Why I Created Growth and Grit Studio: A Personal Story of Workplace Harassment Survival, Strategy, Recovery and Self-Respect

Let me start with the obvious: I didn’t plan to become an expert in workplace harassment. I didn’t set out to understand mobbing, gaslighting, or what happens when a company values silence over integrity.

But I lived it. Again. And again. And again.

And somewhere between burnout, panic attacks, and HR meetings that felt more like interrogations, I realized I wasn’t alone.

So I started taking notes. And learning. And fighting back not with aggression, but with strategy. With documentation. With clarity. With boundaries. And eventually with tools.

That’s what Growth and Grit Studio is built on. Not corporate training lingo. Not vague “just speak up!” advice. But real-world survival strategies for people who are trying to protect their mental health, their paycheques, and their peace in environments that make it hard to do so.

I Created What I Needed—And Couldn’t Find

When I was deep in it dealing with biased performance reviews, retaliation for reporting, and that cold isolation that comes when the narrative turns against you I searched for resources.

Most of what I found was either legalese, too clinical, or too simplified.“Bullies target you because you’re amazing!”Okay… but what now?

So I started building what I wished existed:

• Tools to help you tell the difference between legitimate feedback and weaponized criticism.

• Scripts for setting boundaries without sounding aggressive.

• Reflection prompts for those moments when you’re doubting yourself.

• And a whole library of trauma-informed, professionally grounded resources for people who want to handle things with grace—but not passivity.

  
  

This Isn’t Just My Work—It’s My Recovery

I’m not a lawyer. I’m not a therapist. I’m a working woman who has been on the receiving end of deeply unfair, humiliating, and career-altering treatment and who fought her way back.

I’ve been:

• The target of mobbing in male-dominated industries.

• Retaliated against for speaking up.

• Forced to justify my neurodivergence like it was a flaw.

• Told by HR that “things might get worse before they get better.”

Spoiler: They got worse.

But now? I know exactly what to look for. What to document. What to say. And I’m here to help you know it too.

Growth and Grit Is For...

• The professional who’s been walking on eggshells for months.

• The new grad who isn’t sure if what’s happening is “just the way it is.”

• The employee who feels the pressure to be perfect in a system that keeps moving the goalposts.

• The woman, the neurodivergent person, the quiet leader, the truth-teller.

If you’ve been told “You’re too sensitive,” “You’re overthinking it,” or “Just let it go,” this space is for you.

You Deserve More Than Survival Mode

Growth and Grit Studio isn’t about staying small, keeping quiet, or being the “bigger person” while you’re trampled. It’s about learning how to:

• Speak with confidence and professionalism even when your voice shakes.

• Build a paper trail that protects your future.

• Decode what’s happening, so you can stop blaming yourself.

• Heal from the emotional toll without losing your ambition or spark.

  
  

Final Thought: You’re Not Broken. The System Is.

You didn’t “fail to fit in.” You were trying to thrive in a place that wasn’t built for you. And while we can’t always change the system overnight, we can change how we navigate it.

With clarity. With grit. And with growth.

I'm so glad you're here.

Let’s get to work.

Andrea

Founder,

Growth and Grit Studio

Disclaimer:

The content provided by Growth and Grit Studio, including all coaching sessions, courses, downloadable tools, videos, and written materials, is based on personal experience, research, and practical workplace strategy. It is intended for educational and informational purposes only.

I am not a lawyer, therapist, or licensed mental health professional. Nothing shared should be interpreted as legal advice, mental health counseling, or a guarantee of outcome.

While the tools and strategies I offer are rooted in real-world applications and my own lived experiences of workplace bullying and recovery, your situation is unique, and outcomes will vary.

Please consult a qualified legal or mental health professional for advice specific to your case.

By participating in this program or using these materials, you acknowledge and accept responsibility for your own actions and decisions.