Research suggests that about 38 per cent of Canadian men and 30 per cent of Canadian women were bullied as children, and as many as 40 per cent of workers “experience bullying on a weekly basis” (Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 2012). This prevalence is especially troubling given that the repercussions of bullying can manifest long after harassing behaviour ends. Victims may experience effects such as depression, heightened suicidality, increased likelihood of substance abuse, and other negative effects decades after being bullied (Takizawa, R., M.D., Ph.D., Maughan, B., Ph.D., & Arsenault, L., Ph.D., 2014).
With the assistance of a professional counsellor, it can be possible for sufferers of bullying to heal some of their trauma. Here are some of the ways that counsellors can facilitate this healing.
Professional Counselling Diploma Programs Teach You to Help Others Discover Bullying’s Effects
In its various forms, bullying is rooted in a pattern of abuse from one or more individuals against one or more other individuals. Verbal, emotional, physical, and written abuses are common examples of wrongs committed against bullied individuals (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children., n.d.). Other forms of abuse can fall under the umbrella of bullying.
Addressing bullying as a root cause of an individual’s inner turmoil can be important for healing. Unfortunately, it is not always apparent to an individual that the legacy of bullying is still negatively affecting them. As many as 72 per cent of clients living with negative effects from past bullying may have originally sought help for a different problem, only to discover later on that they needed assistance recovering from bullying (Counselling Directory, (n.d.).
Counsellors can help clients uncover the influence that bullying can still be having on them
An important service rendered by professionals in counselling is to help clients uncover the hidden causes of their distresses. They can do this with interviewing and screening techniques explored in professional counselling diploma programs, which are well suited to determining whether past traumas are affecting a person. Applied correctly, they can guide clients to greater clarity about whether past or present bullying is having an influence on their state of mind, thus allowing for healing to proceed.
Become a Professional Counsellor and You May Guide Clients in the Use of Healing Techniques
To assist a client recovering from bullying, a counsellor may use a number of techniques to make changes to their lifestyle or thought processes. The use of re-enactment to facilitate healing can prove particularly beneficial, as this is a technique that “has been proven successful at facilitating the expression of strong emotions and feelings,” which many survivors of bullying have (GoodTherapy.org, 2016, May 16).
In addition, those who become a counsellor after having completed the Professional Counselling Diploma Program at Rhodes Wellness College can differentiate themselves from other counsellors by offering extensive physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness services that can help clients heal. For example, yoga, breathing techniques, and other physical practices offer another supplementary avenue for healing. In addition, mental wellness techniques, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, self-esteem building, and emotional release techniques can assist with healing the sometimes devastating effects of bullying.
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Works Cited
Woodyard, C. (2011). Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life. International Journal of Yoga,49-54. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.85485
Canadian Institutes of Health Research. (2012, September 28). Canadian Bullying Statistics. Retrieved September 14, 2017, from http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/45838.html
Counselling Directory. (n.d.). Bullying. Retrieved September 14, 2017, from http://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/bullying.html
GoodTherapy.org. (2016, May 16). Psychodrama. Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/psychodrama#who can benefit?
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. (n.d.). Bullying and cyberbullying. Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/bullying-and-cyberbullying/what-is-bullying-cyberbullying/
Takizawa, R., M.D., Ph.D., Maughan, B., Ph.D., & Arsenault, L., Ph.D. (2014). Adult Health Outcomes of Childhood Bullying Victimization: Evidence From a Five-Decade Longitudinal British Birth Cohort. The American Journal of Psychiatry,171(7), 777-784. doi:https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.13101401
