In Episode 7 of They Tried It, host Lindiwe “Lin” Davis (aka The Couch Coach) sits down with workplace abuse advocate Deb Falzoi to unpack the hidden epidemic of workplace bullying, and why the system so often protects power instead of people.

Deb shares the experience that changed the trajectory of her career: a toxic workplace situation while working in higher education in Boston that escalated from subtle undermining to retaliation and institutional silence. What began as confusion quickly became a harsh lesson about how workplace power operates, and how organizations often close ranks around leadership rather than protecting employees.

The experience forced her to confront a painful reality: in many cases, workplace bullying itself isn’t illegal.

On ...