BONUS EPISODE 2: Fake Inclusion, Emotional Extraction + Startup Chaos
What are Listener Letters?
In our Narcissism At Work podcast series, we launched the Listener Letters bonus episodes to create space for the stories that often go untold. These are real, anonymised letters from the Other Box community, recounting deeply personal experiences of narcissistic abuse in the workplace. Each letter is read aloud and followed by insights from clinical psychologist Dr. Daksha Hirani, who helps unpack the behaviours, provides validation, and offers tools for recovery.
These episodes are for anyone who has ever felt confused, gaslit, or silenced in a work setting and thought, "Was it really that bad?" Spoiler: It probably was.
Why We’re Talking About It
Workplaces are where many of us spend most of our time. And when power imbalances go unchecked, whether through gender, race, seniority, or other forms of privilege, it creates the perfect conditions for narcissistic abuse to thrive. What makes it harder to name is that this abuse often masquerades as mentorship, allyship, or leadership. These stories shine a light on what’s really happening behind closed doors.
Episode Themes: Listener Letter 2 - Aisha’s Story
In this episode, we meet Aisha, a mid-career woman who joined what she thought was an inclusive, progressive start-up. But from day one, it became clear that the business was not what it seemed. Behind the branding was chaos, ego, and emotional manipulation. The founder, an industry figure known for championing diversity, used “inclusion” as a marketing tool, while creating a culture of instability and control.
Themes explored in this episode include:
🚩 Weaponised Inclusion:
The company branded itself as inclusive, but internally, inclusion was performative. Vulnerability became a currency. Those who overshared personal trauma were favoured; those who didn’t were sidelined.
🚩 Love-Bombing & Devaluation Cycle:
One day Aisha was praised for her brilliance; the next, criticised for “breathing too loudly.” This whiplash dynamic is a classic narcissistic cycle, and left her off-balance and constantly looking for approval.
🚩 No Boundaries, No Support:
From abusive WhatsApp messages on weekends to public dressing-downs, there was no psychological safety. The founder positioned this behaviour as “start-up hustle” and “passion.”
🚩 Emotional Extraction:
Aisha was explicitly told she’d have been more “interesting” if she’d shared more of her private trauma. Her value was measured not by skill or performance, but by emotional availability and exposure.
🚩 Long-Term Impact:
By the end of her time there, Aisha felt drained of confidence, doubting her abilities for the first time in her career.
Dr. Daksha Hirani offers trauma-informed responses to Aisha’s story, including practical boundary-setting strategies, how to moderate your responses safely, and why maintaining your values is critical for healing.
Why It Matters
Aisha’s story is not unique. Especially in start-ups where chaos is often normalised and can become fertile ground for narcissistic abuse. Too many people internalise the failure of these workplaces as a failure of themselves. This podcast is here to remind you:
You were not too sensitive.
You were not imagining it.
It was never your job to absorb someone else’s chaos.
By telling these stories, we’re not just raising awareness, we’re creating language. We're helping others name what’s happening to them and begin to reclaim their confidence, clarity, and power.
Resources & Further Support
Listen to all episodes: otherbox.co/podcast
Learn more about narcissism, burnout, and protective tools in our Diversity Dictionary course: otherbox.co/education
Subscribe, share, and rate the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Acast or wherever you listen.
Whether you’re just starting to question a toxic dynamic or deep into your healing, we hope this podcast helps you name it, understand it, and start to heal from it. Because work should work for you.
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Narcissism At Work podcast is out now and is available wherever you listen to your podcasts. Check out our resources page here for support. Sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with Other Box.
