No Name Calling Week

 

No Name Calling Week is
January 21-25, 2019

 

 

The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) started the No Name-Calling Week as a week to end name-calling and bullying in school. It is an ambitious undertaking and clinicians in CBH realize that despite these great attempts, bullying and name-calling is still a very real experience for many students. Bullying can take many different forms – there is direct and indirect bullying as well as physical and verbal bullying. Bullying can occur over the most basic things, like wearing certain clothes or saying things in certain ways. Bullying can often be geared towards shaming kids about aspects they have no control over, such as appearance or financial status. No matter what the topic, being made fun of for something is never easy and could be dangerous. Even worse is that bullying can occur at someone’s fingertips via the internet and online bullying.

According to stopbullying.gov, between 25-33% of U.S. students have stated that they have been bullied in school (Facts About Bullying). There is almost always immediate feelings sadness and shame that comes from bullying but there are often long-term effects too. Children and adolescents often develop depression and anxiety, have more health complaints, and also have decreased academic achievement.  Going to school can have a negative feeling associated with it. It is supposed to be safe for them to grow and learn, rather than become a place they are ridiculed and harmed. However, there are not only negative effects on the bullied. Those who bully can also have long-term negative effects, such as: a higher likelihood of abusing alcohol and drugs, a higher likelihood of having criminal convictions and traffic citations as adults, and also a higher likelihood of being abusive towards future romantic partners, spouses, and children.  We need to provide a space for both the bullied and those who bully to receive guidance and counseling on how to best handle the school environment.

The Center for Behavioral Health at Spalding University (CBH) wants to create a safe and warm space for those who have been bullied and who bully to come and be heard. At the Center, we can work with those who are bullied, creating individualized strategies to help manage bullying experiences. No child should be scared or nervous to go to school – we want to be able to provide children with tools to handle such negative experiences. Not only can we work with children in the Center, but we also offer out-reach to local schools and present on services that can help all school-aged children.  For any additional information about our services for children and adolescents, please contact us at [email protected] or call at 502-792-7011.

Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.

-Eleanor Roosevelt