How to Lead Through the Misuse of “Therapy Speak” at Work Not long ago, a colleague described someone on her team as “toxic.” When I asked what she meant, she paused and said, “They make me feel bad.” That stopped me in my tracks. Because lately, I’ve noticed this pattern popping up everywhere—people using therapy or mental health language as shorthand for discomfort. “That conversation was triggering.” “They’re so toxic.” “I need to protect my peace.” Sometimes those stateme

I’ve seen this time and time again—whether it’s working with librarians, coaching leaders, or even parenting my own daughter: who  the feedback comes from can be just as important as how  it’s delivered. Me playing piano at 3 years old. Take, for example, when I first led the assertiveness training for library staff. The manager wanted their team to set clearer boundaries with patrons and with each other. They wanted to avoid burnout or tense situations escalating. And while

My daughter has a friend who consistently illustrates just how hard it can be to hold a boundary.  Recently, she told me about a situation at school. There’s a clear rule: students do not ask adults their age. No exceptions.  One day, they had a guest speaker, and this friend of hers immediately asked, “How old are you?”  Her classmates quickly reminded her, “Hey, we’re not supposed to ask adults their age.”  And her friend’s response? “I know, I just want to know how old she