People-pleasing in divorce, with Emma Reed Turrell
Wed Feb 04 2026
If you’ve ever found yourself saying yes when you want to say no or always putting everyone else first, this episode will help you understand why – and what it’s costing you. People-pleasing can feel like kindness, but during separation it often leads to burnout, resentment and decisions that don’t truly work for you.
Kate is joined by author and psychotherapist Emma Reed Turrell, who opens up about her own divorce for the first time and shares practical insights on how people-pleasing shows up in relationships and separation – and how to prevent it from affecting your wellbeing or practical outcomes.
In this episode, you will learn:
Emma Reed Turrell’s personal divorce storyWhat people-pleasing looks like in relationships and divorceThe difference between being kind and giving too muchWhy people-pleasing often leads to burnout during separationHow people-pleasing can affect your wellbeing and long-term outcomesSmall but meaningful ways to start setting boundaries without guiltThis episode is for anyone going through divorce who struggles to prioritise their own needs and feels responsible for keeping everyone else okay.
Meet Emma Reed Turrell
Emma Reed Turrell is an author, psychotherapist and clinical supervisor. After ten years working in business, she returned to her earlier passion for psychology and retrained as a psychotherapist.
Following the success of her debut book, Please Yourself: How to Stop People-Pleasing and Transform the Way You Live, Emma has written a second book, What Am I Missing? Discover the Four Blind Spots That are Holding You Back and How to Overcome Them. She co-hosted the popular podcast Best Friend Therapy with Elizabeth Day and hosts her own podcast, Dial Emma.
Get in touch with Emma
You can find out more about Emma on her website, learn more about people-pleasing in her book Please Yourself: How to Stop People-Pleasing and Transform the Way You Live or follow her on Instagram. Catch Emma and Kate talk openly and honestly about divorce on an episode on Dial Emma.
More divorce resources
Feeling ready to take practical steps forward?
Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert for guidance on the legal, financial or emotional aspects of separation.
Want ongoing support through separation?
Kate’s book amicable divorce is out in March and includes practical advice for navigating separation with kindness. Preorder on Amazon today.
Got a question for a future episode?
Share your thoughts at hello@amicable.co.uk or through direct messages on Instagram.
#EmotionalJourney
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If you’ve ever found yourself saying yes when you want to say no or always putting everyone else first, this episode will help you understand why – and what it’s costing you. People-pleasing can feel like kindness, but during separation it often leads to burnout, resentment and decisions that don’t truly work for you. Kate is joined by author and psychotherapist Emma Reed Turrell, who opens up about her own divorce for the first time and shares practical insights on how people-pleasing shows up in relationships and separation – and how to prevent it from affecting your wellbeing or practical outcomes. In this episode, you will learn: Emma Reed Turrell’s personal divorce storyWhat people-pleasing looks like in relationships and divorceThe difference between being kind and giving too muchWhy people-pleasing often leads to burnout during separationHow people-pleasing can affect your wellbeing and long-term outcomesSmall but meaningful ways to start setting boundaries without guiltThis episode is for anyone going through divorce who struggles to prioritise their own needs and feels responsible for keeping everyone else okay. Meet Emma Reed Turrell Emma Reed Turrell is an author, psychotherapist and clinical supervisor. After ten years working in business, she returned to her earlier passion for psychology and retrained as a psychotherapist. Following the success of her debut book, Please Yourself: How to Stop People-Pleasing and Transform the Way You Live, Emma has written a second book, What Am I Missing? Discover the Four Blind Spots That are Holding You Back and How to Overcome Them. She co-hosted the popular podcast Best Friend Therapy with Elizabeth Day and hosts her own podcast, Dial Emma. Get in touch with Emma You can find out more about Emma on her website, learn more about people-pleasing in her book Please Yourself: How to Stop People-Pleasing and Transform the Way You Live or follow her on Instagram. Catch Emma and Kate talk openly and honestly about divorce on an episode on Dial Emma. More divorce resources Feeling ready to take practical steps forward? Book a free 15-minute consultation with an amicable expert for guidance on the legal, financial or emotional aspects of separation. Want ongoing support through separation? Kate’s book amicable divorce is out in March and includes practical advice for navigating separation with kindness. Preorder on Amazon today. Got a question for a future episode? Share your thoughts at hello@amicable.co.uk or through direct messages on Instagram. #EmotionalJourney