Ana María Andreu and her work empowering victims of bullying

Empowering Victims: The Approach of Guatemalan Psychologist Ana María Andreu Against Bullying

After witnessing the bullying her daughter endured in 2009, Guatemalan clinical psychologist Ana María Andreu dedicated herself to understanding the factors that shape and fuel school bullying. Today, she is the Director and CEO of Pienso Puedo, an initiative that helps children, adolescents, and adults develop personally and socially by providing support for learning and disciplinary challenges.

Her work has impacted hundreds of people over the years. “In general, and in all areas—social, family, and academic—bullying has been addressed by blaming, condemning, or punishing the ‘aggressor’ (the bully), but without working on the victim’s ability to respond or react. Through the application of a structured training program, I have seen firsthand how victims can stop bullying by properly managing their emotions, learning to face and resolve conflicts, overcoming fear, discouraging aggression with positive responses, improving their body language, and strengthening their character.”

Victims Are Not Just Victims

For Andreu, “victims are not just victims,” and their reactions can sometimes escalate bullying rather than resolve it. “Feeling anger, showing fear, or displaying sadness are common responses, but they often make the situation worse rather than solving it. Identifying these triggers and working on them so that the victim feels empowered, does not run away, and instead faces and resolves the issue—that is the key. Our program teaches individuals to treat everyone as a friend, even those who act as enemies,” she explains.

Andreu highlights the ‘Bullies to Buddies’ program, created in 2005 by Israeli psychologist Izzy Kalman, in which she serves as a representative for Latin America. The program is built on eight key rules that guide children and their families in understanding and effectively addressing bullying:

Refuse to get angry.
Treat everything you hear as if it came from your best friend.
Do not attack.
Do not defend yourself.
Do not show fear.
Do not complain.
When someone hurts you physically, show your pain but not your anger.
Do not be a sore loser.

According to Andreu, the Pienso Puedo model transforms not only the immediate bullying situation but also the victim’s overall outlook on life. It also influences the people around them. Through another initiative, Criando con Amor y Lógica (Parenting with Love and Logic), the center supports parents in disciplining their children in a way that is respectful, responsible, and engaging.

“This is a different way of seeing and addressing the problem. No one is talking about empowering the victim—everyone continues with the traditional anti-bullying approach, even psychologists. We urgently need new strategies that give relief and solutions to the millions of children and teenagers who face bullying every day. This is not an anti-bullying program; it is a victim empowerment program.”

Expanding a Culture of Peace and Respect

Pienso Puedo, which offers a free webinar for parents and adults once a month, has worked with over 6,000 children. The initiative has expanded to schools in Guatemala and is also present in Chile, Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Colombia. The ultimate goal, Andreu emphasizes, is to replace a culture of violence with one of peace, tolerance, and respect.

Finally, she notes that Pienso Puedo was founded 31 years ago and provides guidance and information through http://piensopuedo.com/ and the helpline +502-52011900.