Lovishka Kalawon
Biography
Lovishka is a Mauritian educator and counsellor with over a decade of experience in educational and psychosocial services, serving the Ministry of Education through the National Education Counselling Service. She holds a Master?s in Counselling, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Social Science), and a Postgraduate Diploma in Child Psychology. Currently pursuing her PhD in Psychology at the University of Delhi under the ICCR African Scholarship Scheme, her research explores bullied adolescents? lived experiences through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Her interests span developmental, educational, and social psychology, with a focus on trauma, resilience, and student voice. Trained in ACT, Childhood Assessment, and Art Therapy, she blends these approaches in her counselling and research, advocating for trauma-informed, student-centred mental health practices.
Research Interest
A research focus on the (un)lived experiences of bullied adolescents and their ?victim? self, using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis IPA.
Abstract
?Wounds without bruises: Hidden trauma and recovery in victims of school bullying?
Abstract :While school bullying is frequently perceived as a behavioural issue, its profound psychological and emotional ramifications remain insufficiently examined, particularly the latent trauma endured by victims and the intricate pathways to recovery. This presentation draws upon doctoral research employing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), as conceptualised by Jonathan Smith, to understand the (un)lived experiences of adolescents who have been victimised at school. Anchored in phenomenological epistemology and constructivist ontology, this study seeks to understand how bullying-related trauma is internalised, navigated and potentially transformed in the lives of young people. Seven participants (3 females and seven males) aged between 12 to 16 from Grades 7 to 10 were purposively selected, based on formal referrals for bullying-related issues from the school counselling services in Mauritius. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews designed to elicit rich narratives of suffering and resilience. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and the analysis followed a rigorous idiographic approach involving iterative reading, initial noting, development of emergent themes, and abstraction into cross-case superordinate themes. The study delineated five superordinate themes encompassing both trauma and recovery: (1) Fractured sense of self, (2) Silenced pain and the need to be heard, (3) Disrupted relationships and rebuilding trust, (4) Hypervigilance and emotional residue, and (5) Powerlessness to personal agency. The findings highlight that trauma from bullying is often invisible, yet profoundly embodied and enduring. Despite the hidden nature of trauma, adolescents demonstrate meaningful capacities for healing and develop substantial adaptive strategies through relational support, personal insight, and self-empowerment in response to prolonged victimisation. This study advocates for trauma-informed, culturally grounded school mental health practices and explores how youth-accessible digital tools, such as expressive writing platforms, anonymous reporting systems, and peer support networks can facilitate recovery by integrating care with compassion. By centring adolescents? voices, this presentation contributes to the broader discourse on innovating care in educational mental health by arguing for a shift from behaviour-focused responses to relational, empathetic, and student-led interventions.
