Psychological Safety and Betrayal Trauma in the Workplace: Navigating Gaslighting, Isolation, and Racial Injustice
Psychological Safety and Betrayal Trauma in the Workplace: Navigating Gaslighting, Isolation, and Racial Injustice
Here we are, in a world where division seems to be the norm. Let’s think of one of these spaces, the WORKPLACE. The workplace should ideally be a space where everyone feels safe, valued, and supported. After all, you have worked your tail off for the position you hold! However, for many, it is far from that. With the current political landscape, I am seeing more clients experiencing workplace dynamics that lead to profound emotional harm, especially for marginalized groups. Gaslighting, social isolation, and the safety-seeking need to silence one’s core values to avoid conflict are more common than you may realize. For those experiencing Betrayal Trauma, whether before or now, these toxic dynamics can have devastating effects, leading to emotional distress, burnout, and increased levels of loneliness, which is already an epidemic in our society.
If you’re reading this while scrolling through LinkedIn and wondering if a remote cabin in the woods would be more peaceful than your office, you’re not alone. At Grit and Grace Recovery, LLC, we understand the complexities of navigating toxic workplace dynamics and the emotional toll they can take.
What is Psychological Safety?
Before diving into workplace harm’s specific dynamics, let’s define psychological safety. Watered down, psychological safety implies our environment allows us to feel free to express ourselves without fear of judgment, retaliation, or alienation. It’s a space where individuals feel they can voice their concerns, share their ideas, and challenge the status quo without risking their mental or emotional well-being.
The importance of psychological safety cannot be overstated. When psychological safety is available, team members can innovate, collaborate, and be their authentic selves. They trust their colleagues and leaders to hear their concerns and acknowledge their experiences. Without it, however, the opposite happens. Employees may feel silenced, dismissed, or even actively undermined by those around them, which can contribute to deep emotional and psychological distress.
At Grit and Grace Recovery, LLC, one hat I wear is to help individuals navigate the emotional toll of toxic environments, whether that be home or work. I stay up-to-date with the latest research so I can best support you through your worldview if you are experiencing emotional exhaustion and isolation. Additionally, I am a Sex Addiction Treatment Professional with specialized training in working with individuals facing unwanted sexual behaviors, pornography use, and chronic infidelity and partners coping in the aftermath of Betrayal Trauma through APSATS. You may wonder why we should focus on Betrayal Trauma in the workplace. Many of us tie our sense of self to our work. When we experience interpersonal trauma—whether in the workplace, with family, friends, or a partner—the result is often the same: a deep-rooted wound that requires healing and attention.
Betrayal Trauma in the Workplace: A Breach of Trust
For those who have experienced Betrayal Trauma, the workplace becomes an especially painful environment. Betrayal Trauma occurs when a person’s trust is broken by an institution or individual they rely on. This can happen in personal relationships, but in the workplace context, Betrayal Trauma usually involves emotional harm that happens when a colleague, manager, or the larger organizational structure violates the employee’s trust. For marginalized groups, this Betrayal is often compounded by systemic inequalities and prejudices that are left unaddressed in the workplace.
The emotional pain of Betrayal Trauma is intense, as it strikes at the heart of trust—something most of us rely on in our personal and professional lives. The emotional scars from Betrayal Trauma can remain long after the initial betrayal, affecting everything from job satisfaction to overall health. Imagine working hard, being open and honest about your concerns, and being met with dismissal, invalidation, or even outright gaslighting. This is not only emotionally painful, but it also leaves individuals questioning their reality, making them doubt themselves and their perceptions.
How Betrayal Trauma Shows Up in the Workplace
While Betrayal Trauma can look different for everyone, there are common threads that bind these experiences, particularly for marginalized employees. For example:
- Gaslighting: When an employee expresses a concern, particularly around discrimination or bias, and they are told that their experience didn’t happen or is being exaggerated, that’s gaslighting. The individual’s lived experience is dismissed, creating confusion and self-doubt.
- Exclusion: Employees who are marginalized may find themselves excluded from key conversations, promotions, or important networks within the workplace, even when their contributions are just as valuable as others.
- Tokenization: In workplaces that don’t fully embrace diversity, employees from marginalized groups may be expected to represent the whole of their identity group, which can be incredibly isolating and emotionally taxing.
In these scenarios, Betrayal Trauma doesn’t just affect the individual; it affects the entire team and organization. When people are not made to feel safe, they’re less likely to share ideas, collaborate, or contribute in the workplace. This isn’t just harmful on a personal level—it’s also detrimental to the company’s productivity and long-term success.
At Grit and Grace Recovery, LLC, we provide a safe space for individuals who have experienced Betrayal Trauma in the workplace, helping them process their feelings and regain their sense of self-worth. Our therapists work closely with clients to heal from the emotional wounds caused by toxic work environments and rebuild their trust in themselves and others.
Gaslighting in the Workplace: An Insidious Form of Harm
Gaslighting in the workplace is becoming more prevalent, particularly in environments that lack psychological safety. Gaslighting is a pattern of behaviors that occurs when someone manipulates another person into questioning their own perception of reality. In the workplace, this may involve a colleague, supervisor, or manager denying or minimizing an employee’s experiences. The impact of this form of emotional manipulation can be severe, especially when it is done to silence marginalized voices.
Racial gaslighting is one of the most common forms of gaslighting in workplaces today. When employees voice their experiences with discrimination or microaggressions, they are often met with statements like, “You’re just being too sensitive,” or “I don’t see color, so I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” This is a clear form of Betrayal Trauma because it invalidates the employee’s lived experience and causes them to doubt their own reality. Over time, this can erode an employee’s self-esteem, leading them to feel isolated, unsupported, and unheard.
The Impact of Racial Gaslighting
Racial gaslighting can cause significant emotional harm. The employee begins to question their own perceptions of their identity, experiences, and even their worth in the workplace. This can have long-term impacts, such as increased stress, anxiety, and even depression. Additionally, it can lead to a phenomenon known as racial battle fatigue, where employees become physically and mentally exhausted by constantly having to navigate racial microaggressions and discrimination. I was a guest on the Deconstructing Gaslighting Podcast to discuss this level of harm. Check it out to learn more.
What’s worse is that Betrayal Trauma from racial gaslighting often results in employees retreating inward. They stop speaking up for fear of being labeled “difficult,” “angry,” or “too sensitive.” They abandon their true selves in an attempt to fit into the workplace, which only leads to further emotional exhaustion. This is the emotional equivalent of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole—exhausting, frustrating, and ultimately unhealthy.
At Grit and Grace Recovery, LLC, we specialize in helping individuals who have experienced racial gaslighting and other forms of Betrayal Trauma. We help clients untangle the emotional confusion that gaslighting creates and rebuild a sense of personal power and authenticity.
The Pressure to Self-Abandon: Fitting Into the Corporate Mold
One of the most subtle but challenging aspects of toxic work environments is the pressure to conform to a dominant workplace culture, even if it goes against one’s values. Many employees, especially those from marginalized groups, feel they must abandon their authentic selves in order to be accepted or promoted in the workplace. This is often seen in how employees suppress their cultural identities, hide personal beliefs, or minimize their emotions in the interest of “keeping the peace.”
Employees may feel they have to hide their racial or cultural identity to avoid becoming targets for microaggressions or discrimination. They may feel pressured to suppress emotions, especially anger or frustration, for fear of being labeled as “difficult” or “emotional.” The constant internal battle between one’s true self and the version of oneself deemed acceptable by the workplace leads to a phenomenon known as self-abandonment.
At Grit and Grace Recovery, LLC, we help clients navigate this internal conflict and rebuild their self-esteem. Through therapy, individuals can reclaim their authentic selves and find ways to thrive in environments that may have previously made them feel like they were walking on eggshells.
The Role of Misinformation in DEI Initiatives: A Growing Divide and Betrayal Trauma
A concerning aspect of today’s workplace dynamics is the growing divide among employees due to misinformation surrounding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These initiatives, designed to foster more equitable and inclusive workplaces, have been grossly misunderstood and distorted by political narratives and social media campaigns.
Many employees see DEI programs as divisive or “reverse discrimination,” believing that efforts to support marginalized groups unfairly disadvantage others. This misunderstanding can create division and resentment within the workplace, causing tension between employees who view DEI as necessary and those who see it as a threat to their job security or fairness. As a result, employees who support DEI programs are often subjected to ridicule or alienation.
For those on the receiving end of this hostility, the impact is profound and I am sorry. I am so sorry that as a nation, as a human race we continue this abuse. The experience of being constantly at odds with colleagues or leadership over DEI issues can lead to Betrayal Trauma, as employees realize that the organization they once trusted to support them is now contributing to their emotional distress. They may begin to feel that their values, identity, and contributions are undervalued and dismissed.
It feels like being told that your voice doesn’t matter and being expected to keep quiet about it. At Grit and Grace Recovery, LLC, we work with clients who are experiencing these types of emotional struggles, helping them process the pain and find a way forward in their careers.
Loneliness, Isolation, and the Epidemic of Betrayal Trauma
In our increasingly disconnected world, loneliness is becoming an epidemic. The workplace, a place where many of us spend a significant portion of our lives, can often exacerbate this sense of isolation. For marginalized employees, the lack of psychological safety and the prevalence of Betrayal Trauma contribute to a heightened sense of loneliness. The emotional toll of navigating a toxic environment can lead individuals to feel utterly isolated, even when surrounded by colleagues.
When employees feel isolated and unsupported, it becomes even harder to reach out for help. The fear of being further marginalized or ridiculed can prevent employees from accessing the support they need, leaving them vulnerable to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and burnout.
Creating a Culture of Psychological Safety and Healing from Betrayal Trauma
Navigating workplace dynamics involving gaslighting, racial injustice, and toxic environments can result in deep emotional wounds. For marginalized groups, including the LGBTQIA+ community, the compounded trauma from racial injustice and lack of psychological safety can exacerbate feelings of grief, isolation, and burnout. These challenges can take a toll on both personal and interpersonal relationships, affecting not only work performance but also an individual’s overall mental health.
At Grit and Grace Recovery, LLC, we specialize in supporting individuals through the complex emotional effects of Betrayal Trauma, racial trauma, and grief. Our therapists are experienced in helping clients from all backgrounds, particularly those facing the intersectionality of racial injustice, LGBTQIA+ challenges, and toxic work environments. We offer both in-person and virtual counseling services in Connecticut to ensure that individuals can access the support they need, no matter where they are.
Whether you are struggling with interpersonal relationships, navigating your own ambiguous grief, or processing the emotional aftermath of workplace betrayal, our compassionate therapists are here to guide you. Through a safe, supportive space, we help you rebuild trust, heal from racial trauma, and reclaim your authentic self. Reach out to us today and take the first step toward healing, with the option for services that best suit your needs—either in person or virtually.