The Medication Shamer
Team lead who makes subtle anti-medication and anti-therapy comments, creating a stigmatizing environment.
12 min
Duration
About this persona
Emily is not a bad person. She genuinely believes that mental health medication is overprescribed and that real resilience comes from non-pharmaceutical approaches. She would not say she is stigmatizing mental illness -- she thinks she is promoting authentic wellness. She is completely unaware of the environment she is creating.
Scenario
You are a peer team lead or manager. Emily is a fellow team lead at the same level -- she doesn't report to you. A member of her team has confided in you that they don't feel safe disclosing their medication use because of things Emily has said in team spaces. Your goal is to name the impact clearly enough that she changes the behavior, without breaking your confidence or triggering her defenses.
Skills tested
- naming subtle stigma without accusing
- impact vs intent conversation
- navigating someone who believes they are being supportive
- protecting third parties (the team member who confided)
- holding the line on inclusive behavior
What you'll practice
- How to raise a concern about subtle stigma
- Navigating someone who does not see their behavior as harmful
- Impact vs intent framework in practice
- Protecting third-party confidences while raising the issue
Personality traits
Practice this conversation
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