Sharing your unique experiences of trauma can indeed be a difficult and painful process. When faced with someone who responds dismissively, it’s important to remember that no one else can truly understand the depth of your trauma except for you. People who make statements like, “I wouldn’t have got that from them,” lack the insight…
After I reported teachers’ abuse at one private school, then watched administrators and the board cover up, I resigned in protest. I was hired to work at another private school. In my third year at the new school, a student reported directly to me that she was being “sexually harassed by a teacher.” I didn’t…
In this episode, Dr Jen Fraser and I focus on the interplay between science and the profound social challenges that plague our world and the societal issues we face today. Rather than viewing them solely as moral quandaries, we are encouraged to examine them through the lens of science as we witness a concerning surge…
In the last blog, I spoke about losing my temper one afternoon with two students. I drew a clear contrast between this awful mistake and the abusive conduct of four teachers that students reported on in 2012. My goal in this blog is to encourage others to be whistleblowers and especially when it’s high-stakes such as…
I am often asked about the difference between demanding and demeaning conduct. The first aims to raise expectations and enhance performance for all. The second is humiliating and degrading. There’s zero comparison between them, but those who demean like to say it’s actually to “motivate.” Don’t fall for that lie. Part of why I am an…
This episode opens by highlighting a pressing issue: the recent femicides that have occurred, all of which could have been prevented (this episode was recorded in January 2023). Dr Jen Fraser and I talk about the violence leading to these tragic incidents, how they were entirely avoidable, as was the impending intergenerational grief. We…
In writing about whistleblowers, John Solas talks about those he categorizes as “bad followers.” When abuse happens, the spotlight is shone on poor leadership, but it’s also important to examine the ways in which others contribute to a culture where abuse flourishes. Solas organizes bad followers into four categories. The first set of followers obey and I devote…
TRIGGER WARNING – we talk about violence and suicide In this episode of the bullied brain we discuss the issue of abuse in relationships, particularly focusing on the abuse experienced by women. We highlight the alarming statistic that 1-in-4 women have been abused by a current or former partner. Dr Jen Fraser talks about…
When we chose the whistleblower path, we had no idea that we were actually going to save our son’s life by unleashing the power of the truth. We thought we were ruining it, but that it was a necessary step in order to halt abuse. You cannot know how the acts you do in the…
On this episode of The Bullied Brain we talk about statistics and studies around bullying in schools and the need for an upstream approach to address the issue. We highlight the impact of bullying on children. We talk about the need for a different approach to tackle bullying, focusing on early intervention. The concept of…