“You can’t call it that.” Pedaling Dirty Words in 2025
When HR Loves Your Workshop… But Not the Words You Use Several months ago, when a call for guest speakers came up, this psychological safety consultant answered. As a long-tenured therapist, toxic workplace survivor, and Fearless Organization Certified Practitioner, I suggested a workshop on my signature topic: psychological safety. The HR person loved the idea, […]
Why Saying “We’re Like a Family” at Work Can Backfire
“We’re Like a Family” — What’s the Harm? A couple of weeks ago, I said something to a room full of filmmakers that I could tell broke a few brains. I told them they might want to think twice before saying, “We’re like a family here.” It’s something I say to leaders all the time, […]
A Therapist’s Insight: Employees & Manager Overwhelm
A Tough Love™️ Letter to Managers (and Their Leaders) A therapist’s note you might want to forward to your boss. Today, I’ve got another love letter for managers, but this one leans more into Tough Love™️. Maybe some of you will even pass it along to your company’s leadership, like a note from your therapist, […]
A Love Letter to Managers from a Work Stress/Burnout Therapist
I started this newsletter with tips on how individuals can define and protect their boundaries. I began there because boundaries are one of the few things we can control, and yes, even leaders have this need. Now that I have your attention, let’s talk about the broader system. I’m pivoting to some love letters for […]