Find Your Voice. Trust Your Truth.

People Pleasing Therapy Can Help.

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If you're tired of feeling responsible for everyone else's happiness at the expense of your own, you're not alone. This endless cycle of people-pleasing isn't just exhausting—it's a form of self-abandonment that impacts every part of your life.

The truth is: People-pleasing isn't just a personality trait—it's a survival response you developed in childhood to stay 'safe' and connected when life felt unpredictable.

Your worthiness became tied to tending to others' happiness, and while this pattern served a purpose then, it's no longer serving you now.

Your people-pleasing patterns aren't your fault. Your need to please others isn't your fault. It's time to rewrite these patterns and reconnect to yourself! With the right support, you can learn to set boundaries, reclaim your voice, and finally learn to love and trust yourself.

If you’re ready to find freedom from people-pleasing, we can help!

Therapy for People-Pleasing in San Francisco, El Dorado Hill + Online

‘When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.’ – Paulo Coelho

  • Difficulty saying ‘no’ to others, even when overwhelmed

  • Taking responsibility for others' emotions and happiness

  • Constantly seeking validation or approval

  • Losing touch with what YOU actually want and need

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Signs + Symptoms of People Pleasing

  • Overthinking every interaction with others

  • Feeling guilty or anxious when setting boundaries

  • Struggling to make decisions without others' input

  • Avoiding conflict at all costs

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  • Fear of being seen as ‘selfish’ for taking care of yourself

  • Physical exhaustion from being ‘on’ all the time

  • Apologizing excessively for things that aren't your fault

  • Feeling resentful but unable to express it

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Common Types of People-Pleasing Patterns

Anxious People-Pleasing

When anxiety drives your people-pleasing, you might constantly scan for potential conflict or disapproval. You become hyper-vigilant about others' moods and needs, often anticipating and trying to prevent any possible discomfort or disappointment. This pattern can leave you feeling perpetually on edge and disconnected from your own inner compass.

Perfectionist People-Pleasing

This pattern shows up as an intense drive to be indispensable to others. You might pride yourself on being the one everyone can count on, but beneath the surface, there's often a deep fear that you're only worthy of love when you're useful. This can manifest as overworking, over-giving, and difficulty receiving support from others.

Conflict-Avoidant People-Pleasing

You've learned to maintain harmony at all costs, often silencing your own voice to avoid making waves of causing ‘drama’. This pattern typically develops in childhood when expressing needs or disagreement felt unsafe. While you may be skilled at mediating others' conflicts, your own needs and feelings often go unexpressed.

Self-Abandoning People-Pleasing

This pattern involves constantly shape-shifting to match others' energies and expectations. You might be highly attuned to what others want you to be, while losing touch with your authentic self. This adaptive strategy can make you successful in many situations but often leaves you feeling empty and unsure of who you really are.

Benefits of People-Pleasing Therapy

When you work with one of our therapists, we can help you:

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  • Identify and rewire the people-pleasing patterns that keep you stuck

  • Learn to trust and love yourself, independent of others' approval

  • Speak your truth without guilt or fear

  • Set boundaries that honor both yourself and your relationships

  • Reconnect with your authentic needs, wants, and desires

  • Build relationships based on mutual respect rather than obligation

  • Heal the root causes of your people-pleasing patterns

  • Develop a strong sense of self-worth that isn't tied to being ‘helpful’

  • Navigate conflict and difficult conversations with confidence

Types of Therapy for People-Pleasing

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    Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) for People-Pleasing


    Learn to understand and heal the parts of yourself that developed people-pleasing patterns. IFS helps you reconnect with your authentic Self and transform patterns of self-abandonment into self-sovereignty.

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    Somatic Therapy for People-Pleasing


    Address how people-pleasing manifests in your body and learn to recognize and honor your body's signals. Through gentle somatic practices, you'll develop a stronger sense of self and learn to stay grounded in your truth.

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    Depth Therapy for People-Pleasing


    Uncover the unconscious patterns and early experiences that shaped your people-pleasing tendencies. This deeper work helps you understand and transform these patterns at their root.

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    Holistic Therapy for People-Pleasing


    Integrate mind-body-spirit modalities to heal people-pleasing patterns on all levels. This approach combines evidence-based therapies such as CBT, DBT and ACT, with mindfulness and spiritual wisdom for integral healing.

People-pleasing therapy is an opportunity to understand and transform the deep patterns that keep you stuck in cycles of self-abandonment and self-sabotage. While sessions flow like traditional talk therapy, we weave in mindfulness practices, body-based awareness, and offer practical tools you can start using after your first session. Through gentle exploration and meaningful conversation, you'll discover why these patterns developed, how they show up in your life now, and most importantly, how to create new ways of relating to yourself and others that honor who you truly are, not who you were programmed to be.

What is People-Pleasing Therapy?

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Here at The Holistic Counseling Center, we believe true healing requires working with the mind, body, heart and spirit. Therapy for people-pleasing offers the opportunity to heal and transform unconscious patterns, so you can stop living in survival mode and finally start thriving.

When you work with one of our therapists, we’ll help you uncover and heal the root causes of your people-pleasing patterns, supporting deep transformation and renewed connection to your true self.

Our approach to people-pleasing therapy blends the best of Western psychotherapy techniques with the wisdom of depth psychology and mindfulness practices.

We integrate:

Our therapists are here to help you reconnect to your inner wisdom, transform old patterns that are keeping you stuck, and create lasting change in your life.

We are dedicated to creating a warm and supportive environment for this important work, whether you join us in person in El Dorado Hills (near Folsom and Sacramento), San Francisco, or work with us online.

People-Pleasing Therapy at The Holistic Counseling Center

Hi, I’m Kim Burris

Founder of The Holistic Counseling Center and A Licensed Holistic Therapist

I truly believe that healing the root cause of people-pleasing is not only possible, but necessary for creating an amazing life.

I founded The Holistic Counseling Center because I am passionate about helping people just like you understand and transform your people-pleasing patterns, so you can finally live from a place of genuine self-love and authentic connection.

I know how transformative therapy can be, and I'm dedicated to providing holistic therapy that honors both the depth of this work and the practical tools needed for lasting change.

Here at The Holistic Counseling Center, we offer people-pleasing therapy that honors the mind, body, and spirit connection. If you're ready to begin your journey of coming home to yourself, schedule a free consultation call to get started.

We'd be honored to support you on your healing journey!

Meet The Team

Therapists for People-Pleasing

Kim Burris

Founder, Licensed Therapist, LMFT

Anxiety, Postpartum Depression, Shadow Work, Existential Crisis + People-Pleasing

Dr. Anjali Connors

Licensed Therapist, LMFT

Anxiety, People-Pleasing, Trauma, Life Transitions, Psychedelic Integration + Spirituality

Perri Griffin

Licensed Therapist, LMFT

Anxiety, People-Pleasing, Shadow Work, Postpartum, Existential Crisis + Life Purpose

Associate Therapist, AMFT

Sinclair Mitchell

Anxiety, Trauma, People-Pleasing, Shadow Work, Spirituality, Moms, Teens, and Couples.

Tessa Wendell

Associate Therapist, AMFT

People-Pleasing, Self-Esteem, Anxiety, Trauma, Relationships, Moms, Teens and Couples.

Our Offices

We offer in-person therapy from our offices in San Francisco, El Dorado Hills, CA (near Folsom and Sacramento), and online counseling and coaching worldwide.

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What People are Saying

★★★★★ 

Clara is one of the most caring and supportive individuals I have met in this field. She brings a calming energy to any environment and has such a genuine and kind heart. Her clients are lucky to have her!

- Lillian, Folsom, CA

Ready to Work Together?

Here’s how to get started:

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Additional Resources

Are you longing to love yourself more?

Download this free guide:
12 Practices to Love Yourself More in Just 5 Minutes a Da
y

Dive Deeper: Articles for Holistic Healing

FAQ’s about Therapy for People-Pleasing

Make an Appointment With a Therapist for People-Pleasing Near You

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Curious about a holistic approach to healing your people-pleasing patterns and how our therapists can support you? Let’s chat!

Just click below to schedule your complimentary consultation call and our intake coordinator will reach out to discuss logistics and schedule your first appointment.

If you have any other questions feel free to send a message through this contact form and we’ll get back to you in the next 48 hours.