Feeling bullied or harassed? Here’s how counselling can help.

If you’re being bullied at work or in your personal life, it can leave you feeling anxious, isolated, and unsure what to do next. You might question yourself, lose confidence, or feel stuck in a situation that’s hard to explain to others.

Counselling offers a safe, confidential space where you can talk openly about what’s happening, make sense of your experience, and begin to rebuild your confidence. With the right support, you can start to feel more in control and decide how you want to respond.

If you would like to speak to a therapist about your experiences of bullying and harassment, you can explore the therapists below.

Professional Standards

All psychotherapists and counsellors on the City Therapy Rooms website are independent, self-employed specialists who manage their own appointments. Every practitioner must provide verified evidence of:

Professional Registration: Active membership with a leading UK regulatory body, including the BACP, BPS, BPC, UKCP, HCPC, BABCP, SEAUK, COSRT, NCS, BAAT.
Clinical Credentials: Fully verified professional qualifications and comprehensive indemnity insurance.
Supervision: Be in ongoing clinical supervision. Their supervisors have confirmed the accuracy of the content of their profiles on this website.

What does bullying and harassment look like in adult life?

Bullying isn’t just something that happens at school. Many adults experience it in workplaces, relationships, families, or social groups.

It’s not always obvious. In fact, one of the most difficult things about bullying is how subtle it can be.

You might notice:

Being left out of meetings, messages, or decisions
Important information being withheld
“Jokes” or comments that feel uncomfortable or targeted
Gossip or rumours being spread about you
Being criticised unfairly or publicly
Feeling undermined or set up to fail

Because these behaviours can seem small on their own, it’s common to question whether it “really counts” as bullying.

Why workplace bullying can be hard to spot

Workplace bullying often builds gradually.

It may start with small actions — being excluded from emails or not given full instructions — which can lead to mistakes or missed deadlines. Over time, this can affect how others see you at work.

The person responsible might then highlight these issues, making it seem as though you are the problem. In some cases, others may begin to go along with this behaviour, even without fully realising what’s happening.

This can leave you feeling confused, isolated, and unsure whether to speak up.

The impact of bullying on your mental health and daily life

Being bullied can affect far more than your work situation.

You might experience:

Ongoing stress or anxiety
Loss of confidence or self-esteem
Self-doubt or questioning your own judgement
Low mood or depression
Difficulty sleeping or switching off
Physical symptoms such as headaches or exhaustion

It can also affect your work performance, career progression, and relationships outside of work. Many people find the stress follows them home, impacting their personal life as well.

“Am I being bullied, or am I overreacting?”

This is one of the most common questions people ask.

If something consistently makes you feel uncomfortable, undermined, or distressed, it matters. Even if others dismiss it as:

“Just banter”
“A personality clash”
“Their management style”

Your experience is still valid.

Bullying can be difficult to define clearly, which is why many people start to doubt themselves. Talking it through with someone impartial can help you gain clarity.

How counselling can help with bullying and harassment

Counselling doesn’t just focus on the situation — it focuses on you.

It gives you space to:

Talk openly without being judged or dismissed
Make sense of what’s been happening
Rebuild your confidence and sense of self
Explore your options and boundaries
Feel more emotionally prepared to take next steps

For many people, simply being heard and believed is a powerful first step.

From there, you can begin to decide how you want to handle the situation — whether that’s addressing it, setting boundaries, seeking support at work, or making a change.

Taking the first step

If you’re feeling worn down or unsure how to move forward, you don’t have to deal with it alone.

Speaking to a counsellor can help you feel more grounded, clearer in your thinking, and better able to take back control of your situation at your own pace.

Helpful resources and support on workplace bullying and harassment

Mind.org
Help on being bullied at work: Mind.org

Bullying.co.uk
Is a really helpful website with articles, ideas and resources to help anyone being bullied or supporting someone being bullied Bullying.co.uk

VPN Mentor
Though this article was written with the LGBTQ community in mind it has some really useful tips to help prevent anyone being the victim of Cyberbullying: Most LGBTQ are Cyberbullied. Here’s How to Stay Safe Online
© Brian Cotsen