A Broken Heart's GPS Christian Counseling and Resource Center (856) 473-5937 lauri@abrokenheartsgps.org

  • Home
    • About >
      • What is Christian Counseling?
      • Our Statement of Faith...What We Believe
    • Lauri McNair, MS
  • Holy Hill
    • "I am_____by Design" Apparel
    • I.M.Maximized
    • Young Lives Matter >
      • Back to School >
        • Back to School Prayer
      • Helping Children Process Grief
      • A Warning for Parents
    • Zoe's Bakery of Hope >
      • The Truth about Chocolate
    • Joyful Melodies w/Abigail
  • Services
    • Articles >
      • Trauma >
        • Overcoming Emotional Incest/Parentification
        • Healing Inner Wounds/Emotionally Orphaned
        • Rejection
        • Shame
        • The Toxic Soul
      • Neuroplasticity and the Renewed Mind
      • The Danger of Pornography
      • The Power of Positivity
      • Offenses, Unforgiveness, and Bitterness
      • Angry with God
      • Prayer >
        • Fill My Cup, Lord
        • Serenity
        • Humility
    • E-counseling
  • Words of Life
    • God's Mighty Power Scriptures
    • Soul Food--Daily Meditations
    • Biblical Decrees
    • Healing Scriptures
    • Faith-building Scriptures
    • Deliverance Scriptures
    • Hope Scriptures
    • Love Scriptures
    • Child-like Faith Scriptures
  • Prayer
    • Prayer of Salvation
    • Testimonies!
    • Prayer Wall
  • Blog
  • Donate

Overcoming the Effects of Bullying

5/18/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture

​

"There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests: 
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family."

--Proverbs 6:16-19(NLT)

Recently I had an opportunity to talk with a mom of a tween who was the victim of bullying at a Christian school.   It was heartbreaking to hear that this polite, kind-hearted, and beautiful young lady had experienced repeated hair pulling, face slapping, and name calling.  The bullying became so intense and so excessive that the family transferred her to another school. 

What is Bullying?
​Bullying is defined as repeated aggressive behavior that may be verbal, physical or relational.  It involves the misuse of power to intimidate, humiliate, threaten, manipulate or control. It can occur in the classroom, playground, the mall, on-line or on a cell phone, or even in the home.  Bullying is a traumatic experience that can cause soul wounds at a young age.  These soul wounds can easily transfer into adulthood if not addressed. 

The Effects of Bullying
​Each and every child, who is gift from God (James 1:17), is born with a purpose and a destiny (Jeremiah 1:5).  Childhood bullying sends indirect messages to the victim that may cause him to draw erroneous conclusions about self-worth, self-value, and importance.  The enemy of our soul, Satan, often attacks in our youth in an attempt to alter our self-perception and derail us from our God-given destiny. His effort is to introduce doubt and bring confusion into our lives at a young age.  As adults, we are often endeavoring to overcome soul wounds and lies (we embrace as truth) that have their origin in childhood experiences.  For example, I recall a story that an adult sibling shared concerning his sibling getting "beat up" in elementary school.  This unresolved traumatic event wounded the sibling so deeply that the individual continues to struggle with issues of bitterness and rejection.

​It is important not to minimize the bullying.  It can lead to the following:
* Depression
* Anxiety
​* Social isolation and withdrawal
​* Poor school performance
​* Sleep and/or appetite disturbances
* Fear
​* Poor self-esteem
​* Feelings of inferiority
* Anger
* Self-numbing/desensitization


Overcoming Bullying
So, if you have a child who is the victim of bullying--or if you are an adult who was the victim of childhood bullying, how do you move beyond it? 

1.  Address it!  There are many wonderful programs and resources in schools, communities, and on-line that can help children and their families deal with the effects of bullying. 

​2.  Talk about it.  Help your child identify and name the pain associated with the bullying.  Give them the words to express their emotions. 

3.  Name the pain. If you are an adult who experienced bullying as a child and are having difficulty moving beyond it--go back.  As an adult, give the pain a you experienced as a child a name.  "I was embarrassed." "I felt ashamed." "I still feel angry."  "I felt ignored by the adults in my life."  "I wondered, what was wrong with me?" 

            Words and self-expression give us our power back. 

4.  Know who God says you are, and believe it!
​     Psalm 139:14, Isaiah 43:4, I Peter 2:9

​Prayer for Overcoming Bullying
​Father, I pray for every victim of bullying.  Help them to know that the bullying was not their fault.  May they see themselves as you see them.  Remove the pain; heal every wound.  I pray that they would make a decision to forgive the bully. Cause them to walk in victory and triumph. In Jesus' name, Amen.
​
 
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    November 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    Categories

    All

    Picture

    Author

    I am a wife, mother, and Christian counselor who believes that God can heal and restore our broken hearts and put us on the road to wholeness, purpose, and productivity in our lives when we follow and trust his "GPS".

               2022 abrokenheartsgps.org.   856-473-5937    "Finding our way--through God's love."
Photos used under Creative Commons from di.fe88, S.Hart Photography, SFB579 Namaste, Mr.TinDC, fuzzysaurus, Christian Frausto Bernal, Sharon Mollerus, O.S. Fisher, Laurel Fan, Kashif John, Jake.Christopher., ajari, star5112, Transformer18, Steve Slater (used to be Wildlife Encounters), eliduke, jDevaun.Photography, phalinn, pedrosimoes7, he who would be lost, Peter Daniel, Barrett Web Coordinator, DrewTM, katerha, kt.beyondperception, iluvcocacola, US Department of Education, spratmackrel, Strength, 76Winger, ToGa Wanderings, RLEVANS, Kitty Terwolbeck, VinothChandar, miguel_discart_photos, shawnchin, SFB579 Namaste, mrhayata, WestonEyes, quinn.anya, FutUndBeidl, Sapphire Dream Photography, Pink Sherbet Photography, akeg, Cydcor, Ray200260, commanderjaygold, forum.linvoyage.com, mikecogh, frankieleon, Mary Anne Morgan, Macro-roni, armanayva, abodftyh, US Department of Education, eflon, anna gutermuth, iamme ubeyou, Đây chỉ là cái kho chứa hình, mkfeeney, quinet, Bernd Thaller, the_light_house_photography, Denkrahm, LyndaSanchez, honorbound, Gerry Dincher, プらチナ, ajari, SamHawleywood, akio.takemoto, KiltBear, Frank Lindecke, Amy McTigue, E. Krall, B_earth_photos, MarkDoliner, Keira Meira, h.koppdelaney, Nicholas_T, Alex Mueller's Daily Photo, --v, aellin, Mark Illand, torbakhopper, Llima, State Farm