Bullying isn’t just for kids anymore. In the past 10 to 15 years, recognition has grown that bullying goes beyond taunts in the schoolyard. Adults can encounter it at work, “traditional” bullying is now enhanced and magnified by online or cyberbullying, and those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender

“Instead of thinking about bullying, we should think about belonging,” says Stan Davis, a researcher on peer mistreatment and school dynamics. The most effective way to combat school bullying is to work toward having students accepted by their peers, asserts Davis, a retired school counselor and child and family therapist

The U.S. Department of Education held its third annual Bullying Prevention Summit Aug. 6-7 in Washington, D.C. The American Counseling Association was among the education and advocacy organizations invited not only to learn more about bullying and the government’s anti-bullying efforts, but also to share their thoughts on the programs.