November 14, 2023 | By Megan VanMeter, ATR-BC, LPC, LMHC, LPC-AT/S
I want to invite you to a virtual session about the all-too-common trauma of workplace bullying, this Saturday, Nov. 18.
As an art therapist, and someone who has experienced workplace bullying first-hand, this is a critical topic to address for our clients’ sake as well as for our own, especially in light of data that indicates nearly half of people in the American workforce say they’ve experienced or witnessed bullying while in an occupational capacity. (Learn more in this blog post, Workplace Bullying Isn’t About A Mean 4th Grader on the Playground; It has Serious Consequences)
Workplace bullying is a form of relational violence that leaves targets with mental health issues ranging from anxiety and depression to suicidality. It’s highly likely that members of the art therapy community will provide treatment to targets of workplace bullying and/or be targets of workplace bullying themselves—yet clinicians in general know very little about how to support targets and what to do if one is a target.
The Trauma Hiding in Plain Sight:
Workplace Bullying, Treatment Considerations, and a
Case Example of Recovery as Seen Through the Structure of the Expressive Therapies Continuum
Saturday, November 18, 2023, 12 – 2pm ET
- Learn about the cast of characters and the plot typically involved in workplace bullying to recognize and accurately contextualize the people and events encompassed within this traumatic experience.
- Develop awareness of common bullying tactics, which span from incivility to physical violence and exist on a continuum of implicit to explicit aggression.
- Review resources for targets, bullies, and therapists, as well as treatment considerations that address the unique needs of targets.
- Explore one person’s recovery process as seen through the structure of the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC). The ETC is a nervous system-oriented assessment and treatment framework that was co-developed by art therapy pioneers Vija Lusebrink and Sandra (Kagin) Graves-Alcorn.
Attendees will receive 2.0 Continuing Education Hours. This event costs $50 for members, $85 for non-members, and is FREE for AATA Student Members! This event will be recorded and available to view On-Demand for all registrants for 30 days after the event is held.
I hope to see you there, as we work in an industry that is notorious for workplace bullying. Come and learn about this form of relational violence and psychological terrorism, and learn how to help clients who’ve experienced or are experiencing it. Register here.
About Megan VanMeter
Megan VanMeter, ATR-BC, LPC (AZ), LMHC (IN), LPC-AT/S (TX) is an art therapist who serves adults through a virtual private practice. Her career has taken her into behavioral health, correctional, educational, medical, and social services settings, and these shaped her understanding of workplace bullying and its relationship to professional burnout. A former target of workplace bullying herself, she now volunteers on the target resource team of the National Workplace Bullying Coalition, a nonprofit that seeks to promote dignity in the workplace through advocacy and education. Megan graduated from the University of Louisville with a master’s degree in art therapy and studied under Expressive Therapies Continuum co-creators Vija Lusebrink and Sandra (Kagin) Graves-Alcorn; she regularly presents on topics related to the ETC and has a newsletter for expressive therapists who want to be kept abreast of ETC learning opportunities and publications. See https://www.meganvanmeter.com/for-expressive-therapists for more information.