Triaging Cyberbullying: Protection, Intervention, & Prevention

Holli Kenley, LMFT

 “…cyber bullying concerns the interruption to and breakdown of ordinary relationships, not just those of bully or victim.”  (Spears, Slee, Owens, & Johnson, 2009)

“Technology is never the problem or the solution…behavior is.” (Hinduja & Patchin, 2012)

“…cyber bullying is a symptom of being out of balance with technology.” (Trolley & Hanel, 2010)

“Children experience a loss of empathy for others or lack of human regard for one another…” (Ang & Goh, 2010)

 “Cyber bullies and situations are rarely being assessed or therapeutically addressed…Children and youth are taught that their behavior is wrong, but their psychological needs go unmet...cyber bullies were frequently once victims of bullying…to help the bully work though the issues helps to stop the cycle." (Trolley & Hanel, 2010)

Our children are growing up on a diet of technology with immediate access to world-wide social connections. Because it has become such a normative behavior in our society for our children to have a cell phone, laptop, iPhone or iPad, etc., parents/guardians sometimes forget about the window of danger that is open to them. Typically, it is not until victims have experienced extreme humiliation through cyberbullying attacks or until the perpetrators have been identified that some action, if any, is taken. By the time clinicians and therapists see the victims or perpetrators and their parents/guardians, we are confronted with many challenges and complexities. Based on current literature as well as the most recently published works on cyber bullying, this workshop will describe a three part comprehensive, practical and effective approach to assessment and treatment - Protection, Intervention, and Prevention – and it will delineate specific strategies and tools to implement within each.

Goals and Learning Objectives:

Goal One: To acquire methods and strategies in protection from cyber bullying, the participants will:

1. explore the necessary safety measure to implement with technology.

2. examine specific practices to utilize in the parenting of a high tech generation.

3. familiarize themselves with educational awareness of a cyber bullying culture and the roles/responsibilities of each individual.

Goal Two: To acquire methods and strategies of intervention with cyber bullying, the participants will:

1. explore crisis interventions to implement with cyber victims, cyber bullies, and cyber bully victims.

2. examine avenues of intervention with specific strategies for each.

3. review the “System’s” approach (or team approach) as well as the “Holistic” approach as it applies to treatment of cyber bullies, victims, and bully victims.

4. review the role of support systems as they apply to effective intervention.

Goal Three: To acquire methods and strategies in the prevention of cyber bullying, the participants will:

1. examine practices to implement in our relationships with technology.

2. investigate practices to implement with our families and to incorporate in our relationships with others

Holli Kenley is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a California State Licensed Teacher. She holds a Master’s Degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling. She has worked in a variety of settings: a women’s shelter, a counseling center, and in private practice. Counseling with adolescents, teens, young and older adults, Holli’s areas of specialized training and experience include sexual trauma, abuse, addiction, codependency, domestic violence, betrayal, and cyber bullying.

Holli is the author of five recovery books including “Breaking through Betrayal: And Recovering the Peace Within” (2010); “Cyberbullying No More: Parenting a High Tech Generation” (2011); and her powerful memoir “Mountain Air: Relapsing and Finding the Way Back…One Breath at a Time” (2013).  Holli’s first novel, “Another Way” (2015) offers tweens to teens (and their parents/guardians) an empowering message of discovering, defining, and determining self-worth.  New, in her Second Edition of “Breaking through Betrayal” (January 2016), Holli addresses relapse as an issue of self-betrayal with a healing process for self-discovery.  

In addition to her work as a therapist and an author, Holli enjoys speaking at workshops and conferences. Over the past six years, Holli has been a five-time peer presenter at the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists’ Annual Conferences speaking on the topics of betrayal, relapse, cyberbullying and sexual abuse recovery.  Holli Kenley has been a guest on over 100 podcasts as well as on Arizona’s TV show Morning Scramble speaking on issues of wellness.  Prior to and during her career as a therapist, Holli taught for thirty years in public education.

MAP

Inland Empire Chapter of CAMFT is a CAMFT Approved CEU Provider Agency  Provider # 62278

CEU Hours: This course meets the qualifications for 2 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences

Certificates: Completion certificates will be awarded at the conclusion of the training and upon participant’s submission of his or her completed evaluation.

Refund Policy:  If a participant is unable to attend and notifies IE-CAMFT 24 hours in advance of the training, full reimbursement will be sent within ten (10) working days.

Grievance:  If any aspect of the training is not to the full satisfaction of any participant, please notify the coordinator, CEU committee chair, or another IE-CAMFT board member.  We hope to resolve any issue immediately on-site.  If not resolved, the full IE-CAMFT board will review and resolve the issue.

IE-CAMFT wishes all participants to have an excellent learning experience.  Please notify the coordinator or other board member if you need special accommodations.  If possible, call Garry Raley at (951) 640-5899 in advance.