Workplace abuse doesn’t end when you leave a toxic job — it often follows you into your next opportunity, shaping how you search, what you tolerate, and what you believe you deserve.

In this powerful and practical session, Mercedes Swan, Career Love Coach, introduces the Toxic Job Cycle — a repeatable pattern many high-performing professionals unknowingly fall into after experiencing harmful work environments. She breaks down why this cycle occurs, how workplace trauma influences decision-making, and what it takes to interrupt it.

Through a blend of strategy and facilitated conversation, participants will learn how to identify red flags early, vet employers with confidence, and challenge the limiting beliefs that toxic workplaces often leave behind. This session also explores advanced job search strategies that prioritize alignment, safety, and long-term career fulfillment — not just landing the next role.

Grounded in the truth that workplace abuse is never the employee’s fault, this talk offers both validation and agency: while we are not responsible for the harm, there are steps we can take to protect ourselves moving forward.

Designed especially for high-performing, purpose-driven professionals — and centered on creating empowering, safe spaces for Black women — this session supports attendees in rebuilding self-trust, cultivating a resilient and abundant mindset, and pursuing careers that reflect their worth.