Maryville Confronts Bullying

Maryville recently gathered social services providers and others working with children, adolescents and their families to talk about bullying, what it is, the harm it can do and what resources are available to those who need it.

“We must protect our children,” said Maryville Executive Director Sister Catherine M. Ryan, O.S.F. “We know that bullying is traumatic and its effects can be pervasive. We are all becoming aware of the powerful effects of social media and cyberbullying, which means this issue has the potential to become a much bigger problem.”

Maryville’s Jen School and the Stephen Sexton Training Institute hosted renowned bullying expert Carrie Goldman, author of Bullied: What Every Parent, Teacher, and Kid Needs to Know about Ending the Cycle of Fear.  Participants in the program discussed the definition of bullying and how it differs from normal social conflict; the effects of bullying on the brain for both the target of bullying and the aggressor and the value of restorative practices, instead of punitive practices, in response to bullying behaviors.

“We have been providing services to children and families who have experienced trauma for decades and we are available to help those who have experienced bullying,” said Cheryl M. Heyden, director of the Stephen Sexton Training Institute.

Maryville’s Family Behavioral Clinic in Des Plaines provides behavioral health services and therapeutic counseling to children and their families, specializing in the needs of children, adolescents, young adults and their families. Individuals seeking information or help with issues of bullying or other trauma or behavioral or mental health issues may contact the clinic at 847-390-3004 or go to www.familybehavioralhealthclinic.com.