The Nice Girl Syndrome

Stop Being Manipulated and Abused - and Start Standing Up for Yourself

By: Beverly Engel

Narrated by: Emily Durante

How women can overcome the pressure to please others and feel free to be their true selves

Are you too nice for your own good? Do family members manipulate you? Do coworkers take advantage of you? If this sounds familiar, listen to The Nice Girl Syndrome. In this breakthrough guide, renowned author and therapist Beverly Engel, who has helped thousands of women recognize and leave emotionally abusive relationships, can show you how to take control of your life and take care of yourself.

Engel explains that women today simply cannot afford to be Nice Girls, because women who are too nice send the message that they are easy targets and are much more likely to be victimized emotionally, physically, and sexually. She identifies the seven different types of Nice Girls and helps you understand which type or types might apply to you. Engel helps you determine whether the Nice Girl Syndrome is keeping you in an abusive relationship or in manipulative situations and helps you change Nice Girl beliefs and behaviors that are holding you back.

• Shows you how to confront the beliefs and behaviors that keep you stuck in a Nice Girl act as you replace them with healthier, more empowering ones
• Includes inspiring stories of women Engel has worked with who have found the courage and strength to stop taking abuse and start standing up for themselves

"This book will challenge, entertain, and empower its readers." (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

Written by renowned author and therapist Beverly Engel, who has helped thousands of women recognize and leave emotionally abusive relationships.

Filled with wise advice, powerful exercises, and practical prescriptions, The Nice Girl Syndrome shows you step by step how to take control of your life and be your own strong woman.

©2008 Beverly Engel (P)2012 Tantor Media

Great advice

Great advice, great narration, and useful info. This will help lots of women. Some things I don’t agree on. But it’s coming from a black American woman’s perspective, I’m not strong. But I understand the purpose of bringing up strength at the ending of this book.

Exactly what I was looking for!

This book was exactly what I was looking for! I am done being the nice girl and this book not only explains the nice girl syndrome but it tells you who to stand up for yourself and take your life back. Excellently read and written! A most read for anyone tired of always being taken advantage of, treated poorly or abused.

Now I Get It!

I thought of myself as a recovering people pleaser. While that too is true, NGS gives me a greater understanding of why some people don’t treat me with the same kindness, respect and love that I extend. I was raised to be a nice girl; it was my entire identity. I now realize that I was breaking my own heart by not standing up for myself, notably in a mean girl SIL relationship where I believed I needed to avoid conflict and accept her disrespect bc she didn’t do it in front of others. This book is geared toward NGS in the male-female dynamic and I would have liked more examples of the female friends or family member dynamic. I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to sharing this book with my teenage daughter!

Big eye opener for women

This book helped me understand how to stand up for myself and value myself more.

You NEED this book on your healing journey.

I loved this book so much! I’m currently trying to break out of this phase and conditioning of being too nice and this book was the kick in the teeth I needed. It is overwhelming at first, but it’s only because you have to unlearn all the lies and manipulation you were taught as a young girl about being nice and why it no longer serves you. I highly recommend.

Trigger warning for sexual assault survivors

Good book but descriptions of assault made me stop listening. thank you very very much