Psyched About School

October is National Bullying Prevention Month , a time when schools and communities across the country come together to raise awareness and promote kindness, inclusion, and safety for all students. As your school psychologists, we want to take this opportunity to open up a conversation about bullying—what it looks like, how it affects students, and what we can all do to help prevent it. What Is Bullying? Bullying is more than just conflict or “kids being kids.” It’s unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. It can take many forms: Physical (e.g., hitting, pushing) Verbal (e.g., name-calling, teasing) Social (e.g., spreading rumors, exclusion) Cyberbullying (e.g., harmful messages or posts online) What makes bullying especially harmful is that it’s repeated over time, and it can leave lasting effects on a student’s mental, emotional, and even physical well-being. The Impact of Bullying As school psychologists, we see firs...