ONLINE SUPPORT FOR
TOXIC JOB SURVIVORS
Welcome to an anti-racist and LGBT-affirming recovery space by and for workplace abuse survivors. ​​​​​​
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Learn about workplace abuse, connect with people who understand workplace trauma, and access self-help resources to support your personal recovery journey.
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This is an informational, community-building website, not a therapeutic practice.
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If you are in crisis, please call the National Crisis Line by dialing 988.
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Release the grind.
Heal the mind.
OUR PURPOSE IS TO HELP YOU MOVE ONWARD AND UPWARD
Workplace abuse is common, yet stigma and silence keep survivors isolated.
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Separated and alone, we struggle to make sense of and heal from workplace trauma.
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When we share our stories we realize it was not our fault and that we are in good company.
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People targeted by workplace abuse tend to be ethical, hardworking, self-directed, and competent employees (Namie, 2021).
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In the United States:
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49% of workers experience or witness bullying (WBI, 2021)
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95% of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and Other People of Color) experience workplace racism (MLT, 2021)
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67.5% of LGBTQ+ workers endure anti-LGBTQ slurs and hate speech at work (Sears et al., 2021)​
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Stigma, ancestral racial trauma (e.g., slavery, colonization, forced migration), and early childhood trauma can complicate workplace abuse and recovery.
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Old traumas are often reactivated by workplace abuse, which can quickly overwhelm personal coping strategies and morph​ into self-doubt, anxiety, depression, and even suicidal crisis.
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If you need help finding a therapist or accessing crisis care, please access the Self-help Workplace Abuse Recovery Resource (click on or scan the QR Code) and save it to your phone. Pages 3 and 4 list emergency suicide prevention crisis care resources.
“Sometimes a breakdown can be the beginning of a kind of breakthrough, a way of living in advance through a trauma that prepares you for a future of radical transformation.”
― Cherrie Moraga
Self-help Workplace Abuse Recovery Resources
No matter what the workplace abuser said or how an institution failed to protect you, the abuse was not your fault and you need not suffer alone.
Connecting with other workplace abuse survivors can inspire pride in belonging to a group of gifted, compassionate, and honest leaders who are courageous and independent enough to resist exploitation, refuse to break laws, and have the integrity necessary to speak truth to power.
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In time, hope can emerge by reconnecting with the best parts of yourself and releasing shame (aka an abuser's misplaced blame).
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Many people feel alone, confused, and disoriented from workplace psychological manipulation like gas lighting, sabotaged work performance, and reputational smear campaigns (Yazeed, 2022, Harts, 2022 and Cox, 2024).
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Started by a trauma researcher, therapist, and workplace abuse survivor, Hostile Workplace Recovery combines scientific research and lived experience, to inspire hope through the body's natural healing potential, knowledge of employee rights, and communal nervous system co-regulation events involving art, digital storytelling, and music.
JOIN THIS PRIVATE SPACE TO LEARN HOW TO RECLAIM YOUR LIFE FROM WORKPLACE TRAUMA
Sign up below to receive announcements about Workplace Post Traumatic Growth Events and receive a complimentary copy of the "Daily Somatic Workplace Stress & Wellness Journal"
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MEET THE FOUNDER OF HOSTILE WORKPLACE RECOVERY
Heliana Ramirez, PhD, LISW is a clinical social worker and researcher specializing in racial and anti-LGBTQ workplace trauma. Her expertise includes healing from toxic workplaces, post-traumatic growth, workforce wellness, culturally responsive suicide prevention, Somatic Anti-Racist Trauma Therapy, LGBTQ+ Liberation, harm reduction, and Chicana Feminist Queer Theory. Her work addresses the impacts of racism, anti-LGBTQ bias, sexism, classism, stigma, and institutional betrayal on the physical and mental health of civilian workforces and military service members.
MISSION
To provide educational resources, liberatory events, and healing-centered community for hostile workplace survivors. Activities and resources center the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Non-binary (LGBTQ+) people.
VISION
Providing BIPOC and LGBTQ+ workers the tools to defend themselves in hostile workplaces. These tactics include strategic engagement of Human Resources Departments, leveraging anti-discrimination employment policies and law, identifying racelighting and institutional betrayal, and practicing culturally-informed somatic healing practices for physical and psychological wellness.
"Dr. Ramirez is a dynamic and impassioned speaker. She is brilliant yet humble. What a rare combination! AND, she's a social worker doing us all proud!"
- Anonymous Social Work Trainee Survey Response, August 31, 2023
"Dr. Ramirez' daily practice is being joyful when the days are hard and steadfast toward bold change when the path forward seems insurmountable...She has modeled how to bridge community through intense topics with hope and shared purpose. She has invited all around her to be just as bold in the celebration of who we are as individuals with the diversity of cultural experiences we bring."
- Ayanna McGee, MPH, MHA, March 4, 2023
"Upon meeting Dr. Ramirez, I was immediately struck by her warmth and welcoming presence even though it was only virtual! When our team talks about what trauma-informed work practices look like, we always hold her as our standard - no exaggeration. She definitely practices what she preaches and incorporates trauma-informed work processes beautifully. "
- Dr. Dani Soto, January 25, 2023
"My work with Heliana was incredibly supportive, useful, and motivating. She is a smart, caring advocate who looked out for my best interest, pointed out options I had overlooked, connected me to helpful resources and referrals, and was always available with a listening ear in the most stressful moments. I have moved into recovering from my toxic workplace with more grace, confidence, and hope thanks to Heliana"
-Sila P.,
September 8, 2023
TESTIMONIALS
MISSION
These services are offered as self-help resources and are not provided as medical advice, clinical therapy, or legal advice.
See our Accessibility Statement here.
CONTACT