Katie Ball, a therapist and mother of three, recounts her journey of overcoming a people-pleasing nature that stemmed from beliefs that she adopted as a young child. She describes an incident in her teens where she felt compelled to go on a date with a troubled boy from her church, despite her instincts telling her not to, out of fear of disappointing him or others. The date led to a traumatic experience that she now wishes she had the strength to avoid.
Katie’s path to healing involved recognizing her worth beyond pleasing others and learning to set healthy boundaries. She shares that her faith has been a significant source of strength and that she has found inspiration in the scriptures to advocate for herself, drawing parallels with Christ’s actions. She emphasizes the importance of self-love and self-advocacy, which do not contradict compassion and service to others.
Katie’s experiences have influenced her career in therapy, particularly in working with sexual assault victims, and have also shaped her approach to parenting. She aims to teach her children the value of expressing their emotions and knowing they are worthy of love and respect.
Eric and Katie discuss the challenges of balancing kindness with healthy boundaries and the societal pressures that can lead to people-pleasing behaviors. They explore the concept of self-worth and the idea that saying no can sometimes lead to greater opportunities to serve.
Tune in to “Hearing the Unheard Stories of Transformation” to hear Katie’s story and to learn more about setting boundaries.
