Bullying & Harassment
Bullying is the causing of harm, intimidation or coercion to a person
perceived as vulnerable by another person or group of people. Unfortunately
bullying is common in many aspects of people’s lives, including in the school
environment, within families and within the workplace. Both psychological
and physical health can be negatively impacted by being a victim of bullying,
resulting in such ailments as anxiety, depression, isolation, loneliness,
difficulty sleeping as well as physical injuries.
When working with the victims of bullying my aim is threefold. Firstly, I
encourage my client not to blame themselves and to see the bully for the
flawed person that they really are. I use the analogy of a seesaw; for the
bully to elevate himself his victim must go down! Secondly, I look to support
my client by teaching them techniques to relieve the negative impacts they
have experienced, such as anxiety or stress. Thirdly, I facilitate them in
finding their own power which has often been surrendered to the bully. I
help them to identify and understand any behavioural patterns that have
made then vulnerable to bullying. I also encourage them to recognise the
choices that they may have and support them in making decisions to exercise
positive changes in their lives.