David Yamada

My life of the mind: Embracing transitions Since 1991, I’ve been a full-time law professor.  But that’s changing now. I’ve entered a voluntary phased retirement program at Suffolk University Law School in downtown Boston, …

I'm engaging a busy semi-retirement. Here's how it's starting to shape up! morethanasong.blog/2026/02/12/m...

Workplace Bullying Newsletter, No. 7 (Jan. 2026) (Jan. 2026) — Dear readers, welcome to Issue No. 7 of the Workplace Bullying Newsletter. Each issue contains news and research summaries, short commentaries, and curated resources for those interes…

In the latest issue of the Workplace Bullying Newsletter, I go online to (1) ask AI who are likely to be targets of workplace bullying; and (2) search Google for sites indicating that workplace bullying is a mainstream topic of concern in the U.S. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2026/01/31/w...

Workplace Bullying Newsletter, No. 6 (Dec. 2025) (Dec. 2025) — Dear readers, welcome to Issue No. 6 of the Workplace Bullying Newsletter. Each issue contains news and research summaries, short commentaries, and curated resources for those i…

In my latest Workplace Bullying Newsletter, I explain how my work on workplace bullying has helped me to understand the current national discourse in the U.S.
newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/12/30/w...

Growing the therapeutic jurisprudence movement: Looking back at a Sept. 2015 workshop in Boston Sorting through files and papers in my faculty office a few weeks ago, I came upon two memos that I had circulated in conjunction with a September 2015 workshop I was hosting here at Suffolk Univer…

Ten years ago this weekend, we held a workshop at Suffolk Law that, among other things, would lead to the founding of the International Society for Therapeutic Jurisprudence. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/09/26/g...

Workplace Bullying Newsletter, No. 3 (Sept. 2025) (September 2025) — Dear readers, welcome to Issue No. 3 of the Workplace Bullying Newsletter. Each issue contains news and research summaries, short commentaries, and curated resources for th…

The September issue of the Workplace Bullying Newsletter focuses on bullying in the legal profession (with free links to two major reports), along with the NY Times recommendations of 4 titles on narcissism. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/09/22/w...

Workplace Bullying Newsletter, No. 2 (August 2025) (August 2025) — Dear readers, welcome to Issue No. 2 of the Workplace Bullying Newsletter. Each issue contains news and research summaries, short commentaries, and curated resources for those…

Issue No. 2 of the Workplace Bullying Newsletter, leading with: Do psychopaths and sociopaths mellow with age? (And why does this relate to workplace bullying?) newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/08/25/w...

Planning for a difference-making retirement At last month’s excellent Work, Stress & Health conference sponsored by the Society for Occupational Health Psychology, I presented a short paper, “Personal Legacy Work in ‘Re…

How do you plan for a difference-making retirement, one that includes working on personal legacy goals? This piece links to short paper I wrote containing insights and resources. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/08/19/p...

Should we seek a sense of belonging in our workplaces and institutions? Have you ever worked at a place where a manager or executive has referred to the organization and its people as a “community” or a “family”? If so, what were your thoughts? …

How do you react when a boss refers to your workplace as a "family" or a "community"? All warm & fuzzy, SMH, or something in between? This piece applies Dr. Dana Segev's recent important paper on the experience of belonging to workplace cultures. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/08/11/s...

Our staff bears the worst brunt of Workday. Earlier this year, I saw one very tech-capable program admin nearly in tears trying figure out one of its features.

It's an awful platform. My university moved to it last year -- our 3rd in the past 5 or so years, because we have nothing better to do than learn new ways to do old stuff. We also spent untold millions on a huge platform called Workday, which makes Canvas seem pleasant by comparison.

They already sold a big chunk of their institutional soul, may as well keep going.....

Workplace Bullying Newsletter, No. 1 (July 2025) (July 2025) — Dear readers, I’m starting a monthly feature that I’m simply titling the Workplace Bullying Newsletter. It will contain news and research summaries, short commentari…

Issue no. 1 of my new Workplace Bullying Newsletter. This month: French execs convicted of psychological and sexual harassment; looking for subtle signs of bullying; study on workplace bullying and suicidal ideation; and bullying of nursing school faculty. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/07/25/w...

No Kings Day: Celebration, resistance, and tragedy During the mid-to-late 1700s, Massachusetts would become a hotbed of activism and resistance toward the British Crown. It is, among other things, the site of the Boston Tea Party, when in 1773, col…

My reflections on No Kings Day here in Boston and elsewhere, along with the horrible political assassinations of Democratic legislators in Minnesota. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/06/15/n...

On studying the “Great Books” at the University of Chicago: A deeply satisfying finish and a glorious failure During June, I made a quick trip to Chicago to attend my graduation ceremony from the University of Chicago’s storied Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults. The Basic Program is an op…

A year ago, I completed the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults, a 4-yr, open enrollment "Great Books" program offered by the U of Chicago's Graham School. No tests, no papers, just deeply engaging discussion. I shared my impressions here: muchmorethanasong.home.blog/2024/07/05/o...

Gentle reminder that RFK Jr. fired all 17 vaccine experts from our government.

Yup....the headline says it all.

Insiders, outsiders, and change agents It’s an ongoing, never settled debate: To create positive social change, is it better to work from within the established system, or to challenge the status quo from the outside? I think abou…

To be a change agent, it is better to work from within the established system, or to challenge the status quo from the outside? Some thoughts shared here. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2013/08/28/i...

Trolls at work: Bullying, button-pushing, and provoking Have you ever dealt with someone at work who behaves like some of the most annoying, high-conflict people you’ve encountered in social media settings? I had a clarifying moment the other day.…

Trolls don't limit themselves to the online comments sections. They also annoy us at work -- and sometimes with greater consequences. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2023/07/18/t...

My 2019 piece in the Int'l Journal of Law & Psychiatry, drawing deeply on Trump 1.0, examines how public policy directives and implementation can instill anger, shock, fear, and trauma -- a framework for Trump 2.0 papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Steve Kerr wore a Harvard basketball shirt after the Warriors’ win tonight: “Yes, this is me supporting Harvard. Way to go. Way to stand up to the bully.”

State tells employees to report on one another for ‘anti-Christian bias’ “It’s very ‘Handmaid’s Tale’-esque,” one official said.

The Trump Administration should be reported for anti-Christian bias for mocking the life and teachings of Jesus and for rejecting compassion, generosity, kindness, healing, and justice. Instead, they have built a giant cult of cruelty, rage, and hatred.

www.politico.com/news/2025/04...

The Biology of Being Broke Trauma, Metabolism, and the Prescriptions We Can't Afford

I had to make some time to get to this -- it's more long-form commentary than a typical Substack or blog piece -- but this essay by Melanie Lynn Brown about trauma and living in poverty is worth the effort. substack.com/home/post/p-...

Trump has launched America’s Second Civil War In roughly 10 weeks, the Trump Administration has done incalculable harm to America’s civic infrastructure and standing in the world. Virtually every aspect of public life is under siege. Peo…

New blog post: Trump has launched America's Second World War, using words, memos, and policy directives, typically weaponized with lies, distortion, threats, and psychological manipulation. psychologizinglpp.blog/2025/03/31/t...

I'm happy to share that my latest law review article, "Designing Trauma-Informed Legislation: Designing the Workplace Bullying Accountability Act," has been published in the UIC Law Review. Freely downloadable pdf here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

The Hegseth Standard: If this misogynistic, nationalist tat-wearing, and now proven incompetent clown keeps his job, then we've just established national precedent for eliminating employee performance evaluations of any kind.

Cowardice and Capitulation Stain the Legacy of Once-Esteemed Mega Law Firm Paul, Weiss joins the list of institutions and individuals with ample resources to defend themselves, who nevertheless have refused to stand up for justice in the face of MAGA intimidation

I was greatly disappointed by the Paul Weiss law firm, which reacted to Trump's likely unlawful threats by opting for the Neville Chamberlain approach of appeasing their abuser. They will never be the same. Hopefully other BigLaw firms will not repeat their mistake. open.substack.com/pub/contrari...

MAGA goal: Let’s traumatize federal workers During a speech delivered in 2024, Russell Vought, now the Trump Administration’s director of the federal Office of Management and Budget, called for mass firings of long-time federal employe…

Make no mistake about it: Traumatizing federal workers is part of the MAGA/DOGE agenda, as stated by Trump's current director of the Office of Management and Budget last year. Unfortunately, the strategy appears to be working. newworkplace.wordpress.com/2025/03/21/m...

Like this.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's Chief of Staff:

Who's the target of Trump's disdain? Often, it's women. | Opinion The Trump Administration is doing a lot of things. What it's not doing: Respecting women.

Dr. Lilia Cortina (U. Michigan) nails it on Trump's targeting of women. www.freep.com/story/opinio...