Therapist reveals five warning signs that a person is 'untrustworthy'

A mental health therapist has revealed the warning signs a person is untrustworthy that go beyond catching them in a lie.

Bernadette Purcell, 45, from New Jersey, is a licensed clinical social worker and author of the self-help book Divorced As F* In Seven Spiritual Steps. 

The content creator, who is known as @therapybern, has nearly 70,000 followers on TikTok, where she regularly shares mental health advice to promote personal growth. 

In one of her videos, she outlined the five components of untrustworthy people to watch out for in your relationships. 

Therapist Bernadette Purcell, 45, from New Jersey, outlined the five components of untrustworthy people to watch out for in your relationships

Purcell warned that you should be wary of someone who 'makes excuses for their actions' and refuses to take accountability (stock image)

Purcell first advised being wary of someone who 'makes excuses for their actions' and refuses to take accountability. 

She noted that an untrustworthy person will 'blame others for situations that they find themselves in.'

The therapist explained in a previous video that someone who doesn't take accountability 'sees everything as an attack' and will 'deflect to circumstances.' 

She gave an example of a friend going on the offensive after you calmly told them they had hurt your feelings. 

Purcell demonstrated how they would try to deflect and say something dismissive to undermine the other person's feelings. 

'Oh, you're so sensitive. Plus, that was like two days ago... You know how stressed I was that day,' she said, pretending to be the friend in question. 

The expert warned that an untrustworthy person will try to 'change or rewrite history to make themselves look better.'  

'Every situation just seems to put them in this amazing light,' she said.

Purcell explained that they will also 'change or rewrite history to make themselves look better' and use 'guilt or flattery to get what they want

Purcell added that they will also rely on manipulation and 'use guilt or flattery to get what they want.'

Finally, she pointed out that untrustworthy people 'lie a lot.'  

'That might seem obvious,' she said. 'But the part that's not obvious is that they find it very difficult to keep their promises.' 

Purcell shared in another clip that many people ask her how to know who to trust and when to trust, especially when they're coming out of a relationship. 

She quoted author Charlie Wardle, saying: 'A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch, but in her own wings. Always believe in yourself.' 

'When you place the focus on trusting yourself, the actions of others become a lot less important,' she explained. 

'Because the trust here is that no matter what comes your way, you trust yourself that you know you'll be able to handle it. 

'So focus on your own ability to fly and not on the branch.'