Always the strong one, the fixer, the emotional support friend? You may be overfunctioning in your relationships. Learn the psychodynamic roots of this pattern and how therapy can help you build mutual, supportive connections where you don’t have to carry it all alone.

People-pleasing and self-sacrifice may look similar, but they come from different roots—both shaped by trauma, family systems, and cultural expectations. While these behaviors once protected us from rejection or abandonment, they often keep us stuck in cycles of guilt and overgiving. Learn how to pause before saying “yes,” build distress tolerance, and practice self-compassion so you can choose yourself without fear.