Dealing with Troubled Youth, Part 2: “Bullying”
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” This cliché does not hold true for children, teens, and young adults who are bullied on a daily basis. Words do hurt. This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed in our communities and society at large.
Many children, teens, and young adults have sat before me and disclosed issues of being bullied at school, home, and in the community. When I ask questions exploring this issue, the client usually sits with his or her eyes and head downcast and says, “What do you know about being bullied? You don’t know how... Read More
How is this a story of triumph and choice from an anonymous inmate in an anonymous prison in an anonymous year? First, the story (as written by the inmate):
"Martin Luther King said, 'The true mark of growth isn't how a man acts when or during times of comfort and happiness, rather how he acts during times of trials and controversy.' I put that to the test last week. On my way to chow the Asst. Chief of Security pulled me aside and searched me. My shoes had a hole in the heel from daily wear. He accused me of using it as a hiding spot for contraband. He told me to go to my room and don't leave... 
With football season nearing end, emotionally charged teen boys, who are taught how to use 
The number of women who serve in the military and engage in combat is at an all-time high. The serious negative psychological consequences of being exposed to combat situations are well documented in male and female veterans. Those who return from war zones are at increased risk for many mental health problems, including 
Adolescents receive various messages from their mothers. But a new study, led by Laura Wray-Lake of the School of Behavioral and Organization Sciences at Claremont Graduate University, suggests that messages of caution and compassion have a particularly significant influence on the socialization and behaviors of teens. Compassion messages are inferences that people should all be treated with respect and value, whereas caution messages teach children to be wary of the world and people around them. Wray-Lake and her colleagues looked at several factors that influenced the value messages of the mothers,... 
Working Alliance (WA) describes the relationship between a client and therapist and the underlying bond formed during the therapeutic process. The majority of researchers believe that a strong WA is essential to a positive treatment outcome. 
Aggressive and violent behavior is the result of strong negative emotions. However, individuals who experience avoidant negative emotions, such as fear and 
Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is a home-based method of therapy that is designed to meet the needs of disadvantaged clients, in particular, youth from poor socioeconomic backgrounds with drug or alcohol problems, 
Little white lies are seemingly innocuous, but high-stakes lies can be a matter of life or death. Understanding the facial expressions of people who tell high-stakes 
Over 15 million children live in homes in which 
Bullying has become an epidemic among American youth. Adolescents are especially vulnerable to the negative mental and 
Social psychologists have long examined the influences that lead groups to eliminate one another. “Competition over a valued, scarce resource has been at the root of many struggles between 
How do we equip our children with the skills to deal with bullies and the people who are going to try and make their lives difficult? Victims of bullying feel hurt, alone, scared, fearful, depressed, and they become desperate for help. Often, children end up in counseling because they have been bullied and they finally react with their own aggression or demand help; as adults, we can intervene sooner.
Remember that bullying can happen anywhere; not just at school, but also on sports teams, at work, at friends’ houses, or at day care. If you suspect that your child is being bullied, there are... 
Do you remember your first bully…the girl who called you fat, mocked your choice in clothes, or spread false rumors about you? Of course you do. It’s like a first kiss, a first drink, the first time you drove a car. Only this is a memory you wish you could forget. You may not recall her exact words, but you remember the girl, the time, the place. Did you ever wonder why she did it, what provoked her meanness, how she got to wield so much power?
Bullying is an intentional act of aggression in which the perpetrator belittles, controls, intimidates or harms another person. Attacks are often... 
