We had an anti-bullying assembly this week at the middle school where I work. As I watched clips of the Columbine and Virginia Tech shooters on the screen, I was horrified but also reminded of the deep wounds our words and actions can create. I was bullied in 7th grade by 2 girls who for whatever reason thought it justified to bully me in math class. They would say that I wore the same pants too often and the would talk about me to each other (loudly) so I could hear. I remember feeling miserable. What did it matter to them that I wore the same pants often? They were obviously insecure about themselves—enough to pick on me in order to make themselves feel better. They would buy the latest and greatest clothes to compensate for a lack of depth as individuals. Whatever the reason, there is NO excuse for bullying and that’s something I feel strongly about and want to address throughout my career in schools and working with adolescents. According to stats, 2/3 of students who are bullied become bullies. The Columbine and VTech shooters were bullied in school; one of the Columbine shooters was bullied because of his sexual orientation. Next thing you know, they’re shooting people. Sure, there may be other factors that influenced them to react the way they did but, nonetheless, the fact that they were bullied and targeted specifically those who bullied them as their initial targets, speaks volumes. After I was bullied in 7th grade, I myself became a bully. I harassed a girl (cyber-bullying) via email. The reason was really immature; she was dating my really good friend (who I had a crush on). After that, I had to see a guidance counselor who helped me understand what counseling/therapy should NEVER be (on a side note). So I know from personal experience that this IS the case. Those bullied do become bullies often—they feel empowered by the bullying they’ve experienced to pick on people they view as weak. I’m obviously not proud of what I did but as adolescents, we do REALLY stupid things and I have a laundry list that would take me a decade to document. Now that I’m in a position of authority as a mental health expert on a school campus, I am making it a priority to address and tackle these issues with my clients.