Staying Grounded in Divided Spaces: Navigating Polarization in Professional Settings

Polarization in professional settings can leave us feeling isolated, unsafe, and morally conflicted. This post explores strategies for professionals to stay grounded, connected, and focused, even in divided spaces.

INTRODUCTION

Polarization isn’t only happening at home. It’s showing up in workplaces, classrooms, board meetings, faculty lounges, Zoom calls, and email threads. Formal environments- where norms, rules, and expectations are supposed to guide behavior- are now carrying the same emotional charge we feel in our personal lives. And for many people, especially those who are neurodivergent, highly sensitive, trauma-impacted, or justice-oriented, this tension shows up not only as emotional discomfort but as something deeper: moral injury.

What Moral Injury Actually Is (and Why It Matters)

Originally studied among veterans, moral injury describes the distress that occurs when a person witnesses, participates in, or is forced to tolerate actions that violate their moral code. Researchers Litz et al. (2009) define moral injury as: “The lasting psychological, spiritual, and social harm caused by actions that transgress deeply held moral beliefs.”

Moral injury can appear in many more formal, professional settings, such as:

• Healthcare

• Education

• Government agencies

• Corporate environments

• Nonprofits

• Faith-based institutions

• Academia

Some examples of situations that can contribute to moral injury include:

• Being asked to enforce policies that harm vulnerable people

• Experiencing pressure to stay silent about discrimination or injustice

• Watching leadership make decisions that violate ethics

• Working in environments where safety or equity is not prioritized

• Feeling punished for raising concerns

• Being expected to prioritize productivity over humanity

Moral injury is not burnout.

It is not stress.

It is not conflict.

It is the pain of feeling pressured to betray yourself or being betrayed by a system you trusted.

Why Polarization Intensifies Moral Injury

Polarization creates an environment where:

• nuance disappears

• positions harden

• disagreement becomes identity

• fear of retaliation grows

• people stop speaking up

• systems value optics over truth

This adds pressure to “pick a side,” stay silent, or suppress your internal compass. For neurodivergent individuals- especially autistic employees, ADHD professionals, and highly sensitive people- this is uniquely painful.

Research shows these groups tend to have:

• high justice sensitivity (Jauk et al., 2022)

• lower tolerance for perceived hypocrisy or ethical inconsistencies

• heightened emotional and sensory response to tension

• a deep desire for clarity, fairness, and coherence

This is a recipe for internal conflict when the environment feels “off.” Many clients describe this not just as disagreement but as feeling as though they are having to betray themselves or their values. 

Moral injury often shows up as:

• Emotional exhaustion

• Feeling complicit in harm

• Anger at leadership

• Rumination

• Loss of meaning or purpose

• Cynicism or hopelessness

• Feeling stuck, trapped, or silenced

• Professional identity confusion (“This is not who I am.”)

How to Stay Grounded in Divided Environments

1. Anchor to Your Core Values

Values act as an internal compass when external systems get chaotic.

Identify your top 3–5 values:

• Integrity

• Justice

• Compassion

• Responsibility

• Clarity

• Courage

• Safety

• Boundaries

Ask yourself:

Which of my values feels stepped on right now?

Naming it reduces shame and builds clarity.

2. Practice “System-Aware Compassion”

Not every conflict is personal.

Some are structural or cultural.

Try saying to yourself:

“This tension belongs to the system, not to me.”

This helps separate your identity from the dysfunction around you.

Systems are flawed.

Your worth is not.

3. Use Micro-Boundaries

In environments where speaking up feels unsafe, small boundaries can protect your nervous system.

Examples:

• “I need a moment to think about that.”

• “Can I follow up in writing?”

• “Let’s revisit this when emotions are lower.”

• Turning off notifications after hours

• Utilizing certain meeting options (camera off, stepping out, silence mode)

Micro-boundaries reduce overwhelm without requiring confrontation.

4. Engage in “Curiosity Without Compliance”

You can be curious without agreeing.

You can listen without endorsing.

You can understand without participating.

This mirrors Guzmán’s principle of curiosity discussed in last month’s blog and preserves dignity in polarized systems.

Try:

• “I want to understand your reasoning better.”

• “What outcomes are you hoping for?”

• “What concerns feel most important to you?”

Curiosity expands the conversation without compromising your values.

5. Build Relational Micro-Communities

Polarization shrinks connection.

Counteract it by intentionally building supportive relationships with:

• colleagues

• mentors

• affinity groups

• neurodiversity networks

• supportive supervisors

People heal people. Isolation worsens moral injury.

6. Allow Yourself to Grieve

Moral injury is connected to loss.

Sometimes the loss of:

• trust

• safety

• a professional identity

• idealism

• belief in an institution

• a career path

Naming grief is not weakness- it is clarity. 

What About Leaving?

Sometimes leaving an environment that continually violates your integrity is the best option. But leaving is not always immediately possible financially, logistically, or emotionally. Sometimes leaving is not the best long-term decision. 

Take the time and space to step back, regulate, weigh your options with trusted supports, research potential alternatives, and come to an intentional decision that is a response to your current situation- NOT a reaction. The goal is to stay intact while you decide what comes next. 

And if you already left a position due to these feelings, then the goal is to help you make sense of why it felt so painful and confusing to be in that setting. 

Closing Reflection

Polarization in workplaces can leave us feeling isolated, unsafe, and morally conflicted. But you are not alone, and you are not “too sensitive.” Your reaction is a reflection of your integrity and your humanity. There are ways to stay grounded, connected, and focused- even in divided spaces.

If you’re struggling with moral injury, workplace polarization, or navigating these tensions in your career, support is available. Therapy can help you reconnect with your values, rebuild meaning, and explore next steps safely and with intentionality, without losing yourself in the process.

References:

• Litz, B. et al. (2009). Moral injury and moral repair in war veterans. Clinical Psychology Review.
  

• Jonathan Haidt (2012). The Righteous Mind.
  

• Jauk, E. et al. (2022). Justice sensitivity in neurodivergent populations. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
  

• Porges, S. (2018). The Pocket Guide to Polyvagal Theory.
  

• Guzmán, M. (2022). I Never Thought of It That Way.
  

• Perel, E. (2017). The State of Affairs.