Over the last few years, ASHA has published several articles in the ASHA Leader and Perspectives related to bullying and intimidation in the workplace.
These articles pertain to students still in their graduate-level practicum, as well as therapists in their professional careers.
These types of situations happen regularly but are harder to identify and confront than other workplace violence such as sexual harassment. As someone who was personally affected by bullying in both medical and educational practicum placements, this set of articles has challenged me to encourage you with professional information and encouragement in the event that someone finds themselves in a similar situation or is tempted to bully other individuals in your workplace.
As bilingual therapists, you are in high demand. As clinical fellows, you are also young in your career which has the potential to put you in a vulnerable position. While the majority of peers and superiors you work with will be respectful, as adults should be, and value your special skill, it is highly likely that you will encounter a bullying or intimidating situation at some point in your career.
Instilling fear in another party is intimidation. Powerful preying on the weaker party is bullying. While disagreements in the workplace are fairly commonplace, due to differing values, levels of experience, and varying theories of practice, intimidation turns to bullying when the relationship between a person with more power over a person with less power is exploited.
It's possible in your career that you will get:
- Pulled from therapy to interpret an IEP meeting
- Be overly challenged by the same peer or supervisor on your clinical judgment (specifically as it relates to bilingualism)
- Be denied permission to conduct evaluations or any other myriad of situations
If at any point, you feel these actions move beyond standard checks and balances or workplace disagreements, be sure to report to your Stepping Stones supervisor. Know that you are not alone, that you have rights, and that you don't deserve mistreatment.
