PPE CASE B PSYCHOLOGY: Helping the bullied

You are a school counselling psychologist working with a 13 year old boy, Mark. Mark's parents have separated recently and he is not coping with the changes that this has brought to his life. He is a quiet reserved boy and it has taken some time for his mother to persuade him to speak to someone.

Mark has just opened up to you about how he is feeling, but also about some texts he has been receiving from kids at his school.
These are upsetting him and the severity of their content is escalating.

He goes on to explain that the texts are really upsetting him and making him feel very down and helpless. Many of the texts include content relating to his parents break up and that the break up was all his fault. Lately he has been feeling very low and wondering whether life is really worthwhile.

You discuss with him the idea of you talking with his mother but he asks you not to say anything to anyone because he is afraid the bully's behaviour may get worse and he doesn't want to worry his mother at this difficult time for her.