Manipulation

Why:

Manipulation is when someone tries to control us, often in a sneaky or harmful way, to meet their needs. We can learn to recognize it so that we aren't trapped by it.

Warm-Up:

Can you think of a time when you were manipulated, or when you manipulated someone else? This could be as simple as trying to get a parent or caregiver to give you something.

Exploration:

People may try many ways to manipulate you, like with a guilt trip, a threat, a promised reward, or by comparing you to someone else. In each case, someone has a need but isn't saying it directly. Which forms have you experienced? How can you protect yourself if someone is trying to manipulate you? What about when you feel tempted to manipulate someone else to get what you want. Could you think of a time when that might happen? If you can figure out what your real need is, what would be a better way to meet that need?

Additional Resources:

Check out this Psych2Go video on YouTube, titled 7 Examples of Emotional Manipulation.