Therapy for Teens Experiencing Bullying & Cyberbullying
Bullying can affect so much more than what happens at school. It can impact a teen's confidence, friendships, relationships, sense of belonging, and the way they see themselves.
I work with pre-teens and teens who have experienced bullying, cyberbullying, exclusion, rumors, and difficult peer relationships, providing a space where they can feel heard and process what they've experienced without judgment.
In-person therapy in hermosa beach + virtual therapy throughout California
Bullying doesn't always look obvious.
The Impact of Bullying & Cyberbullying
Bullying isn't always one obvious incident. It can include repeated teasing, rumors, exclusion, friendship manipulation, humiliating comments, group chats, social media posts, or other experiences that leave a teen feeling targeted or rejected.
Over time, these experiences can affect self-esteem, relationships, trust, school, and emotional well-being. Some teens may experience increased anxiety, depression, isolation, or difficulty feeling like themselves around other people.
Therapy can offer a space to make sense of these experiences without minimizing them, while helping pre-teens and teens rebuild confidence, strengthen their sense of self, and navigate relationships in ways that feel healthier and more secure.
How Therapy Can Help
My goal isn't to tell teens how they should handle bullying or peer conflict.
I want to understand what the experience has been like for them and help them feel less alone in navigating it.
Depending on what your teen is experiencing, therapy may focus on rebuilding self-esteem, processing difficult peer experiences, identifying supportive relationships, navigating anxiety or depression, strengthening communication and boundaries, and developing greater trust in themselves.
You can learn more about my overall approach to working with adolescents on my Teen Therapy page.
Why This Matters to Me
Bullying and cyberbullying are areas of my work that are deeply meaningful to me. My connection to this work began through my own experience with severe cyberbullying as a teenager. That experience ultimately led me to begin speaking to students about bullying, mental health, and suicide prevention.
For more than 10 years, I've spoken with students and communities about these topics, including through a TEDx Talk, and my advocacy work was recognized with the national Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award.
Today, as a therapist, I bring both that lived perspective and my clinical experience working with children and teens into the therapy room. I know how significant these experiences can feel during adolescence, and I believe young people deserve to have their experiences taken seriously rather than dismissed as “drama” or something they should simply get over.
Bullying Impacting
Mental Health
Bullying can also have a significant impact on mental health.
I am comfortable supporting teens experiencing concerns such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and significant emotional distress related to bullying experiences. When safety concerns arise, such as suicidal ideation and self-harm, they are taken seriously and addressed appropriately within treatment.
