# How to Handle Difficult People: 7 Psychological Tricks to Read Anyone, Spot a Liar & Stay in Control

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-mel-robbins-podcast-5698881/how-to-handle-difficult-people-7-psychological-tricks-to-read-anyone-spot-a-liar-stay-in-control
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-mel-robbins-podcast-5698881/how-to-handle-difficult-people-7-psychological-tricks-to-read-anyone-spot-a-liar-stay-in-control.md
Podcast: [The Mel Robbins Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-mel-robbins-podcast-5698881)
Published: 2026-06-01T04:05:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-400
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/stitcher.simplecastaudio.com/b9de9f5f-6dab-4833-b4c2-05f1d28dd998/episodes/36df3bed-b5fb-4676-9d4b-4c92cd4db51a/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=b9de9f5f-6dab-4833-b4c2-05f1d28dd998&awEpisodeId=36df3bed-b5fb-4676-9d4b-4c92cd4db51a&feed=UCwaTX1J
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-mel-robbins-podcast-5698881/episodes/how-to-handle-difficult-people-7-psychological-tricks-to-read-anyone-spot-a-liar-stay-in-control
Duration seconds: 4812

## Resource

In today’s episode, a former secret service agent shares exactly how to read body language, handle difficult people, and know when someone is lying. You’ll also learn psychological tricks to spot manipulation, master your emotions, gain respect, and get what you want without being pulled into other people’s drama. Today, Mel is bringing back one of the most tactical and empowering conversations ever on The Mel Robbins Podcast, with a brand new introduction and new insights for right now. Her guest is Evy Poumpouras, a former secret service agent who has protected 5 former U.S presidents. She is a “human lie detector” who has been specially trained in the art of lie detection, human behavior, and cognitive influence. And today, she is giving you a masterclass of all of her best secrets from over 3 decades of training and experience. Evy’s extensive and decorated career includes operating undercover, complex criminal investigations, and working as an interrogator for the Secret Service’s elite polygraph unit. And in this special episode, she’s here to arm you with information, tools, and strategies so you can read people more clearly, communicate with confidence, and know what to do next. In this episode, you’ll learn: -How to read someone in the first few minutes -How to stay in control when someone is trying to bait you -The body language cue that shows someone wants out of a conversation -Why eye contact is not the lie detector people think it is -How to spot when someone’s words and actions don’t match -How to stay grounded when someone is trying to pull you into their chaos -Why the most manipulative people in your life may be the ones closest to you People are always showing you who they are. This episode teaches you how to stop missing it. For more resources relat…

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## Transcript

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