In this episode, we hear Sunny’s story—a therapist and military veteran who took her first civilian job at a civil commitment center for sexual offenders, hoping to grow as a clinician by working with a challenging population. Instead, she found herself in a toxic workplace filled with traumatic experiences, overwhelming demands, and unrealistic demands from leadership. From being forced to process her trauma in front of abusers to enduring severe burnout and a lack of support, Sunny’s journey reveals the emotional toll of working in such an environment. Ultimately, she shares how she found the strength to walk away, rebuild her confidence, and prioritize her well-being, offering valuable insights for anyone struggling in a toxic workplace.

Content Warning: This episode includes descriptions of sexual misconduct and other sensitive topics that may not be suitable for all listeners.

Buli, fresh out of college and living in the UK, joined the Kickstart scheme to find work. She was placed in a company where management cut corners, from skipping proper training to forging certificates, all while overworking their staff. Buli found herself burdened with an overwhelming workload, earning minimum wage for her efforts. As the company prioritized cost-cutting over care, Buli and her colleagues bore the brunt of the mismanagement. Her story highlights the red flags and shady practices that many employees encounter in poorly run workplaces. Ultimately, Buli’s resilience helped her rise above it all, finding strength and confidence through the struggle.

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Grace graduates with a Master’s degree with high hopes that she will pave a new career path in the tech world. She lands a position in Product with a well-known tech company and is excited about the possibilities. Soon after she is onboarded, she realizes her new manager is completely hands off, giving her zero direction and feedback. The low morale and cut-throat competition in her department makes it challenging for her to onboard and progress in her position. She’s left to fend for herself and feels like she’s in a sink or swim situation, where her manager is merely sitting back and watching, waiting for her to sink. However, she doesn’t give up and pushes through without any recognition. Grace realizes some hard learned truths about herself and what she’s truly searching for in her career.