Workplace bullying and mobbing are forms of psychological abuse. They create toxic work cultures and dehumanize us by violating our inherent human right to dignity.
Gossip and lies. Exclusion. Job and career sabotage. Intimidating, threatening, and demeaning behaviors.
For toxic managers, co-workers, and employers, it's all about reinforcing power structures by supporting false narratives against us and then avoiding employer liability — even when our employers claim to value safe workplaces.
But abuse is never ok.
What's even worse: while you may feel isolated, millions of others experience this abuse of power. It's an epidemic, which also makes it a public health threat.
Why? Because it's often a symptom of stereotyping and implicit bias. It has a discriminatory impact on women, Black workers. Hispanic workers, workers in the LGBTQ+ community, workers over 40, and workers with disabilities. Anti-discrimination law stopped working since the ‘80s when courts moved from focusing on impact to intent, a high threshold that makes the law an epic failure.
The employer say it's ok when they join in through more abuse or negligence in fixing the problem. When the government says this issue isn't important enough to regulate it like they do physical safety, it's yet another layer of betrayal.
We deserve to feel seen, heard, and valued. We deserve job control and a sense of belonging.
But workplace abuse pushes up against our need to feel human and robs us of our personhood.
We feel stuck in the trauma when we simply want to move forward.
Meanwhile, the more you try to fix it, the worse it gets. You’re sick to your stomach and stressed out. You’re consumed with:
You focus on how on earth you’ll muster the energy to get up tomorrow to go to dodge the landmines. You spend every minute of your commute into work DREADING dealing with the abuser and the co-workers who believe them. You hold back tears. You feel nauseous.
Forget trying to grow in your career. Forget having a plan. You’re just trying to make it through the day.
You can’t stop ruminating about the “what ifs,” blaming yourself for what happened and feeling angry about everything you lost.
Meanwhile, the more you try to fix it, the more you feel frustrated with yourself for not conquering the pain. You’re consumed with:
You wonder how you’ll get the confidence to look for another job, interview, and avoid another nightmare work situation. You need some kind of break — anything — but the pain lingers.
And all of THAT means embracing YOU: feeling seen, knowing you matter, embracing the fun, and living life on YOUR terms.
I’m talking giving life a big HECK YES. (Laughing again, here you come.)
The goal is to take a big step to understanding how to now define yourself according to YOUR values.
It’s time to make it happen so you can move forward and become the CEO of Your Life.
Abuse at work is isolating and harmful to our well-being.
But we can detach from it and heal when we connect with those who get it.
No more explaining, justifying, and struggling to feel heard.
As a work healing coach and certified life coach, I will help you explore your emotions, clarify your values, weigh your options, reduce stress, set boundaries, work through fears, determine your next steps, create a plan for re-defining your life, and help you live your best life.
Workplace stress is the FIFTH leading cause of death in the U.S.. To help you cope with the stress of workplace abuse, connect with other targets who get it to better understand the playbook so you can detach from the abuser and employer's incompetence and move forward.
Targets report feeling energized and relieved after my Re-Define events. Connect and learn in virtual and in-person summits and weekend-long retreats so you can better understand the workplace abuse playbook, detach from it, and know there's hope in the aftermath.
"If you're experiencing, have experienced, or just want to learn more about workplace abuse, this is the course to take. The online modules will walk you through the experience of workplace abuse, explaining why it happens, options for best ways to handle it, and how to take care of yourself in the process. The information provided is insightful, full of resources, and easy to understand. Another benefit to this unique program are the live chats. The ability to share your thoughts and discuss the program was one of my favorite parts."
"The course gave me effective solutions that I wished that I knew about when I was going through my workplace bullying experience. I would’ve made different choices."
"I have studied this phenomenon for over a year, and this course added so much more to my knowledge base. I highly recommend this course to anyone working in an organization. My only wish is that I would have taken the class sooner. Deb is a true expert in this field and in her, you will find a safe and welcoming place to TAKE BACK YOUR POWER!"
"I love, LOVE this course!"
"My biggest take away was knowing that I'm not alone in this horrible experience with an unhealthy workplace. Unhealthy environments are ruining lives and increasing suicide."
I believe all employees deserve dignity and respect at work for well-being. I help employees define themselves according to their own values and teach their employers how to get results by focusing on employees' power.
I built a base of more than 10,000 workplace anti-bullying legislation supporters. I've helped hundreds of abused employees understand their abuse situations, discover their self-worth, and learn how to move on from their toxic work cultures. I've been quoted in numerous media outlets including Redbook, Forbes, Monster, and Truthout.
I host the "Screw the Hierarchy" podcast, founded End Workplace Abuse, and co-authored the Workplace Psychological Safety Act.
Email me at [email protected].
Here's to defining ourselves on our own terms.
— Deb Falzoi
Catch popular episodes.
50% Complete
Subscribe to our blog to learn more about
how workplace bullying works and how to deal with it.