Arrange Therapy If Your Teenager Is A Bully

When it comes to the relationship between bullying and therapy, it's common for children and teenagers who are the victims of bullying to see a therapist. Therapy for bullying victims can help them to better understand their self-worth as well as develop strategies that can help them to effectively stand up to their bullies. Therapists aren't only valuable for bullying victims, however — it can also be worthwhile to send a child who bullies others to therapy. If you've learned that your teenager is a bully, you may wish to consider finding a child therapist who specializes in such issues. Here are some advantages of arranging therapy for a bully.

Understanding Of His/Her Victims

When teenagers bully others, they seldom stop to think about what impact their actions might be having. A therapy environment can be illuminating to a bully, as the therapist can gently explain how bullying affects people. This is especially true if the therapist has frequently treated bullying victims. While the therapist will confidentially protect his or her other patients, he or she may also share some general ideas of what these people have gone through as a result of being bullied. Calmly listening to how bullying actually affects others may help your teen to change his or her ways.

Exploration Of Why

It's valuable for your teenager to understand why he or she acts as a bully to others. Often, teens won't know the reason, but therapy sessions can shine a light on this area. Many bullies bully others because they themselves were bullied. Your teen may decide that acting aggressive toward his or her peers is an effective way to repress the hurt that he or she holds as a result of being bullied by a sibling, older neighbor, or another child at school. The therapist will help your child to understand the reasons for his or her actions, and then discuss ways to heal these wounds so that he or she isn't causing this pain to others.

How To Positively Interact

Bullies may act cruelly to those around them simply because they don't know how to act. If a child's parents don't have a functional relationship, for example, he or she may mimic the behavior seen at home. In this case, family therapy may also be helpful. In therapy, a child who bullies others can learn how to positively interact with his or her peers. This is a safe and supportive environment for learning this beneficial information, and your child will be able to seriously make changes that turn him or her into more of a positive role model at school.