MedCircle Original Series

Arming Parents in the Fight Against Cyberbullying

140,000 kids stay home from school each day due to a fear of cyberbullying. Here are the hidden signs of online harassment—& strategies to help kids & teens.

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Series Overview

What to Know About Cyberbullying & Why It’s So Widespread in Schools 26 Min

Dr. Dom and Dianne Grossman kick off the series by breaking down what parents and loved ones absolutely need to understand about cyberbullying in today’s generation of children and teenagers. They break down the key differences between “traditional” bullying and cyberbullying. Dianne shares Mallory’s story and why cyberbullying can lead to such drastic mental health outcomes like self-injury and suicide.

How to Spot Symptoms from Cyberbullying & Handle the Situation Sensitively 29 Min

Dr. Dom, Dianne, and Kyle explain the neurological impacts of cyberbullying on children, and why it affects them more deeply than it would an adult. They also discuss why kids bully in the first place, and how to teach empathy to children. They also shed light on the telltale signs that a child or teenager is a victim of online harassment—even if that child or teenager is trying to hide it—and how to communicate with them once you spot those signs.

How Parents, Schools, & Peers Can Help Victims of Cyberbullying 17 Min

Spotting the signs that your child or loved one is a target of online harassment is one thing. Understanding how to combat cyberbullying, and ensure a positive mental health outcome for your child or loved one, is another. This session walks through how both siblings and parents can best support victims of cyberbullying in the short- and long-term. Kyle, Dianne and Dr. Dom also share how the educational and online landscapes need to change in order to fight the destruction of cyberbullying.

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You can get free access to all 3 segments of this video series when you become a MedCircle Member. You’ll also get access to weekly virtual workshops and more than 900 educational and inspiring videos. 

About the Series

More than 140,000 children stay home from school every single day due to a fear of cyberbullying. With the rise of social media, cyberbullying is quickly becoming an epidemic in today’s schools.

While it takes place online, the mental health impacts are real. More than 40 percent of victims develop symptoms of social anxiety, and at least 30 percent develop symptoms of depression. Additionally, more than 25 percent of victims report self-harm and thoughts of suicide.

There are immediate social and behavioral impacts, too; studies suggest that academic performance, athletic performance, and the ability to socialize are all diminished in the children and teenagers who are victims of cyberbullying.

Dianne Grossman deeply understands the impacts that cyberbullying can have on children and families. Dianne is a mother and anti-bullying advocate who lost her 12-year-old daughter Mallory to suicide. Mallory was a victim of cyberbullying—so Dianne has dedicated her life to ending this destructive epidemic of online harassment.

In this critical series, Dianne sheds light on how to spot the hidden signs of cyberbullying, how to teach children and teenagers resilience and empathy, and how to improve the mental health outcomes for children and families alike.

Child & adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Domenick Sportelli also joins this important dialogue. He treats suicidal thinking and self-harm in children who have been victims of online harassment every day; in this eye-opening series, he shares his expertise from the front lines of this widespread crisis.

The internet is a tricky and complex landscape for many parents and supporters, so the telltale signs of cyberbullying are often easy to miss. This empowering series arms parents and families with strategies to spot the signs of cyberbullying, effectively communicate with their children and loved ones, and help victims rise above this pervasive and debilitating form of online harassment.

Who is this series for?

This series is for parents and family members of those who may be victims of cyberbullying. They will learn to spot the hidden signs of cyberbullying and how to help their child or loved one cope.

This series is especially helpful for teachers who need actionable strategies to support a child or teenager who may be a victim of cyberbullying.

“Speaking out is more than just keeping Mallory alive...there’s a lot of children out there that feel like Mallory did. We’re not promised a quantity of life, we’re promised quality of life… and I think it’s so important that the quality of Mallory’s life, even though I only got 12 years—imagine the legacy she can leave behind. I am nothing more than just the vehicle that does that in telling Mallory’s story.”
- Dianne Grossman

In this series, you’ll discover:

  • How cyberbullying affects a child or teenager on a neurological level, why many victims may re-live the harassment over and over again, and why it impacts their resilience in the long-term
  • Why cyberbullying poses a separate set of risks to this generation of children and teenagers compared to “traditional” bullying
  • How to spot the emotional, physiological, and behavioral signs that your child or loved one is being cyberbullied
  • How to open the lines of communication with your child or sibling if you suspect they are a victim of cyberbullying—without accidentally pushing them away
  • When to seek outside intervention for cyberbullying, and how to do it in a way that supports rather than embarrasses a child or teenager who is the target of online harassment

“If you don’t teach [interpersonal skills], kids who bully tend to become adult bullies. [But] you can stop this. That’s the most important thing. You can teach empathy, you can absolutely teach those interpersonal skills to a child.”

Double Board Certified Psychiatrist, D.O.

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Start Watching This Series Now!

You can get free access to all 3 segments of this video series when you become a MedCircle Member. You’ll also get access to every video series from the MedCircle doctors.