#5 Belonging + Workplace Trauma

Mar 21

Listen to this episode on

In this episode, Dr. Mona speaks with guest Kristin Reddick, a clinical mental health counselor with over 14 years experience in the financial services industry before becoming a therapist.

To begin, Dr. Mona and Kristin share how they first met when Dr. Mona was teaching a graduate-level mental health counseling class and Kristin was one of the superstar students. Dr. Mona then invited Kristin to join her new group practice and that’s how Kristin started seeing clients as a mental health practitioner in training. Kristin quickly became an expert in workplace trauma through her background in the financial services industry, where she saw her colleagues experiencing workplace trauma. When she was in an employee resource group at her company, she noticed that many colleagues experienced microaggressions. Some employers can gaslight employees in making them seem like these demands are normal, when in reality the demands are too high. She believes a lot of these unrealistic expectations are rooted in our capitalistic society. Trauma in the workplace then became a labor of love for Kristin and she started to see more clients facing these challenges. Some clients may come to her with concerns like depression and anxiety, without realizing they were in a toxic work environment and had even internalized it, thinking there was something wrong with them. She enjoys seeing the a-ha moment for them when they realize it’s not them – it’s their workplace.

Next, they discuss how violence can show up in many forms at work whether through getting passed up on a promotion, not getting a bonus, etc. Kristin reminds the listeners that you can face judgment and violence, not just through your leaders, but from colleagues, too. Dr. Mona points out the idea that there is a top-down hierarchy which speaks to the power dynamics in itself. With power comes responsibility, and when you have leadership who is irresponsible with their power, they now have the ability to create harm.

To vet out future employers, Kristin says the interview process is both them interviewing you and you interviewing them to make sure it’s a good match. She encourages people to ask the question, “Why is this position vacant?” to examine the dynamics of the team, such as whether they chose to leave and why, whether they were let go, whether it is a new position, etc. She also suggests researching the employer on Glassdoor to find behind-the-scenes information about the employer and how the employees truly feel. One can also conduct informational interviews with people already on the team and ask around the field. There are certain careers that lean more into a toxic work environment. Fast-paced and high stress work environments can more easily become toxic than slower-paced work environments. Another great question to ask is, “What does success look like in this role?” This question can help jobseekers find out what the expectations are and whether or not they are realistic.

In addition, Dr. Mona and Kristin talk about workplace trauma among historically marginalized folx. As a Black woman, Kristin was taught at an early age that you have to excel and be twice as good to be successful, because white counterparts are already in that door. There is a hypervigilance because you don't get to make the same mistakes as your white counterparts, and that can lead to all sorts of mental health challenges. Kristin tells a story of how she lost her identity at work. She used to wear only black or blue suits, even on weekends, because that was how everyone dressed at her workplace. But her friend challenged her by saying that wasn’t her, which made her realize she didn’t have to assimilate to this work culture of dullness. She can still be vibrant and have a personality while working there. That was her abandoning herself for a moment in order to fit in, to see career growth, and to progress within that company. However, fitting in means assimilating while belonging means showing up as you truly are. Kristin suggests another way people can vet out workplace values is look at their leadership team to see if that is an environment that reflects you as a person.

To heal from trauma in the workplace, Kristin says people need to find a safe space to share their story and to realize the emotions behind them. You need to acknowledge where you are and that your experiences are real. Sometimes it may also mean moving into a different environment and identifying what is and what isn’t in your control.

Finally, Kristin tells a story where she wore pink lipstick at work and an older, Black woman in HR approached her saying she shouldn’t wear that lipstick there. Dr. Mona reminds the listeners that you do not have to be white to be rooted in whiteness. All of us are impacted by these systems and have internalized those messages at some point. We have decided what is good or bad based on society’s ideas and not our own. When we’re told otherwise and don't meet up to those expectations, this can create a traumatic experience for us because we’re held to high values that are not our own. Dr. Mona suggests asking employers how they currently operationalize diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace to vet out the workplace culture. Any employer who is actually walking the talk will be delighted about answering that question.

In closing, Kristin shares that to her, belonging means being connected within and to others. Dr. Mona ends the episode by pointing out that belonging also means letting the world adapt to you instead of your always adapting to the world because you are worth it.

*****

1:12 - Dr. Mona introduces today’s guest, Kristin Reddick

3:57 - How did you become an expert in workplace trauma?

9:22 - Violence can show up in many forms

11:18 - How can people vet out future employers?

13:52 - Black women experiencing work trauma

16:23 - Isolation and anxiety in the workplace

19:10 - Internalizing the oppressive system

22:06 - How does somebody heal from workplace trauma?

33:04 - What does belonging mean to you?

*****

Learn more about Kristin Reddick