Why Am I Afraid to Tell You Who I Am? Insights into Personal Growth (featured in Melody Beattie book Codependent No More)

John Powell applies his valuable insights into self-awareness and interpersonal communication to help us develop self-esteem and improve our relationships with others. We all fear rejection. We are afraid that people will not like us if they know what we are really like, so we often assume poses to avoid being honest with them and with ourselves. Powell identifies five levels of communication and suggests that the kinds of information we disclose determine the level or depth of our relationships. Only when we face our fears openly and honestly can we learn to like ourselves and trust that others will accept us as we really are.