Braving the Workplace: Belonging at the Breaking Point
A guide for anyone who's ever felt unseen, undervalued, or uncertain about their place at work.
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While belonging is a critical human need historically fulfilled through family, religion, and community, we now see belonging front and center in every company culture conversation.
In Braving the Workplace, Dr. Beth Kaplan draws on her extensive organizational research. She masterfully presents an approach for employees to drive well-being, success, and thrive in the workplace through the lens of belonging. The author eloquently lays out a framework for companies to change the narrative around belonging, focus on the mental health aspects of these issues, and prescriptively create a roadmap to solve critical challenges with this new “belonging informed” corporate perspective.
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Quotes
Why Braving the Workplace Matters
"This book changed my mind: inclusion is something the organization provides, while belonging is the impact on the individual…”
— Dr. Jean Kantambu Latting, co-author of Reframing Change
Beth Kaplan’s work reframes workplace dynamics by shifting the focus from organizational systems to human experiences. This book doesn’t just diagnose what’s wrong in the workplace — it offers the tools, language, and empathy to help people heal, grow, and lead.
What's Inside?
Mental Health
This book is a lifeline
Beth doesn’t shy away from the dark places — from depression and isolation to suicidal ideation. But she also shows the path out.
Her candor normalizes workplace-related trauma, and her vulnerability gives permission for others to speak up.
You’ll learn:
- Why belonging is essential for mental wellness
- How to recognize thwarted belonging before it leads to burnout
- Why the workplace must be trauma-informed to be truly inclusive
“We get diagnosed with depression or anxiety…
but maybe the real diagnosis should be a lack of belonging.”
What's Inside?
Mental Health
This book is a lifeline
Beth doesn’t shy away from the dark places — from depression and isolation to suicidal ideation. But she also shows the path out.
Her candor normalizes workplace-related trauma, and her vulnerability gives permission for others to speak up.
You’ll learn:
- Why belonging is essential for mental wellness
- How to recognize thwarted belonging before it leads to burnout
- Why the workplace must be trauma-informed to be truly inclusive
“We get diagnosed with depression or anxiety…
but maybe the real diagnosis should be a lack of belonging.”
Leadership Identity
Not just for employees — this book is for leaders, too.
You'll Discover
- Why managers are the linchpins of psychological safety
- What to do if you’re “leading while broken”
- How to build trust without betraying your values
“The manager said: 'You’re my top employee—but you don’t belong here.’ That moment broke me.”
Belonging Frameworks
Beth introduces a brand-new vocabulary for belonging.
- Thwarted Belonging: When you feel like you don’t even fit in your own skin
- Sacrificial Belonging: When you trade your health for the illusion of acceptance
- Dissimulated Belonging: When you fake connection to survive
“Sacrificing yourself to fit in is like splitting your soul. And no job is worth your soul.”
Belonging Frameworks
Beth introduces a brand-new vocabulary for belonging.
- Thwarted Belonging: When you feel like you don’t even fit in your own skin
- Sacrificial Belonging: When you trade your health for the illusion of acceptance
- Dissimulated Belonging: When you fake connection to survive
“Sacrificing yourself to fit in is like splitting your soul. And no job is worth your soul.”
Tools + Assessments Inside
This isn’t just a read — it’s a toolkit.
- Reflection prompts to help you identify where you are in your own journey
- Personal memo templates to reconnect with who you are
- A workplace identity self-assessment
Braving the Workplace is perfect for:
Book clubs | Leadership offsites | Therapy and coaching sessions | Team workshops
If you’ve ever asked yourself, ‘Do I really belong here?’ — this book will help you answer.
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