I was a Health & Wellbeing Psychologist in the Department of Anesthesiology at a major academic medical center. I spent my career supporting the mental health and resilience of healthcare workers—until I became the target of a relentless, calculated campaign of workplace bullying. I lost my job, my health insurance, my income, and ultimately, my career. All for doing what I believed was right.
I was told to stay quiet. I didn’t. And because I spoke up, I’ve been branded with what I now call the Scarlet L—L for Liability.
For those of us who stand up and say, “This isn’t okay,” the consequences are swift and brutal. You’re seen not as someone advocating for justice or improved culture, but as a problem. A risk. A liability. Future employers shy away. References go silent. Friends ask why you didn’t just keep your head down. And meanwhile, the actual bully continues unscathed—often rewarded, protected, or even promoted.
The emotional toll is deep. The cognitive toll—second-guessing everything you did or didn’t do—is exhausting. And the financial toll can be life-altering. I’m writing this on the first day that my family and I no longer have health insurance. My savings will run out in mid-March. Some of the people responsible for the abuse are retiring comfortably with full benefits. The injustice is hard to stomach.
And yet, the worst part might be knowing that nothing changed. That my former team, the people I cared for and worked alongside, are still there. Still exposed. Still under the rule of a toxic culture. The bully has likely moved on to the next victim.
In healthcare, this isn’t just a “workplace issue.” It’s a public health crisis. When doctors, nurses, and support staff are emotionally drained, afraid, or pushed out for speaking up, it’s patients who suffer. Medical errors rise. Compassion declines. Capacity erodes. Burnout skyrockets. And yet, somehow, the one raising the alarm is the one labeled the threat.
I’m not done telling my story. But for now, I want people to know this:
I may carry the Scarlet L, but I also carry the truth.
And I will never stop speaking it.