Abstract
This paper examines four published articles and one chapter in a textbook that reports results from research conducted in counseling sessions involving bullies, the bullied, and others affected by bullying. Reality Therapy (RT), Choice Theory (CT) and Bullying Prevention Programs (BPP) are examined to see their effect on clients becoming autonomous in directing their actions. School shootings have brought to light the effects of bullying and bullying seems to be occurring at epidemic proportions. Studies are needed on how to effectively counsel those involved in bullying so that they can reassess and learn methods to choose better actions to prevent bullying. This paper compares the research along with Glasser’s RT/CT to have counselors and clients examine their own struggles and how specific procedures can lead to changes in behavior. The process allows the clients to move in a direction of getting what they want while stepping away from the world of bullying. It also allows the counselor to teach clients how to make substantial connections with others and how to determine if better choices are possible. Keywords: bullying, RT/CT, BPP

A School Counselor’s Approach to Combating
Bullying Using the Choice Theory and Reality Therapy Katy Perry once said, “People talk about bullying, but you can be your own bully in some ways. You can be the person who is standing in the way of your success, and that was the case for me.” (Perry, n.d.). RT and CT used in conjunction can be effective tools to help not only the bully but also the bullied. RT was first introduced by William Glasser in the 1960’s. He was a psychiatrist at a prison and school for girls operated by the California Youth Authority. (Corey, 2013). Glasser believed after working with the clients that he would be more effective as a psychiatrist to focus on the “sane part of clients rather than the disturbed part.” (Corey, 2013, pg 334). In the early 1960’s, Glasser began to give lectures on what he called “reality psychiatry” but found that more educators and social workers attended his lectures rather than psychiatrist. After conducting many lectures, he changed the name to reality therapy. Educators at that time found his work to be influential and helpful and liked the idea that schools should be structured so that students had a “success identity” rather than a “failure identity.” (Corey, 2013). “He advocated for a curriculum geared to the lives of learners.” (Corey, 2013, pg 334). By the 1980’s, after significant work with schools in all fashions, he sought out a theory that would work with RT. He found the control theory founded by William Powers. Over the next ten years, he studied and molded the theory and eventually changed the name to choice theory. “The essence of reality therapy, now taught all over the world, is that we are all responsible for what we choose to do. “ (Corey, 2013, pg 334). In 1988, Robert Wubbolding came on board with Glasser as director of the William Glasser Institute. Robert had been in counseling education for more than 30 years and was looking for what method best suited his interest. He attended several intensive training sessions with Glasser before being named director. He has since traveled abroad and presented numerous workshops, books, and lectures on RT and CT. “The heart of reality therapy is learning how to make better and more effective choices and gain more effective control.“ (Corey, 2013, pg 254). The use of RT and CT have been used within the last ten years to help control bullying within the school setting. RT and CT have been found effective to not only help the bully stop bullying but also assist the bully’s family and the victims of bullying. The following journal articles summarize some studies where RT/CT have been effective tools and support models to use when working with bullying in the school setting.
Literature Reviews In Butler et al.’s (2008) summary of bullying, he discussed the use of CT and RT within the family structure to combat bullying. Rather than have the school alone, try to deal with the issue of bullying, the family plays a more integral role in identifying why bullying is occurring and how to stop the bullying and move forward. This literature study focuses on the bully and his/her family. This study was conducted using CT/RT strategies to link school and family involvement in counseling of bullies. The article provides a model comprised of the following stages: structuring change, changing the story, and solidifying change. The results were that when families and schools worked together to combat bullying, there was more success. The implications for school counselors are that the family structure affects the bully and creates a new method for identity formation and bullying cessation. In Beebe et al.’s (2011) summary of bullying, she discussed the use of CT and RT in facing the prevalence of bullying, the impact of bullying, prevention, education and intervention of bullying, and counseling the bully. (Beebe et al.’s, 2011). According the research, “We all have emotional triggers and tough kids have an uncanny ability to locate and activate them.” (Beebe et al.’s, 2011, pg 37) This study was conducted using CT and RT to provide information on working with school bullies in counseling. This article provided background information on the prevalence of bullying and described the effects of bullying on both victim and perpetrator. Implications for the school counselor suggest that the CT/RT approach will provide a practical example of how to work with a bully in counseling. With the recent outbreaks of school shootings, CT/RT approach to bullying may inhibit future tragedies. (Beebe et al.’s, 2011, pg 33). In Kim’s (2006) summary of bullying, he used CT/RT in a bullying prevention program in Korea to focus upon victims of bullying and how to prevent it. Participants in the study attended the program for 2 sessions per week for 5 consecutive weeks. The ten sessions focused upon children analyzing themselves and choosing the best situations through CT. They then evolved to participants that focused upon behavior changes and how to interact with others so not to be bullied. The article provided documented evidence of a control group versus a group that went through sessions CT/RT related BPP. The results indicated that the BPP improved self-responsibility of the bully and reduced victimization of the children being bullied. (Kim, 2006) The implications for school counselors are that the CT/RT approach to a BPP allows for a reduction in bullying. In Robey et al.’s (2011) summary of bullying, college students used CT and RT to assess troubled youth. The authors found that using the CT/RT approach with challenging youth allowed the counselor to teach his client skills to obtain autonomy and learn self-responsibility. Implications for school counselors suggest that the CT/RT approach will enhance counseling skills as well as empathy for clients. The independent studies encouraged youth to self-examine and become responsible for their own actions. Robey stated, “ Each time I work with an adolescent an see that “light bulb” look of discovery light up, I know that the adolescent did not fully realize how much choice he or she had to influence his or her challenging situation.” (Robey et al.’s, 2011, pg 88). The independent study revealed how an experiential approach is effective in building trust with clients.
Methods
In Butler et al’s approach to combat bullying, the school therapist works with the bully and the bully’s family using CT/RT to stop instances of bullying that occur. This study took place in three stages. In stage one, the therapist meets with the entire family and use techniques to join against bullying, mark boundaries, and settle any unbalances of power within the family structure. (Butler et al.’s, 2008). In stage two, the therapist meets with the parents and child individually to externalize why the child is considered a bully. Questions are asked to help the parent and child see that the child is a “competent individual, to capitalize on inner strengths, and to better prepare for a future problem resolution.” (Butler et al.’s, 2008, pg 27). In stage three, the therapist works with the child and the family to identify outcomes of CT and RT to stop bullying. According to Beebe et al’s (2011), when counseling the bully, we as counselors need to be aware of how own experiences shape our perception of events. Once we realize our perceptions, we are more likely to be able to filter what we learn about our clients through memories of our own events. (Beebe et al’s, 2011). In order to do this, we as counselors need to create a relationship with “the bully” which includes an “awareness of his developmental stage, socioeconomic status, culture, and other environmental factors that influence choice.” (Beebe et al.’s, 2011, pg 37). Through the use of CT and RT, the counselor focuses more on a solution rather than on the problem of bullying. The counselor uses CT and RT to ask the client what he wants, what they are doing to get what they want, evaluate whether what they are doing is working, and create a plan to meet his needs. When Kim (2006) conducted his research in Korea, he set up a BPP with ten sessions. All sessions involved group counseling which is rarely done when using CT/RT. In each session, participants worked together using CT/RT strategies to learn how to overcome victimization of bullying. In session one, counselors worked with the bullied children to help them establish a feeling of belonging. In sessions two and three, the group focused on choosing better situations and pictures of reality. (Kim, 2006). Session four focused upon learning the five basic psychological needs: survival, belonging, power, freedom, and fun. Once the needs were learned the group went through assertiveness training on how to obtain those needs. This training took place in sessions five, six, and seven which really focused upon behavior, self-control strategies, and cooperation. The last three sessions really focused upon the victims of bullying establishing how to become their new selves by communicating what they want and inviting peers to play. Pre and post self-responsibility test were used in the findings. When Robey et al.’s (2011) conducted their research, they spent 240 hours each working with clients applying the RT/CT strategies. The focus of the study was to see how RT/CT worked with challenging youth. The sessions focused upon clients turning the blame for their actions onto themselves and developing their own agenda for how to handle situations. It involved quite a bit of self-analysis and really pushed for autonomy for each client.
Findings
All four studies had similar significant results for the bully, the bullied or the family of the bully/bullied. It was found that the CT/RT approach to combat bullying was an effective tool by allowing the bully to assess better methods to control his actions and allowing the bullied to develop the skills necessary to avoid situations that might lead to being bullied. One study even provided resources for the family of the bully to learn how to cope and use more assertive methods to quell bullying by their child. Butler et al’s (2008) study found that through the three stages: structuring change, changing the story, and solidifying change that family intervention using RT/CT was an effective method to help overcome bullying. The model advances family therapy by approaching it from a systemic perspective. (Butler et al’s, 2008). As it was implemented it allowed the school and families to collaborate their efforts in overcoming bullying. “Consequently, positive results of treatment may materialize quicker and last longer than conventional methods.” (Bulter et al’s, 2008, pg 28). Beebe et al’s (2011) study found that when working with the bully in a counseling setting, a theoretical and practical example like the RT/CT approach can be proactive in addressing the systemic influences that support bullying. “An estimated 160,000 students skip school because they are afraid of being bullied.” (Beebe et al’s, 2011, pg 40). Many of those students do not believe that teachers are interested in stopping bullying behaviors and many victims feel as though school staff does not respond well when they observe bullying. (Beebe et al’s, 2011). In this study, it was found that collaboration of working with families, communities, and social contexts is essential for successful outcomes. The RT/CT approach can help counselors address social boundaries, diversity and other relevant topics to help the bully and bullied strive for autonomy and self-evaluation. Kim’s (2006) research found that those enrolled in the BPP using the RT/CT approach demonstrated significant higher self-responsibility than did the participants in the control group. “The findings of this study indicate that the bullying prevention program for children bullied was an effective intervention for reducing the victimization of children bullied, especially related to bullying situations at school, as well as in the classroom.” (Kim, 2006, pg 8) Overall the study was a success, however it only analyzed the effects right after the study was complete. To be more effective results should be analyzed 4-8 weeks after the study was performed. (Kim, 2006). In order for RT/CT to be effective, people need to take charge of their own lives rather than being victims. (Corey, 2013). Robey et al’s (2011) study found that when working with challenging youth the RT/CT model provides for an example of contextual learning and insight. This study allowed the counselors to enhance counseling skills, understanding and empathy for clients. “An experiential approach to skill development is effective in building trust and encouraging students to challenge themselves in the learning process. (Robey et al’s, 2011, pg 88). Bullies in these case studies were able to self-assess and were moving forward to become more autonomous in their actions. The RT/CT approach was very effective.
Conclusion
“Bullying appears to be at epidemic proportions and is damaging to bullies as well as to victims and those who witness episodes of bullying.” (Beebe et al’s, 2011, pg 40). RT/CT models allow counselors a method to counsel the bully, bullied and others affected by bullying. RT/CT approach along with BPP’s give the client the ability to assess themselves and change their own behavior. RT/CT is an effective tool to help combat bullying. The goals of RT/CT therapy include behavioral change, better decision making, improved significant relationships, enhanced living, and more effective satisfaction of all the psychological needs. (Corey, 2013, pg 254) RT/CT provide an outlet to help fight bullying. “Simple peck-order bullying is only the beginning of the kind of hierarchical behavior that can lead to racism, sexism, ethnocentrism, classism, and all the other 'isms' that cause so much suffering in the world.” (Butler, n.d). According to research RT/CT models used in counseling can be effective tools to help the battle against bullying.

References
Beebe, Jennifer E.; Robey, Patricia A (2011). The prevalence and psychological impact of bullying on adolescents: an application of choice theory and reality therapy. International Journal of Choice Theory & Reality Therapy, 30(2), 33-44.
Butler, John L.; Lynn Platt, Rhi Anna. (2008). Bullying: A family and school system treatment model. American Journal of Family Therapy, 36(1), 18-29.
Corey, G (2013). Reality Therapy. In S. Dorbin & N. Dreyer(Eds.), Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. (pp. 333-359). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Jong-Un Kim. (2006). The effect of a bullying prevention program on responsibility and victimization of bullied children in Korea. International Journal of Reality Therapy. 26(1), 4-8.
Katy Perry quote. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2015, from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/k/katyperry596483.html?src=t_bullying
Olivia Butler quote. (n.d.). Retrieved November 30, 2015 from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/o/octaviaeb646145.html?src=t
Robey, Patricia A.; Beebe, Jennifer E.; Davis Mercherson, Alishia; Grant, Gwendolyn. (2011). Applications of choice theory and reality therapy with challenging youth. International Journal of Choice Theory & Reality Therapy. 31(1), 84-89.