Have you ever said yes when every part of you wanted to say no? Maybe you agree to things just to avoid conflict. Maybe you prioritize everyone else’s needs and then end the day feeling depleted, resentful, or invisible. If this feels familiar, you may be experiencing the fawn response, a trauma survival pattern rooted in the nervous system. The fawn response is not simply “being nice.” It’s not a personality flaw, and it doesn’t mean you’re weak. It is often a deeply intelligent survival strategy your body learned in order to stay safe. As a psychologist specializing in trauma and nervous system...