A feeling you may know

You may be the person people describe as thoughtful, dependable, easy to talk to, or “very adjusting.”

And sometimes, you may also be:

  • saying yes before you have checked in with yourself
  • feeling responsible for other people’s moods
  • rehearsing messages, apologies, and explanations in your head
  • finding it difficult to identify what you want
  • feeling guilty after making a request, or a boundary
  • tired of being the person who keeps everything smooth

This group is a space to look at that pattern with curiosity, without shaming yourself for any of it.

Beyond People‑Pleasing

A 4-week reflective group for adults who are tired of saying yes too quickly, carrying everyone’s needs, over-explaining their own comfort, and feeling guilty for wanting something different.

Here, we make room to understand the people-pleasing pattern, and start to make space for what matters to ourselves.

What this group offers

Beyond People-Pleasing is a four-session art-based reflective group facilitated by Divya Batra Masiwal, an Art Therapist.

Through gentle art-based activities, writing, guided reflection, brief psychoeducation, and practical experiments, participants will explore:

  • How people-pleasing shows up in everyday life
  • What the pattern may be trying to protect
  • The emotional and relational costs of always adjusting
  • Personal preferences, values, and needs
  • Ways to pause, communicate, and stay connected to yourself when guilt shows up

You do not need to be artistic. You may draw, write, use symbols, make a list, or simply reflect. Sharing is always optional.

What we’ll explore: explore the pattern through guided creative exercises; understand the pattern with more curiosity and compassion, and what it might be trying to protect; practise small, doable ways to make more space for yourself; move towards choices that feel more aligned with what matters to you.

The four sessions

  1. 1

    Sat 24 Oct

    Meeting the pattern

    Recognising people-pleasing and understanding what it tries to protect.

  2. 2

    Sat 31 Oct

    What it costs

    Noticing energy, space, and emotional needs that get overlooked.

  3. 3

    Sat 14 Nov

    What matters to me

    Reconnecting with preferences, values, and a more personal compass.

  4. 4

    Sat 21 Nov

    Staying with myself

    Creating a practical self-support toolkit and rehearsing real-life situations.

Who it may suit

This group may be a good fit if you:

  • are about 28–45 years old
  • recognise long-standing patterns of over-accommodation or guilt around needs
  • are looking for a structured space for reflection and learning about people-pleasing
  • are able to participate from a private space
  • are open to activities and exercises, whether or not you consider yourself “creative”
  • are currently stable enough to participate in a small online group

What it is not

This group is not:

  • individual therapy
  • crisis support
  • intensive trauma processing
  • an art class
  • a space where you need to disclose everything to benefit

If you are currently in acute distress or need more personalised therapeutic support, individual therapy or another specialised service may be a better first step. Book an individual session.

Divya Batra Masiwal, art therapist and facilitator of Beyond People-Pleasing

Facilitator

Divya Batra Masiwal is a certified Art Therapy Practitioner and Psychologist, who facilitates reflective and psychoeducative spaces around anxiety, self-worth, emotional wellbeing, and relationships.

“I have an MA in Clinical Psychology and over 11 years of experience across education, mentoring and mental health. Through Artfelt Therapy, I use conversations and creative activities to help people make sense of what they’re going through. My approach is gentle and curious, creating space to explore our patterns without judging ourselves for them. I believe that sometimes, change begins with simply noticing things a little differently.”

— Divya Batra Masiwal

More about Divya

Practical details

Dates
Saturdays — 24th & 31st October; 14th & 21st November
Time
12pm to 1:30pm IST
Format
Online via Zoom
Group size
5–10 participants
Fee
₹2,499 for all four sessions
Registration
A brief interest form and a fit conversation are required before enrolment
Recordings
Sessions will not be recorded, to protect privacy

₹2,499

for all four sessions

Starts Saturday, 24 October

Beyond People-Pleasing poster: a person juggling faces that show different moods. Always saying yes. Often wishing you hadn’t. An art-based reflective group for adults who are tired of always adjusting. 4 sessions over 5 weeks, starting 24 October.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be good at art?

No. The creative exercises are ways of noticing and reflecting, not tests of artistic skill. Writing, lists, symbols, collage, and verbal reflection are equally welcome.

Do I have to share personal things?

You can, but you don’t have to. You are always welcome to pass. The group is designed so that listening and private reflection can also be meaningful forms of participation.

Is this therapy?

It is a psychoeducative reflective group with therapeutic elements. It is not a replacement for individual therapy, psychiatric care, or crisis support.

What if I am already in therapy?

You may still be a good fit. The group can complement ongoing therapy; participants are encouraged to let their individual therapist know if they choose to join.

Can I join if I miss one session?

Please aim to attend all four sessions, as the group is designed as a sequence. Missing one session may be manageable; recordings will not be available because confidentiality matters.

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