Group Therapy Paper

Mental health professionals play unique and critical roles in preventing bullying and helping to lessen its effects. They can:

Offer counseling and skills training to help kids who bully manage aggression, support and coping strategies for those who have been bullied, and counseling for family members or friends who have been affected by bullying.

Help school and community leaders assess the amount and nature of bullying in schools and organizations, use local data to inform bullying prevention efforts, and help evaluate progress in reducing bullying over time.

Identify and help to implement bullying prevention efforts that have evidence of effectiveness and fit the needs of local schools and community groups.

Train other mental health professionals, educators, community members, families, and youth about the nature and prevalence of bullying, its effects, and

Many of the issues that children initially encounter in dealing with their victimization are too personal, embarrassing, and painful to disclose and discuss within a group therapy setting. Group therapy is usually indicated for children who have first been involved in either individual or family therapy and have addressed many common bully-related issues (e.g., distrust, betrayal, problems with self-esteem, stigmatization).

Age and development are important considerations for selecting a group therapy approach. Children with poorly developed expressive and receptive language skills may have difficulty with a group therapy format. Similarly, many of the essential elements of “attending” within a group are not adequately developed until at least the preschool years. Very young children may not be able to verbally facilitate and process much victimization information and affect. A group therapy approach to dealing with victimization issues is more appropriate for school age children and