Am I Being Manipulative? Guilt Trips and Silent Treatment

About this episode

Am I being manipulative, or am I just expressing how I feel? Licensed therapist Kati Morton answers 10 questions about emotional manipulation, guilt-tripping, the silent treatment, and healthy communication in relationships. We cover whether crying in an argument is manipulative, manipulating without realizing it, boundaries vs. ultimatums, childhood communication patterns, reassurance seeking, why BPD doesn't automatically mean manipulative, taking space without shutting someone out, and how to apologize and repair. SPONSOR - Thank you to Hero Bread for sponsoring this episode! Hero Bread is offering 10% off your order. Go to https://www.hero.co/ and use code KATI at checkout Chapters: 00:00 Am I being manipulative? 01:02 What actually counts as manipulation? 08:06 Can manipulation happen without planning it? 16:21 Expressing hurt vs. guilt-tripping 24:06 Is crying during an argument manipulative? 29:24 Taking space vs. the silent treatment 32:31 Reassurance seeking and relationship anxiety 35:22 Am I repeating my parent's guilt-tripping patterns? 38:40 BPD, fear of abandonment, and manipulation 43:22 Healthy boundaries vs. controlling ultimatums 47:55 What if I rec