Liz is a trained cognitive behavioral therapist (CBT), and she uses CBT to help her clients challenge negative thought patterns and behaviors that may have been caused by bullying. She also uses REBT and EMDR to help her clients process their emotions and trauma. If you are seeking a psychotherapist to assist with trauma from bullying, Liz comes highly recommended by her clients. She is a compassionate and experienced therapist who is adept at healing the wounds of bullying and empowering you to reclaim your life.
Bullying Online Therapy or Virtual Consultations
Liz Chelak, MSW, CCTSI, CRPS is a highly-rated clinical therapist in West Palm Beach. She uses evidence-based targeted interventions and trauma-focused therapy to help clients heal from the negative effects of bullying. By using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a therapy approach that combines clinical and lived experience, Liz empowers her clients to improve their overall well-being.
Bullying therapy with a clinical therapist or counselor can translate into positive changes in all aspects of your life, including your personal and professional relationships, your sense of self-worth, and your ability to navigate difficult situations with confidence and resilience.
Bullying can have severe and long-lasting effects on your mental and emotional well-being. As a form of trauma, bullying can lead to a range of negative consequences. These can impact all areas of life, including personal and professional relationships. The aftermath of bullying can manifest in various ways, such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, which can take a toll on one’s overall quality of life. Liz has earned the reputation of providing her clients with the support and tools to overcome bullying trauma. You, too, can overcome the trauma of bullying and lead a fulfilling, healthy life.
What Is Bullying?
Have you ever been subjected to any of the following behaviors:
- Yelling or shouting
- Calling you derogatory names
- Making negative comments about your physical appearance, cultural background, or family
- Wrongfully blaming you for something
- Spreading rumors or gossip about you
If so, these are all examples of bullying. Bullying can happen at school, the workplace, or a social gathering. Bullying occurs frequently online these days. Bullying is unfortunately a common experience that many people face at some point in their lives. Bullying can take a serious toll on your mental health. It is a traumatic experience that can lead to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when it happens repeatedly.
Trauma from bullying can result in:
- Decreased confidence
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Feelings of loneliness and isolation
- Eating disorders
- Relationship problems
Whether bullying happens during childhood or adulthood, the symptoms of bullying can be long-lasting. Fortunately, there are experts like Liz who specialize in identifying and treating the trauma caused by bullying. With her help, many clients have been able to heal and move forward.
Embrace Healing The Power of Trust in Therapeutic Relationships
“In my experience, the most effective aspect of therapy is the therapeutic relationship. Establishing trust between a client and clinician is the first step to healing.”
How to Stop Bullying?
People of all ages and backgrounds may fall victim to bullying at various points in their lives. However, there are certain skills and interventions you can learn to stop bullying. The top WPB trauma therapist for bullying can provide assertiveness training to empower you to stand up to bullying behavior and advocate for yourself and others.
Some ways you can stop bullying include:
- Learning to set and enforce boundaries
- Improving social and communication skills
- Increasing social support
How to Prevent Bullying?
Preventing bullying is a collective effort that involves educating ourselves, fostering empathy and compassion, and holding ourselves and others accountable for their actions. Preventing bullying involves creating a safe and inclusive environment where everyone is treated with respect.
Some ways we can prevent bullying include:
- Educating ourselves and others about bullying and its effects
- Communicating openly about our experiences and learning to listen empathetically
- Increasing awareness of one’s self including strengths, hobbies, and interests
What Is Bullying at the Workplace?
Bullying in the workplace can include:
- Verbal abuse such as yelling, belittling, or name-calling
- Physical intimidation such as slamming doors, throwing objects, or making aggressive gestures
- Intimidating behavior, such as setting someone up for failure or assigning impossible tasks
- Overloading an individual with an excessive amount of work that is unreasonable or impossible to complete within the given timeframe
- Criticising someone’s work without offering constructive feedback
Work bullying can be traumatic. It is a serious issue that can harm the mental and physical health of employees, as well as their productivity and job satisfaction.
What Are the Causes of Bullying?
According to the psychological perspective on bullying, the root causes of this behavior can be attributed to:
- Personal insecurities and low self-esteem
- A need for power and control over others
- Exposure to violence or aggression in the home or community
- A lack of empathy or understanding of others’ emotions
- Cultural or societal norms that condone or encourage aggression or dominance
- Individual or environmental stressors, such as financial or job-related pressures
- Mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety, can affect a person’s ability to regulate their emotions and behavior.
Bullying is never the fault of the victim. If you have been bullied, trauma therapy can help you regain your self-esteem and practice assertiveness skills.
How to Deal With Workplace Bullying?
Bullying in the workplace can be a traumatic experience for the victim, and seeking help to deal with the effects of the trauma is important. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can be an effective treatment approach for individuals who have experienced bullying at work. Our therapists are highly skilled and experienced trauma specialists based in West Palm Beach, known for their exceptional ability to help clients heal from the trauma of bullying. They specialize in utilizing evidence-based approaches, such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, to effectively address the impact of bullying on mental and emotional health. Many clients have reported significant improvements in their well-being after working with our counselors.
CBT can help individuals:
- Identify and challenge negative thought patterns related to bullying
- Develop coping strategies for managing your emotions
- Build self-esteem and confidence to overcome the effects of the trauma
What Are Different Types of Bullying?
Various forms of bullying can take you by surprise, but it’s crucial to recognize that none of them are acceptable.
Different types of bullying can include:
- Verbal bullying: This includes name-calling, teasing, and making negative comments about a person’s appearance, culture, or family.
- Physical bullying: This involves physical harm, such as hitting, punching, shoving, or other forms of physical aggression.
- Cyberbullying: This is bullying that takes place online, through social media platforms, email, text messages, or other digital platforms.
- Social bullying: This type of bullying involves excluding or isolating someone, spreading rumors or gossip, or damaging a person’s reputation.
- Sexual bullying: This includes sexual harassment, making sexual comments, or any unwanted physical contact.
- Workplace bullying: This is bullying that occurs in the workplace, such as being belittled, criticized, or excluded by colleagues or superiors.
Liz Chelak, MSW, CCTSI, CRPS is a highly skilled trauma therapist in WPB who specializes in identifying and addressing the various effects of traumatic bullying on her clients’ lives. With her extensive knowledge and experience in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, Liz can help you overcome the negative effects of bullying and regain control of your life. She understands that each case is unique, and will tailor her recommendations to your specific trauma symptoms. Her clients have described her as the most empathetic and relatable therapist in the area, making her a top choice for those seeking healing from traumatic bullying.
What Is Social Bullying?
Humans have a basic need for social connection. That’s why social bullying can be particularly traumatic, as it attacks an individual’s sense of belonging and acceptance.
Social bullying can include:
- Spreading rumors
- Excluding someone from a group or activity
- Name-calling
- Mocking someone
- Making fun of someone’s appearance
- Using social media or technology to harass or embarrass someone
Social bullying is a prevalent cause of bullying trauma that can cause lasting emotional harm and negatively impact one’s self-esteem. However, with the help of a therapist, it is possible to work through the challenges of social bullying and develop healthy relationships.
What Is Verbal Bullying?
Verbal bullying can be just as harmful and traumatic as physical bullying.
Verbal bullying can include:
- Repetitive negative comments
- Yelling
- Criticizing
- Name-calling
- Insults
- Teasing
- Threatening language
Verbal bullying can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. It is important to address and stop verbal bullying in all settings, including schools, workplaces, and social situations.
Can Bullying Cause Trauma?
Yes, bullying can cause trauma. Victims of bullying may experience emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the ongoing abuse. It’s important to seek help from a mental health professional if you or someone you know is experiencing the effects of bullying.
What Approaches Do Therapists Use to Support Clients Who Are Experiencing Bullying?
Therapists can assist individuals who have experienced traumatic bullying in challenging their:
- Negative self-beliefs
- Attitudes towards others
- Negative beliefs about the world
For people who are currently experiencing bullying, your therapist can help you build assertiveness skills to improve boundary setting and communication.
One approach to achieving this is cognitive behavioral therapy for bullying.
I love using my extensive experience in CBT to help my clients recognize and overcome the cognitive distortions that result from bullying, identify negative beliefs, and reframe those beliefs into more positive and empowering ones.
Can Therapy Help With Bullying?
Therapy for bullying can truly make a significant impact on your life.
With the help of a skilled therapist, you can:
- Increase awareness of how bullying has affected your belief systems
- Learn techniques to change those unhelpful thoughts into more positive and productive ones
- Begin feeling more positive emotions
- Improve your behavior patterns by creating boundaries and cultivating assertiveness
It’s important to acknowledge that we may not always be in control of our initial thoughts, but through therapy and consistent practice, you can develop better control over your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By working with a therapist who creates a safe and nonjudgemental environment, you can gain the tools and skills necessary to overcome the negative effects of bullying and lead a more fulfilling life.
Do Victims of Bullying Need Therapy?
Therapy can provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals to process their experiences, develop coping strategies, and build resilience. It’s important to seek help from a mental health professional if you or someone you know is experiencing the effects of bullying.
By working with an empathetic therapist such as Liz Chelak, MSW, CCTSI, CRPS, victims can:
- Gain a deeper understanding of the symptoms of bullying trauma they are experiencing. This can include anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and difficulty trusting others.
- Develop coping strategies
- Decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Improve self-esteem and confidence
- Learn skills to improve interpersonal relationships
I am dedicated to working closely with you to identify and understand the symptoms of bullying trauma you may be experiencing. I take the time to listen and develop a personalized treatment plan that aligns with your individual needs and goals. With my extensive training and experience, I can utilize the most effective and evidence-based trauma therapy interventions for bullying trauma, ensuring that you receive the best possible care and support on your healing journey.
Does My Bully Child Need to Go to a Psychologist?
It’s important to understand that children who bully often have their own mental and emotional challenges they are struggling with.
Therapy for children who bully can be effective in helping your child:
- Identify the root cause of acting out behavior
- Gain a deeper understanding of their emotions and behaviors
- Learn coping skills for negative emotions
- Learn more effective ways of communicating and interacting with others
By developing emotional intelligence, bully children can replace hurtful behaviors with more positive and respectful ones, leading to healthier relationships and improved well-being.
Do Psychologists Have to Report Bullying?
Whether a psychologist has to report bullying depends on the specific circumstances and the laws and ethical guidelines in the psychologist’s jurisdiction. In general, psychologists have a duty to report bullying if it poses a serious and imminent threat to the safety or well-being of an individual or if there are mandatory reporting laws in their jurisdiction that require them to do so.
However, if the bullying does not meet these criteria, psychologists and therapists may maintain confidentiality and work with their clients to address the issue in a therapeutic setting. It is best to consult with a licensed psychologist or review the laws and ethical guidelines in your jurisdiction for more specific information.
How Long Does Therapy Take for Bullying Therapy?
The length of therapy for bullying can vary depending on the individual and the severity of their experience. Some people may see improvements after just a few sessions, while others may require longer-term therapy to fully heal.
It’s important to work with a qualified therapist who can provide personalized treatment and support throughout the healing process.
Some factors that may affect the duration of therapy for bullying include:
- Level trauma symptoms
- Treatment plan goals and objectives
- Individual client’s level of effort and dedication
Our therapists are committed to providing personalized care to each client, tailoring their approach to fit their unique needs and goals. They will work with you to create a treatment plan that addresses the specific symptoms of bullying trauma that you are experiencing.
Whether you need short-term or long-term therapy, I will help you determine the best course of action based on your situation. The duration of therapy is different for every person, and we will work together to ensure that you receive the support you need for as long as you need it.
How to Find a Good Psychologist for Bullying Therapy?
A skilled therapist trained in trauma therapy is crucial in helping you overcome the negative effects of bullying. A therapist with personal experience of bullying can provide invaluable insights and understanding of your struggles and goals. A good therapist for bullying should have a proven track record of helping victims of bullying improve their self-esteem and confidence. It’s important to find a therapist who has experience working with bullying victims and can provide a safe and supportive space for you to heal and grow.
What Are the Goals of Bullying Therapy?
At the Trauma Therapy Center, we prioritize your personal goals when working with you. We will provide guidance and education on how therapy can help you achieve those goals and collaborate with you in creating an individualized treatment plan.
The goals of therapy for bullying may include:
- Developing assertiveness
- Increasing self-esteem
- Learning to set and enforce boundaries
- Acquiring tools to prevent future bullying incidents.
With the help of a therapist, you can work towards these goals and develop a more positive and empowered sense of self. Contacting a licensed clinical therapist or psychologist may be a good way to help you overcome bullying or youth violence. For more information on bullying trauma therapy with a licensed therapist utilizing evidence-based interventions in West Palm Beach contact us. Together you and your therapist can identify healthy strategies to improve the overall quality of your life and functioning.