Recovery from workplace bullying is a process and a journey. It is important to remember that no one deserves to be bullied. Recovery can take time, so it is essential to be patient with yourself as you go through this process. A counsellor can help you work through your experiences of being bullied at work and learn ways of dealing with them in the future.
Recovery is a process and a journey.
Recovery is a process and a journey. Recovery is not an overnight fix, a quick fix or a magic wand that can be waved over your work situation to improve everything. Recovery will not necessarily cure you of the emotional and physical effects of workplace bullying. Still, it can give you tools to help manage those effects until they diminish on their own. An excellent place to begin your recovery from workplace bullying is by deciding which type of support system works best for you: individual Stress Management Counselling and Therapy, group therapy or peer-to-peer support groups. A combination of these can work well, too. If you’re unsure which type of support system best fits your needs, consult with a therapist specializing in bullying recovery.
How long does it take to recover from bullying?
While it’s true that most people can recover from workplace bullying, the process can be long and difficult. The amount of time it takes to recover depends on the severity of your injury or illness. Suppose you’ve been diagnosed with a severe mental health condition, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. In that case, recovery may take much longer than if you were only dealing with work-related stressors like anxiety or panic attacks. That said, you can take steps on your own to begin feeling better sooner rather than later—even if those steps may feel counterintuitive at first glance! For example:
- Take care of yourself by eating healthy and sleeping well; exercise regularly; get rid of toxic people from your life (i.e., people who don’t support you).
- Seek professional help from a counsellor specializing in PTSD/trauma/etc. Who will teach you coping skills so that even during periods when experiencing flashbacks becomes overwhelming again? Which it inevitably will — there’ll still be ways to get back into balance again without having them spiral out entirely out of control like before, trying everything else under my own steam instead.”
No one deserves to be bullied.
Our world is becoming increasingly stressful, and people are not handling it well. Bullying is unacceptable in any situation or for any reason, but it seems to be happening more often than ever. If you think you are being bullied at work, get help immediately! You deserve better than this! Bullying is a form of workplace harassment, and it’s illegal. You can take legal action against anyone who bullies you at work. Whatever the reason, people shouldn’t have to deal with this kind of abuse in their workplace. Bullying is a form of workplace harassment. Although it can happen anywhere, workplace bullying is most common in small businesses and companies with only one manager or supervisor. If you work in a large company, there will be multiple layers between the top executive and yourself—so it’s unlikely that you will ever have to deal with your boss directly.
Proactive ways of dealing with workplace bullying
- Speak to a trusted colleague.
- Talk to your manager.
- Get legal advice.
- Seek help from a support group.
- Take time off work (if possible).
If you’re worried about how taking time off might affect your job. Consider discussing it with your boss first and seeing if there’s anything that can be done for you regarding flexible working hours or other concessions to ensure you’re comfortable at work during this challenging period. If you’re unsure what to do or feel like the situation is getting out of control, get in touch with a counsellor or other professional who can help.
What can a counsellor do to help you recover from workplace bullying?
Keryl Egan provides the best psychotherapy and counselling Sydney services that will help you in the following:
- identify your strengths and weaknesses;
- find your voice;
- find support from others; and,
- set goals and achieve them.
In this post, I’ll discuss the first two points: identifying your strengths and weaknesses and finding your voice.
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses. It may seem obvious, but take the time to think about what you’re good at and what you struggle with. If you’re unsure, ask people who know you well—friends, family members, teachers or coaches. For example, if you’re an athlete and want to become a professional in the sport, ask your coaches and teammates what skills they think are essential for you to work on. You may find that some people say “confidence” while others say “speed.”
You deserve respect, safety and support at work.
- If you are being bullied, you must know your rights and have the courage to speak up for yourself.
- You can make a complaint under the Fair Work Act 2009 or get help from an experienced employment lawyer.
- Bullying in the workplace may include physical violence or verbal abuse such as threats, humiliation or intimidation of an individual employee. It can result in stress-related illnesses such as depression, anxiety or heart disease. It also impacts productivity because staff who feel unsafe at work avoid making mistakes rather than learn new skills and grow their careers. Bullying creates poor morale among employees who don’t feel supported by management when others bully them within their teams (or even managers).
If you are being bullied, you must know your rights and have the courage to speak up for yourself. You can make a complaint under the Fair Work Act 2009 or get help from an experienced employment lawyer.
Conclusion
If you’re being bullied at work, it can be a confusing and disorienting experience. But we hope these tips have given you some idea of what to do next. If you think your workplace is toxic and needs to change, we encourage you to reach out for help—you deserve respect, safety and support at work!