303: How Validation Transforms Our Relationships, Lives, and Influence
Release Date: 03/06/2025
306: How to Turn LinkedIn Into Your #1 Business and Career Growth Tool
Finding Brave
If you still think of LinkedIn as nothing more than a job site or somewhere you go to upload your online resume, now is the time to update and expand your approach! Today on the show, we welcome LinkedIn insider for a deep dive into the evolution of LinkedIn and why we should all be using it as a human connection tool and a pathway to opportunity at scale. Having spent nearly a decade at LinkedIn, Jon is an expert in how to leverage the true power of the platform. He is the founder and CEO of , where he works with global companies and executive leaders on their LinkedIn strategy, helping...
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305: When Money Feels Dangerous: Healing Your Survival Response to Wealth
Finding Brave
The moment you choose to change your relationship to money is the moment you change every single generation ahead of you. In this episode of Finding Brave, top financial wellbeing speaker, multi-award-winning Financial Coach, and international author joins us to talk about a vitally important topic: when money feels dangerous and how to heal our survival response to wealth. A Financial Wellbeing Speaker, multi-award-winning Financial Coach, and international author of the bestselling book y, Catherine presents a trauma-informed psychological approach to money. As the founder of The Money...
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304: Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Conflict without Giving Up or Giving In
Finding Brave
Conflict is a part of life, whether it’s in our relationships, workplaces, or even global politics, yet many of us either shy away from it or escalate it, leading to stress, resentment, and division. Today on Finding Brave, behavioral neurologist joins us to discuss how we can navigate disagreement with confidence and resilience—and even turn it into a powerful tool for building stronger connections. Dr. Salinas is a Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the co-author with Robert C. Bordone, of . In this fascinating book, Joel and Robert blend...
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303: How Validation Transforms Our Relationships, Lives, and Influence
Finding Brave
What if the key to better relationships, deeper influence, and personal growth wasn’t about fixing problems, but about acknowledging and accepting others? Today on Finding Brave, we sit down with , a licensed psychologist, corporate consultant, and adjunct clinical instructor at Stanford University, to explore the transformative power of validation. Dr. Fleck is a recognized expert in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), specializing in working with high-conflict individuals and organizations. Her insights on psychology and human behavior have been featured in major outlets such as The New...
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302: Authoring Your Money Story - It's More Intuitive Than You Realize
Finding Brave
Many people feel stuck in their current financial situation, believing that wealth and stability are out of reach. But what if the key to financial success isn’t about making drastic changes overnight but rather small, intentional shifts in mindset and habits? Today’s guest, , has spent 24 years helping people take control of their money and their lives. A five-time Investopedia Top 100 Financial Advisor, he is the author of and a champion of financial empowerment. As President of , Founder of , and host of the and , George shares powerful insights empowering others to build lasting...
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301: Justice, Love and Facilitating Organizational Healing
Finding Brave
What does it take to create lasting change in an organization that is rooted in dignity, justice, and care? Too often, leadership and consulting focus on quick fixes instead of investing in deeper and necessary cultural shifts. Today, we explore how organizations can foster true transformation by embracing a more holistic approach and prioritizing what truly matters. Our guest, , is a mission-driven consultant and author of the new book . With over 25 years of experience, she helps social justice organizations repair harm, strengthen leadership, and align with their values. Drawing from a...
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300: Celebrating 300 Episodes of Finding Brave
Finding Brave
Hey, friends! 🎉 I’m thrilled to share an exciting milestone—today, my podcast Finding Brave celebrates its 300th episode! This podcast journey since we launched in 2018 has been nothing short of incredible, and I’m so grateful for all your help in making this podcasting journey so meaningful. I’m honored that, with 574+K downloads, Finding Brave is ranked in the Top 100 Apple Career Podcasts and is in the top 1.5% of over 3.5 million podcasts globally. It’s also an award-winning program, featured on several important lists, such as . I couldn’t be prouder of these...
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299: 5 Ways Your Lack of Confidence Is Hurting You, with Kathy Caprino
Finding Brave
Thank you for listening to our Finding Brave show, ranked in the Top 100 Apple Career Podcasts! “You have a lot of knowledge and expertise, but if you continually doubt the strength of your opinions, or the importance of sharing your ideas, you are going to lose the ability to shape where your career is going.” – Kathy Caprino Confidence is key as you step into being the most powerful version of you, and this is something I feel compelled to talk about given my particular lens as a former corporate VP, therapist (focused on systems and communication), researcher, and now in...
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298: Using a “Flux” Mindset To Better Navigate The Future, with April Rinne
Finding Brave
Thank you for listening to our Finding Brave show, ranked in the Top 100 Apple Career Podcasts! Please note: This is an updated “Holiday Selection” re-release of Episode #193. “If the pace of change is ever faster, ever faster, ever faster, and we already feel like we don’t have enough time to keep up or we are overwhelmed or we’re not able to show up fully, then we need a big reset because the future does not play out well if we continue to buy into not just what society says, but also what this pace of change is doing.” – April Rinne With the amount of change happening daily in...
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297: How To Begin Doing Something That Matters
Finding Brave
Thank you for listening to our Finding Brave show, ranked in the Top 100 Apple Career Podcasts! Please note: This is an updated “Holiday Selection” re-release of Episode #210. “Sit with the idea of what it would mean for you to take on a worthy goal, become the best version of yourself, and unlock your greatness by taking on the hard things. I’m asking not just for you, but I’m asking for me and my world, because it’s a chance for all of us to live a better life.” – Michael Bungay Stanier I’m very excited to share my “Holiday Selection” re-release of one of our most...
info_outlineWhat if the key to better relationships, deeper influence, and personal growth wasn’t about fixing problems, but about acknowledging and accepting others? Today on Finding Brave, we sit down with Dr. Caroline Fleck, a licensed psychologist, corporate consultant, and adjunct clinical instructor at Stanford University, to explore the transformative power of validation.
Dr. Fleck is a recognized expert in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), specializing in working with high-conflict individuals and organizations. Her insights on psychology and human behavior have been featured in major outlets such as The New York Times, Good Morning America, and The Huffington Post. Her new book, Validation: How the Skill Set That Revolutionized Psychology Will Transform Your Relationships, Increase Your Influence, and Change Your Life, challenges conventional communication habits and offers practical tools for fostering meaningful and productive connections.
In this episode, Dr. Fleck breaks down why validation is often misunderstood and why it’s a crucial skill for improving our personal and professional relationships. She shares how it differs from agreement, fosters emotional safety, and can lead to real behavior change. Using real-life examples, she demonstrates how validation can be a game-changer in parenting, leadership, and even high-stakes corporate environments.
We also explore the science behind validation and discover how mindfulness, understanding, and empathy form the foundation of meaningful human interaction. Tuning in, you’ll learn about the eight levels of validation, common mistakes people make when trying to be supportive, and simple shifts in communication that can dramatically improve trust and influence. Whether you're tackling workplace challenges, parenting struggles, or relationship conflicts, this episode is packed with powerful, real-world strategies you can start using today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- [04:19] Why validation is not about agreement but acknowledging another’s experience
- [12:10] Acceptance as a powerful tool for change, especially in high-conflict situations.
- [14:00] Powerful validation skills that aren’t commonly taught (but should be).
- [16:36] Three key elements of validation: presence, understanding, and care.
- [22:10] How validation helped Dr. Fleck reconnect with her daughter after cancer treatment.
- [26:23] Making change easier by helping people accept their emotions as valid.
- [29:48] A CEO’s success story using validation to navigate workplace conflict.
- [36:37] Reasons that problem-solving often backfires when loved ones just want to be heard.
- [41:15] How validation fosters emotional safety and encourages open communication.
For More Information:
Dr. Fleck’s new book Validation
Dr. Caroline Fleck on LinkedIn
Dr. Caroline Fleck on Instagram
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Quotes:
“Validation must be authentic. If it is not, then you're not validating the other person.” — Dr. Caroline Fleck [0:14:58]
“The first thing you need is mindfulness. You need to be – paying attention non-judgmentally. Through that process, you will – start to understand some part of that person's experience, be it their thoughts, emotions, or behavior.” — Dr. Caroline Fleck [0:16:02]
“Part of the reason [validation] is so transformative for folks, especially folks who have big emotions, is that it – makes it easier to work on change because you're able to accept that your emotions are valid.” — Dr. Caroline Fleck [0:28:03]
“Acceptance is a pathway to change.” — Dr. Caroline Fleck [0:30:46]
“If you open with what's valid and if you see some part of the other person, they're going to be much more open and receptive to collaborating [and] working with you.” — Dr. Caroline Fleck [0:34:04]
“Two-thirds of the time, when we go to people with our problems, we just want to be heard, see that they're valid, and [be] taken seriously.” — Dr. Caroline Fleck [0:40:58]
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