KNOW THE SIGNS

Clinical psychologist Dr Kirsten Keown shares the signs to look out for if you suspect someone is pulling your puppet strings. Manipulators will often:

• Leave you feeling confused or thinking you’re irrational or ‘crazy’

• Diminish your sense of agency and undermine your confidence

• Make you feel guilty about taking the course of action you really want

• Complain about you or compare you to other ‘ideal’ characters

• Lie, deny, minimise, or feign ignorance about their culpability

• Unfairly blame you or make you feel responsible for things

• Make you give up things that matter to you