The Ripple Beneath

Exploring nervous system leadership, emotional regulation, and the hidden forces shaping behaviour, conflict and culture.

The Hidden Fuels: Why Bullying Behaviours Continue

In episode three, Jyee Byrne exposes the hidden fuels behind bullying and exclusion. From nervous system legacy to emotional illiteracy, discover why behaviour repeats until someone interrupts the pattern. Nervous system leadership begins with understanding the fire beneath the flames.

Welcome back to The Ripple Beneath, where we explore what drives conflict and culture beneath the surface — and how nervous system leadership can change everything.

In episode two, we explored how trauma travels through environments and becomes culture when left unchecked. Today, we go even deeper.

Behind every bullying incident, shutdown, or mocking moment… there’s fuel.

In this episode, Jyee Byrne (Founder, Wolfpack Support Services) breaks down the four hidden fuels that sustain harmful behaviours:

1. Nervous System Legacy:

Patterns inherited from childhood and generations past. What protected us then becomes automatic now.

2. Unseen Grief and Shame:

Cruelty is often displaced pain. Without repair, shame becomes the fuel for further harm.

3. Emotional Illiteracy:

Without tools to express vulnerability, aggression and avoidance become the language.

4. Systemic Normalisation:

When exclusion and harm are tolerated in systems, they become invisible rules that everyone follows.

Understanding these fuels shifts us from blaming individuals to seeing the systemic and emotional layers beneath.

Reflection prompt included:

Next time you witness bullying or reactive behaviour, ask — what fuel is driving this right now? and what fuel am I bringing to this moment?

Because leadership is not about judging fuel. It's about stopping the fire.

Jyee Byrne (Founder, Wolfpack Support Services)

bullying, trauma-informed leadership, nervous system, emotional regulation, emotional literacy, generational trauma, psychosocial recovery, systems thinking, school culture, grief, shame, exclusion

For more resources or to bring this work to your school or organisation, visit wolfpackwell-being.com.

Grab your free Ripple Effect Report via the website and deepen the conversation.

Content Warnings (if needed)

Honest discussion about trauma, exclusion, shame and emotional illiteracy. This podcast is reflective and educational only — seek professional support if needed.