One practical guide · PDF workbook
Don’t Be Played
A Psychologist’s Guide to Recognizing Manipulation, Verifying Claims, and Protecting Your Decisions
Verify first. Let trust follow evidence. Act with integrity.
By Dr. Mark R. Dell, Psy.D. · New Jersey licensed psychologist
19 pages · PDF delivered by email after payment · Secure Stripe checkout
A structured educational guide for consequential decisions in relationships, at work, and with money.
Strategic assertiveness, guided by ethics
Learn what to look for, verify claims before consequential commitments, preserve options, and state limits precisely. Understand incentives while staying accurate, fair, and responsible for your methods. Read the approach.
Is this guide for you?
Use it when a consequential request leaves you uncertain: a partner pressures you to commit, a workplace account conflicts with your records, or a financial decision is rushed. The framework helps you organize what you know and what still needs verification.
What the workbook includes
- Warning signs to examine and conduct that supports trust.
- Fictional relationship, workplace, and financial examples.
- Deliberate timing, relevant disclosure, and realistic alternatives.
- Questions for distinguishing observations, reports, and interpretations.
- Boundary statements to adapt where appropriate and safe.
- An event-and-evidence log, decision worksheet, and reassessment prompts.
- Sources and clear limitations.
Start with something useful
Read the free preview or use the decision worksheet before deciding whether the full workbook suits your needs.
The full guide
The 19-page workbook expands these tools into worked examples and printable documentation prompts. It provides educational structure, not a diagnosis, danger score, or guarantee of protection.
Purchase Don’t Be Played — $19 →Secure payment through Stripe. Your PDF workbook is delivered by email after payment. Check your email address at checkout. Purchaser terms.
Questions before buying
Will this tell me whether someone is Machiavellian?
No. It focuses on observable behavior and decisions, and does not diagnose or score another person.
Can I try the approach first?
Yes. The preview and decision worksheet are free and require no account.
Is this a substitute for professional help?
No. Threats, abuse, legal disputes, and significant financial decisions can require individualized support.
Questions about delivery?
Use the email address you want the workbook sent to at checkout. For a delivery question, contact the Institute with your purchase email and approximate purchase date. Do not send card details or confidential health information.