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Who’s Pulling Your Strings?How to Break the Cycle of Manipulation and Regain Control of Your Lifeby Harriet B. Braiker, Ph.D.Have you ever felt as though someone is pulling your strings—making you do things you would rather not or stopping you from doing things you would prefer to continue?Have you tried to untangle the strings only to find that you become more entrapped with each futile struggle?Manipulation respects no relationship boundaries. It can invade your most intimate personal relationships with your spouse or lover. It can happen at work—with peers and nonpeers alike. Manipulative relationships occur in families, organizations, friendships, professional relationships, and even at churches, synagogues, mosques, or other places of worship.There are no age limitations or gender preferences. Men and women of all ages and sexual orientations can be manipulative and manipulated. And whenever life transitions—positive ornegative—take place with their inevitable stress, uncertainty, and anxiety, the red carpet is unfurled for manipulation.Ironically, manipulation takes particular hold in those relationships where you have the most to gain and/or the most to lose. These include your most significant bonds—your family,marriage, romantic partner, coworkers, friends, even yourmentors and advisors.If someone is pulling your strings, then this book is for you.If you are the victim—or former victim—of manipulation, you very likely feel confused, resentful, frustrated, helpless, stuck, and/or pretty angry. You are also likely to feel guilty, anxious, and depressed, especially if the manipulation has gone on for a long time.You probably want to know why and how you became ensnared in such a maddening no-win relationship so that it will not happen to you again. Most important, you want to know—you need to know—how to stop being manipulated.This book will answer your questions.1. An Overview of Manipulation2. Manipulation in Five Acts3. Are You Vulnerable to Manipulation?4. Your Buttons Are Showing5. Manipulators’ Motives6. Who Are the Manipulators in Your Life?7. How Manipulation Works8. What Are Your Hooks?9. The Mechanics of Manipulation10. Are You in a Manipulative Relationship?11. The Impact of Manipulation12. Resistance Tactics13. How to Make Yourself a Hardened Target14. Final Curtain on Manipulation in Five Acts