In this episode of Relational Practice: A Social Work Podcast, Dr. Jodie Park and Rose Mackey explore a strategy often mistaken for kindness or "being an easy person," but which actually carries a high psychological price tag: Appeasement.

We examine this issue through a multi-lens theoretical approach to promote deep sense-making for practitioners. By linking Attachment Theory, the Dynamic-Maturational Model (DMM), and Polyvagal Theory, we move beyond seeing appeasement as a personality trait and instead recognize it as a sophisticated neurobiological survival map used to manage unpredictable or dangerous environments.

In this discussion, we identify Appeasement as a core behavioural strategy utilized in distinct contexts:

• In Childhood Trauma: We explore how appeasement can be a survival strategy d ...