Press Release - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Local Authors Shine a Light on Bullying in New Guide for Parents
Niagara Falls, ON: Imagine what it must be like to be the parent of a bullied child, to feel helpless after countless calls to the school to complain about the bullying behaviour, only to be told it has been taken care of. Imagine the hours that might be spent seeking out resources in the school or in the community to help a traumatized child recover from repeated incidents of bullying. How do concerned parents ensure that their child will be safe at school, maintain a balanced home life, and navigate the system to secure timely and appropriate support services for their child? Laurie Flasko’s daughter, Amanda was bullied through her final year of elementary school and into high school. The bullying was so severe that Amanda became ill, suicidal, and developed post-traumatic stress disorder. Bullying is Not a Game: A Parents’ Survival Guide details the Flasko family’s journey as they navigated the school, legal, medical, and mental health systems to secure a safe place for Amanda, and to move along the road to recovery.
In Bullying is Not a Game, Laurie Flasko and Julie Christiansen share practical advice and tips for parents on how to “get through and survive” the experience of bullying. Flasko and Christiansen acknowledge that bullying is becoming too much the norm rather than the exception in our schools. They also recognize that with more and more children taking their lives as a result of bullying, that society is at the tipping point, and radical change must take place in order for this trend to be reversed. “We hope that this new book will serve as a practical guide for parents of bullied children, to show them that there is hope, and that recovery is possible. We stress that the parents are their child’s best advocate, and provide a host of resources to help parents navigate the very muddy waters of bullying”.
Bullying is Not a Game is endorsed by Dr. Debra Pepler of York University who wrote the foreword. It also includes submissions from Barbara Coloroso, Niagara Regional Police Services, the District School Board of Niagara, the Distress Centre, the John Howard Society, and several community stakeholders and private practitioners who are concerned about the effects of bullying. The book will be released on May 29th, 2012 at White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa. This event is open to the public.
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Event Details:
Book Launch
Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at 7 p.m.
White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa
RSVP: www.angersolution.com or www.laurieflasko.com
For Interviews Contact:
Julie Christiansen
http://www.angersolution.com/
905-329-6169
Laurie Flasko
http://www.laurieflasko.com/
905-357-2345
Backgrounder:
• According to www.bullyingstatistics.org, Bully-related suicide can be connected to any type of bullying, including physical bullying, emotional bullying, cyberbullying, and sexting, or circulating suggestive or nude photos or messages about a person.
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in Canadian youth age 10-24
• Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University
• A study in Britain found that at least half of suicides among young people are related to bullying
• 10 to 14 year old girls may be at even higher risk for suicide, according to the study above
• According to statistics reported by ABC News, nearly 30 percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying, and 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying
• While relational or social bullying is the most severe and causes the most damage, research shows that most teachers without specialized training see relational bullying as the least severe form of bullying, and will most often do nothing to intervene when they see social bullying occurring
• Research demonstrates that “bullying results in ... severe psychological trauma and PTSD symptoms similar to those found in complex PTSD characteristic of battered women and childhood abuse” (www.raminader.com)
About the Authors:
Laurie Flasko - Laurie Flasko is a wife, daughter, sister, friend but her most important accomplishment is mom to a beautiful successful young woman. She is also a professional speaker, coach and trainer. She brings twenty years of experience in the fields of leadership, customer service, and teambuilding. Genuinely committed to the success of others, she inspires her audience to reach for extraordinary. Laurie is a member of Canadian Speakers Association as well as the National Speakers Association. Visit www.laurieflasko.com
Julie Christiansen - An internationally recognized speaker, and published author, Julie Christiansen brings close to 20 years experience in group and individual counseling. Branded as “Oprah for the Office” and “The Anger Lady” by her clients, she has been compared to the likes of Brian Tracy and Jack Canfield. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and a M.A. in Counselling Psychology, and teaches Psychology at George Brown College. Julie created the Anger Solutions™ Program, which is now in use in several cities across Canada and internationally. As an expert on anger and stress, Julie is a sought after guest expert for print, television, and radio media. Her passion lies in helping people to create radical, positive, and lasting change through her coaching, training, and corporate programs – all provided by her company, Leverage U. She is the author of several books including Getting Past Your Past (Audio), Anger Solutions, When the Last Straw Falls, and Anger Solutions by the Book. Visit www.angersolution.com or www.juliechristiansen.com.
