one person tries to...
Should you tell your partner how to be a better person? I mean, doesn’t it...
In my last two posts I’ve been exploring how Rescuer, Victim and Persecutor roles affect...
As I wrote in my previous post about Karpman’s Triangle, three archetypal roles typically lead...
Look closely at any conflict with a critical partner, and you’ll usually see certain roles...
To paraphrase Clint Eastwood, a parent’s got to know their limitations. This is especially true...
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Healthy Compulsive Book
© 2025 · Gary Trosclair, The Healthy Compulsive Project