Author offers practical strategies for self-awareness, self-control, and self-care to help readers move from a state of survival to one of thriving

PLANO, Texas, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In August 2024, Businessolver’s annual State of the Workplace Empathy study asked respondents if they believed that their workplace is toxic. The responses were alarming with 52 percent of CEOs and one in three employees believe that their workplace is toxic. A new book guide reveals that workplace toxicity is fueled by destructive leaders, susceptible followers, and organizational environments that lack accountability. It offers a structured path for employees to shift from mere survival to personal empowerment by mastering self-awareness, regulating biological stress responses, and reclaiming control over their own narrative.

In “Surviving the Toxic Workplace,” author Theresa Chilcoat lifts the curtain on how leadership often dictates HR’s hands and identifies the signs of trauma that go beyond physical events, such as gaslighting and unpredictable moods. Drawing from twenty years of human resources experience, she shares how to shift focus from external frustrations to internal empowerment, explains the link between a “starved” pre-frontal cortex and the loss of self-control due to poor sleep and nutrition and how to set healthy boundaries and surrender the need for approval from toxic figures to protect mental health.

“I wrote this book as a guide to help other employees that have experienced working in a toxic workplace and didn’t feel like they had any resources to help them,” said Chilcoat. “I hope to provide valuable insight and support to help anyone feel like they still have agency and power over their lives regardless of the circumstances that are happening around them.”

In the past few years, mental resilience and quiet cracking has become a top trend. Chilcoat states that, “employees that aren’t just burned out and disengaged, they are often close to a mental breakdown and don’t have the resources to address this issue.” This disconnect is exacerbated by the fact that 67 percent of employees and 81 percent of CEOs still view those with mental health struggles as weak or a burden. Consequently, many professionals suffer in silence, fearing that asking for help will lead to being marginalized in an already toxic environment.

“Work shouldn’t cost you your peace, and happiness isn’t fluff, it’s fuel,” said Chilcoat. “You don’t need permission to own your power, you just need awareness and choice along with the correct tools.”

“Surviving the Toxic Workplace: From an HR insider: How to Reclaim your Power, Peace, and Happiness”
By Theresa Chilcoat
ISBN: 9798765266373 (softcover); 9798765266366 (hardcover); 9798765266359 (electronic)
Available at Balboa Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the author
Theresa Chilcoat is and a seasoned HR strategist with over 15 years of experience in leadership development and employee relations, the founder of Inner Authority Co. She earned a master’s in strategic human resources from the University of Denver, Colo. A dedicated member of Dallas HR since 2015, Theresa maintains prestigious HRCI and SHRM certifications, blending academic rigor with a compassionate, results-driven approach to workplace wellness. To learn more, please visit innerauthoritycompany.com.

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