Dance/Movement Therapy: Bullying Prevention in Schools

Over the past two decades, Rena Kornblum has introduced her violence prevention curriculum in over 300 schools with 90% of the teachers reporting positive gains in their classrooms. In this informative ADTA talk, Rena explains why dance/movement therapists are in a key position to positively impact individuals who are targets of bullying, those who do the bullying and those who witness the bullying and are not sure what to do about it. Dance/movement therapists work with the body on self-regulation, spatial awareness, self-assertion, empathy, activation under stress and managing strong feelings safely - all of which are integral to violence prevention.
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Rena Kornblum, MCAT, BC-DMT, DTRL, brings over thirty years of professional experience as a dance/movement therapist to her therapy and prevention work. She developed the children and family program at Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy, where she is currently the Executive Director. She initiated an in-school program in which she provides therapy sessions for children dealing with physical and sexual abuse or other trauma as well as violence prevention classes for entire classrooms. She also coordinates an undergraduate certificate program in "Introductory Studies in Dance/Movement Therapy" at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has been lecturing in the Dance Department for over 30 years.
Rena has written a book called "Disarming the Playground, Violence Prevention Through Movement and Pro-Social Skills" and edited two training DVDs by the same name, all of which describe her prevention curriculum in detail. Research on the effectiveness of her violence prevention curriculum has been published in The Arts in Psychotherapy, a peer-reviewed academic journal. She conducts workshops and trainings on her work internationally and her writings on the subject of DMT with children have been published in books on the creative arts and nonverbal therapies.
Rena received the 2002 Wisconsin Dance Council Research and Journalism Award, the 2005 Distinguished Service Award by the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education and the 2009 American Dance Therapy Association Excellence in Education Award. She is licensed in the state of Wisconsin to practice psychotherapy specifically through the expressive arts therapies.
"Disarming the Playground, Violence Prevention Through Movement and Proc-Social Skills" can be purchased via ADTA's online store: tinyurl.com/kce...

[@sarahbitter8010]

I think what is really impactful about this approach is that it is for all people involved in a bullying environment - the bully, the person who is bullied, and the bystanders. This shows that everyone plays a powerful role in bullying prevention.

[@oliviapolich451]

Working with Rena in the schools has opened my eyes to how important this curriculum is and how impactful in can be in a classroom!

[@jamiemccoy9920]

Dance Therapy - Rena is my teacher and she did an amazing job with her speech. I loved how she talked about bullying and how dance movement therapy can help and even stop bullying to occur. Rena is amazing.

[@victoriaruiz1440]

Bully prevention is so important and seeing the impact that DMT has on cases like the one presented is inspiring. Getting to Volunteer with Rena has been such an honor as I have seen how these skills that are taught to the kids help them both in and out of school. From empathy training to help them be more aware to being an active bystander. Great talk Rena!

[@JAYDENRATHER]

I really love this story that Rena shares about the new student and how she deals with the bullying she is encountering. Not only did the victim of bullying develop strategies to deter the bullies and feel empowered, the bullies also received empathy training in attempt to ensure this situation did not continue.

[@TheBesttify]

I really liked the idea of asking the bully how they would feel if they were in the victim's position. Most bullies usually don't realize the harm they're doing (at a young age), and if they do, it might help prevent them from being mean to many students/friends. Thank you for sharing great ideas about how DMT can be effective in bullying prevention.

[@justinmagnus8567]

I've heard this story in person, but this is one of my favorite Rena stories. It shows that DMT has real world applications and has proven to make a child's life better. Three boys making fun of one girl is not a good thing and I hate to hear that things like this happen. But I am happy that this story has a happy ending. By learning empathy and other DMT bully prevention techniques, the little girl has the tools to conquer her bullies.

[@rebeccaalterson1644]

I had the privilege of hearing this story in person. I think it is super important to learn about self-awareness, empathy, and proactive intervention strategies in order to prevent bullying. Rena does a very good job at bringing emotion up through this story through in depth description of what your body would feel like. Dance Movement therapy is super important to build connections in the classroom in order to develop empathy for others to diffuse bullying situations.

[@emilysprague5532]

Developing self-awareness is something that I still work on as a 20 year old, so I can imagine how useful this would be for children. Rena offers so many great strategies and learning experiences for kids to grow from.

[@peytonbohn1309]

Rena is my professor at my university! So cool to watch this! I love how this is advocated and that Rena is passionate about this topic. Great talk Rena. Kaylee's story was great to picture the emotional and developmental skills to end bullying in schools.

[@MICHAELKEEFE-h2y]

I really liked how Rena uses her own experiences to illustrate the backbone for her violence prevention techniques. It makes her techniques so much more vivid and help to remember. Her use of body signaling is so important to be able to make a smart response to adverse circumstances like bullying.

[@JACKIEHAWES-l5d]

I have volunteered with Rena and the violence prevention curriculum, and I have seen some of its effects. It's amazing to see how these techniques can create change in children's behavior. I really like how Rena takes time to always talk and focus on the people who are doing the bullying.

[@sarahbitter8010]

I definitely agree! It has been really cool to see first-hand the effects of these bullying and violence prevention programs.

[@TrinityTompkins]

I was particularly struck by how dance therapy can help children develop not only emotional resilience but also physical confidence. The idea of using movement to build self-awareness and empower kids to stand in their power is incredibly impactful. I love how this approach addresses bullying from a holistic perspective-helping children navigate their emotions, understand their own boundaries, and communicate confidently without words.

[@OliviaMendez-s8s]

I am currently in Renas DMT class and I am always amazed at the violence prevention program she has created. I have seen first-hand the work that she does in schools, and it is very impactful.

[@NicoleMontanezAlicea]

I agree! Programs like hers are crucial for helping children develop empathy and healthier ways to express their emotions. It’s wonderful to know that effective strategies are being put into practice to create safer and more supportive environments for children.

[@chloedruckrey779]

After being involved in this learning and training, it was super nice to hear the lovely Rena explain her bullying prevention program. I thought her example was beautiful and showed how impactful DMT can be for children in bullying prevention.

[@lboyer7441]

I use Rena's techniques in my own dance/movement therapy work with children and can attest to the effectiveness. Rena, thank you for your wonderful contribution to our field!

[@elisakeefner6616]

Rena teaches my class at the University level, and the work she teaches is so important for children to be empowered and to help with bullying. Kayley’s story is inspiring because she gradually was able to work up the courage and ask for help to take on the three bullies.

[@WeAreComingHome]

Great talk, Rena! I think one of my favorite aspects of this violence prevention program is that it teaches skills to ALL students, no matter how directly or indirectly involved they are in a bullying situation (ie. the bully, the target, and the witnesses). This program is incredibly comprehensive, and weaving it together with Kaylee's story helps to illustrate its effectiveness.

[@chloedruckrey779]

I also think that this is a super special part of the bullying prevention program. Each child can benefit from learning theses tools and being able to recognize them.

[@jakegarvey9751]

It is amazing to see how many different ways there are to reach the equivalent response as you would when being firm with a bully. This is very important as everyone is different and has different strengths, weaknesses, and comfort levels

[@WeAreComingHome]

I agree with you completely. When we had the chance to practice the activity of approaching and responding to a bully in class, I found that I had an extremely difficult time being assertive but was able to give a compliment or point at something as a distraction with ease.

[@rocman92]

One thing that the speaker said that would be really valuable for everyone to utilize is that kindness is the best solution for dealing with bullying. The story of the ten year old student getting bullied and using kindness to overcome was extremely powerful. Although the empathy training was also helpful in the transformation of the bullies, the act of kindness was just as powerful. I learned if you keeping bottling up your emotions and have no one to talk to that speaks out through your non verbal communication. Which is exactly why the 10 year old girl began drawing pictures of her being harmed after being bullied.

[@jennamao4639]

I have volunteered with Rena and the violence prevention curriculum and have seen some of its effects as time goes on. It's great to see how these simple techniques can create change in children's behavior. Dance/movement therapy continues to expand and I hope this practice can be shared in more and more schools across the country

[@elizabethjohnston2192]

I have seen Rena's work firsthand through volunteering in her Violence Prevention Program, and it is truly amazing. The impact it has in the schools is incredible, and I have learned so much about dance/movement therapy and working with children from the experience!

[@justinmagnus8567]

I am learning Rena's techniques right now and I am very happy to hear that they work for people other than Rena. She is a great teacher and wrote a great workbook so it does not surprise me that others have had success with her techniques!

[@abigailanderson7894]

I agree. I am in one of her classes at UW-Madison and have learned so much from her already. She really teaches by being/doing

[@emilysprague5532]

Rena is amazing at what she does! I love learning from her as a college student. She brings engaging and creative activities for sessions with kids in schools. Her activities are fun, while still teaching kids very important lessons that may help them for the rest of their lives. This story is just one of many success stories cultivated by her work. Her bullying prevention program would be very useful in any school, but especially for those that are struggling with bullying problems.

[@natalies1583]

Through my volunteering with Rena in Madison elementary schools, I have seen many of these techniques worked on and successful in not only creating classroom unity but enabling people who are bullied with self help techniques and re-channeling bullies anger. This work is so powerful for helping bullies who often have chaotic and unstable home situations that provoke the need to feel power and control for many of these kids somewhere else in their life. Without tools or support, many of these children channel their need for control in unsafe ways such as bullying at school. I think this kind of therapy that targets both the victim and perpetrator at a young age is innovative and preventative for many issues adults face. I'm so thankful to have such a great opportunity studying under Rena.

[@shaunashrewsbury827]

I’ve had the great opportunity to volunteer with Rena in elementary schools where she implements her prevention techniques. Over the time of two semesters I can personally give testament to seeing these techniques work within the classroom as a whole, and also on an individual basis. Rena’s use of mirroring in this type of setting is very effective - it becomes a game for the children, while also building a nonverbal relationship between one another, and creating an empathetic relationship as well. As a dance teacher for underprivileged youth, I’ve used some of Rena’s smaller movement techniques for bullying prevention with some of my toughest students to see great results. I’m so lucky to have had the experiences of working with Rena!

[@CourtneyJoKuhnQ]

I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with Rena over the last two years, and I have seen firsthand the impact that her violence prevention curriculum can have in schools. The methods she uses are aimed at creating empathy and respect in children. By approaching prevention on a more holistic level, the goal is to help an individual become more integrated. Her mirroring exercises, exploration how to safely express emotions, and others, are ones that I have seen make major differences in the classroom. I have used several of Rena's methods in my own teaching, I have become increasingly more excited about the vast potential that Dance/Movement Therapy can have.

[@morganpeters2214]

Yay! Go Prof! I loved hearing this one in person, but hearing it a second time even brings more appreciation for the idea of the lunch bunch for the victim. It blows my mind how little training a school receives on empathy considering childhood is the foundation of developing and teaching empathy.

[@KaylaFuller-25]

I love the concept of the inequality of power. It makes so much sense that there is a power imbalance between the bully and the person being bullied because otherwise the person being bullied would not feel trapped in the situation. Watching Rena go into schools to work with children has been incredibly impactful.

[@NicoleMontanezAlicea]

I agree with your thoughts on the concept of power inequality in bullying. It’s a crucial aspect that highlights why victims often feel trapped in those situations. The imbalance of power can create a sense of helplessness, making it difficult for them to escape or stand up for themselves.

[@TrinityTompkins]

The concept of power imbalance really highlights why bullying can feel so overwhelming for the person on the receiving end. It’s not just about words or actions, but about the feeling of being trapped in an unequal situation. Watching Rena work with children in schools is truly inspiring-it’s incredible how dance/movement therapy can help both empower the victim and create a sense of safety. Her approach really demonstrates how important it is to address these power dynamics and provide kids with the tools to feel confident and resilient.

[@abigailanderson7894]

Amazing talk Rena!!!!!!

[@victoriaharris4061]

Rena, you're assigning us to watch one of your talks! One thing that really stuck out was that bullies have a power differential, whether it be size, relational ("popular" vs "unpopular"), or quantity (3 vs 1). Empathy training such as mirroring and space awareness can have an impact on bullies. Relating this information to what we learn in class can potentially de-escalate and hopefully eradicate bullying or the reason for bullying.

[@TheBesttify]

I was shook when I saw Rena on the thumbnail! Amazing teacher! And same here, I realized most bullies who don't feel as powerful stick in groups. They could also potentially be victims themselves at times.

[@btranson8535]

Having had the opportunity to work with Rena and her dance movement therapy techniques for the past year and a half it is very exiting to see this talk. It is very amazing to think that I have seen these techniques in person and how successful they are. Personally I have seen the behavioral change in students that have been in the prevention classes. In this talk I think it is very important how she explains bullying and that the students take the prevention classes together to understand the roles that are played.

[@m.sweetnam6883]

A quote that stood out to me in this talk was that DMT “works with the whole person: movement, creative process, and verbal communication... based on the premise that how we hold, move, and feel in our body reflects our emotional well being, and that changes on a movement level can affect our total functioning.” This was exemplified in the school bullying scenario laid out, and how Kayleigh was able to shift the situation with her bullies by using a strengths based intervention that took her whole being into account, her comfort level, and external tools available to her. It was powerful to hear how her intervention ended up turning around the behavior of two of the kids that had been targeting her.

[@karlieknoll2241]

I love how in the Kaylee example, not only was it important to focus on the bully, but also giving Kaylee a support system. As she was a new student to the school, she had not yet made those connections with her peers like would have been their as a bystander to stick up for her. Deescalating bullying requires the work of everyone involved: the bully, the victim and the bystanders. Making this an entire school effort was a great way to give Kaylee a supportive network while continuing to work with the bullies on building some of this empathy.

[@isabellafarris]

I was intrigued by wanting to watch this video simply by the title. We had talked about the importance of having dance/movement therapy in schools in my DMT class, and wanted to know more about the effectiveness of it to a younger crowd. I liked when she talked about the idea of mirroring. It was interesting to hear how the kids completed this exercise. hearing that they wanted to mirror exactly how the other person was doing it. We did this exercise in my DMT class as well. it was very beneficial to getting a feel for the other persons thoughts and how they might be feeling that day. Its very touching to hear that these kinds of things can decrease bullying and to express more love.

[@missjessielaine]

It's great to see how dance therapy can help teach children how to have positive interactions. Empathy training brings awareness to children and I can definitely see how this can bring real changes in schools. In my non verbal communication dance class we discussed how techniques such as mirroring can help people become more aware and sensitive to other's emotions and needs. What I enjoyed most about this video was the fact that the little girl confronted her bullies with kindness. What a great way to empower a kid!

[@jordandahlhauser3294]

I have heard this story directly from Rena, but I love hearing how DMT could have such a drastic impact on this young girl's life. I think it is really powerful to give the girl control over how she was going to handle the bullies. This gives her control over an aspect of her life that she didn't think she would have. Also, by supporting her through this time, she was able to be more confident and make positive changes in her life.

[@chloedruckrey779]

I agree with this. Rena's story is very impactful and it doesn't lose its weight each time it's told. I love that she intertwines the ideas of DMT within her story.

[@MADISONLEINENWEBER]

It is so interesting how Rena is able to meet an entire group where they are, given that all the individuals show up with different backgrounds and feelings on any given day. DMT has the ability to work through probelms and gain empathy by bonding with rhythm and movements

[@teresaflores6468]

Bullying is a very serious problem, and I am thrilled to hear that movement can be such an alley to preventing it. I worked as a middle school dance teacher for 2 years and I knew that some of my kids suffered from bullying. It was apparent in the way they carried themselves, how they spoke, their choices about were to stand in the room, etc. Even then, I realized how therapeutic it was for my little dancers to be able to belong in the school's dance team and I could see them glow in the dance room versus seeing them out on lunch break. This was 5 years ago and at the time I was only 19 years old. Now that I am older and continuing my dance formation, I came across the information that there is actual therapy dance in my nonverbal communication class and that there is an actual difference between dance class and dance therapy. I am grateful to find there is actual clinical dynamics to preventing bullying in schools because if my dance classes (that were not dance therapy classes) did good to the students, I could only imagine what actual movement therapy could do for them.

[@alicynstephens9136]

I have loved getting to learn about this topic and prevention program that Rena integrates into her Dance Movement Therapy class. I have learned so many helpful things getting to volunteer in schools using her prevention program with her!

[@marleehalbach4643]

I like how Rena states that dance movement therapists can do prevention work as well as therapy. I think the prevention work is just as important as the therapy. I like the example of Kaylee because it really made me put myself in her shoes and think about what I would do if I was in her situation. I like the idea of using a weekly lunch bunch to help. I think this was a very effective solution to make sure Kaylee was safe, and gave her an opportunity to make new friends.

[@NicoleMontanezAlicea]

I appreciated the insights shared about using DMT as a tool for bullying prevention. One idea that resonated with me was asking the bully how they would feel if they were in the victim's position. This approach can help young bullies recognize the impact of their actions, potentially steering them away from harmful behaviors. It's impressive to see the various strategies available to address bullying effectively, especially since everyone has different strengths and comfort levels. This flexibility is crucial for finding the right approach for each situation. This is particularly important, bullying cannot be overstated, and it's encouraging to learn how movement can serve as a powerful ally in preventing it. A quote that stood out to me emphasized that DMT "works with the whole person; movement, creative process, and verbal communication." By having this holistic approach, more conflicts can be prevented and solved through DMT.

[@skymy89021]

The story told was very moving and helpful to be able to understand and visualize how prevention and training works. Strategies to deter bullies and feel empowered were interesting to learn and see how it worked.

[@ethantaylor5234]

Definitely shows hows DMT can help to reduce bullying at all levels! I really enjoy how Rena includes that the DMT is not just for the individuals being bullied, but that it includes the bullies and the bystanders as well. Very interesting to see how DMT can help victims stand up for themself, bystanders speak up, and bullies contain and control their bullying tendencies. Great Talk!

[@m.sweetnam6883]

I agree! I hadn't as much been paying attention to the ways that dance/movement therapy provides tools for people bullying to learn their own warning signs and control their violent or bullying behaviour. I appreciate Rena going in more depth about how it can improve people's self control and healthy impulse management

[@marleehalbach4643]

Great point! It is nice that it's not only beneficial for the victim, but beneficial for the bystanders and the bully itself. This is very effective and should be used more and more.

[@danijelafechushak767]

The idea that empathy starts in the body stuck out to me. I never thought about it but when you are empathetic with others you often read their body language that is what triggers the empathetic reaction from you. This thought of reading body language and identifying emotions through the bodies responses is an important idea with empathetic develeopment.

[@bekahsmith5461]

Yay Rena! What a great class and a great talk. I love that I can pass these ideas on to my mom who is an elementary principle.

[@valerycavadini8047]

As an aspiring DMT making my way through graduate school and internship right now, this was a great video to watch. I am interested in working with children, in a school setting, and these approaches she discusses feel attainable. It was also really interesting to hear about the empathy training!

[@angelamaximo2285]

I like how this speaker identifies dance/movement therapy as psychotherapy as it utilizes a holistic approach like movement, creative process and communication to benefit a person mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Many people tend to overlook these aspects of dancing as many just do it for fun--which is great--but again, certain aspects of dancing/movement are so overlooked. I admire how this can be used for kids who have been bullies, who are bullies and who are bystanders. This goes to show that dance/movement is for all, not just a certain population who is in need of healing. I remember when I was bullied by 3 boys in elementary school, two of which would team up; one would do physical harm (kicking, slapping my face, pulling my hair, kicking me in the crotch) while the other would say mean things (call me ugly and other names). If I had known dancing was going to give me the confidence I needed to stand up for myself while simultaneously offering me the expressive outlet to release the hurt, I would have done it a long time ago.

[@matthewphamm]

Being a tutor for 4 years, and a future teacher, what Rena Kornblum discusses is highly relatable to me. Her story of the young student's experience regarding bullying resonates to me because so often, schools overlook the cues of bullying. Not is it when something drastic happens, in the instance of Kaylie and her drawn picture, does the school react. Rena suggests the boys who bully her have empathy training, and on the other side of Kaylie, have her eat lunch with a group of students for her to make friends. She also teaches those who bully to mirror those who are being bullied. This technique helps the perpetrator understand, whether a lot or a little, the situation and emotion the victim may be feeling. The one thing that I think Rena touches upon that I highly agree on is that schools should be more vigilant and educate their students about bullying. This will help decrease the rate of bullying in the long run.

[@recreationtherapy8431]

I learned that dance/movement therapy integrates movement , creative thinking process and communication. As the speaker stated, it reflects our emotional well-being. The interesting thing is that dance/movement therapy can also be a prevention resource. Dance/movement therapy uses a non-verbal prevention approach to bullying. The focus group are bullies, victims of bullies and bystanders of bullying. This is helpful for school settings. It’s was amazing learning that dance/therapy can be used for prevention.

[@hannahsabourin7322]

I hope the violence prevention program can spread to even more schools throughout the country as I know this would've been impactful in my experience with bullying. It is wonderful that Kailey's story had a positive ending, however, many do not and this is a great way to change that.

[@abigailanderson7894]

I agree!

[@fransheskamartinez7906]

I found this video interesting because when bullying is present n life many individuals grow up due to this issue. Bullying a serious subject that can affect in once body and mind. Movement Therapy has helped in many ways and has helped individuals to heal all the pain and problems are experiencing. This technique creates unity, community and it allows people to be in a safe environment where they can feel free to move and talk calmly and honestly.

[@alejandrajuarez9553]

I never thought of using dance therapy to stop bullying before. For starters, I appreciated the way that this situation was handled. Having dance therapy for the bullying victims and the bullies were the smartest thing to do. Interestingly, the dance therapy helped Kaleigh find her voice and learn to diffuse and be assertive and confident with others. With the bullies, they learned how to calm themselves and how to have more empathy towards other people. Overall this was an exciting and innovative way of handling this situation.

[@EmmaBenewich]

I like the concept of how we hold our body based on how we are feeling. I feel like we do not realize that we do this, but it is one of the ways that people around us can decipher our emotions without actually talking to us. Having a powerful stance may show that you are confident and are self-assured, meaning you may be less likely to be targeted by a bully.

[@TrinityTompkins]

I completely agree! Our body language speaks volumes about how we feel, often without us even realizing it. It's amazing how something as simple as posture or a powerful stance can convey confidence and emotional strength. This non-verbal communication can truly influence how others perceive and respond to us, which is especially important in situations where we may want to project self-assurance or avoid being targeted.

[@levoniarose1613]

This is amazing, thanks for posting!

[@stephaniekressin8360]

Bullying is a huge problem, especially in schools. I work with children and stories similar to Kailey's are sadly not uncommon. DMT is a great way to build self-awareness, empathy, and proactive intervention strategies and is a great tool for stopping bullies and for bullies to stop bullying.

[@marsmeetsmagic]

As someone who grew up being bullied due to my body. I was born with cleft lip and symbrachydactly, so it was a pin point target that people could point out. Now, why I say this is because this story makes me realize that bullying prevention in this notion, I feel is an effective solution to prevent and stop bullying. It's something that I wish I had when I was younger. But, in regards to Kaylee and her comfort level, I was very similar in regard, and still am in sorts. I have issues with being direct about issues, and tend to just be friendly about things. This reminds me of the different types of efforts-- strong, light, direct indirect etc. Now, what I love the most about this speech is the map Rena noted about working with the kids-- mirroring, etc. Teaching the ones who bully how to empathize I imagine seems like a difficult thing to do, but with the way Rena has explained the situation, it's clear that kinesthetic empathy should be taught to kids at a young age.

[@makaylatuomi4215]

This brings together the different units we have covered so far in class, such as the 4 B's, empathy, and even spatial awareness, to help address a major issue present in schools across the country.

[@julesredlinger8199]

I have never heard of empathy training before this, but I am very intrigued by it. DMT definitely sounds very important and able to help individuals understand each other and their own bodies. It seems like a way to help people comprehend their own actions and the emotional state that it causes in both themselves and others. Coming up with other ways to help a child is also very important as it gives them some control and keeps them within their own comfort level.

[@BayleyREHMAN]

I like how Rena explains that DMT can not only help the child that is being bullied but also the bully and bystanders. I have personally worked with Rena in the classroom and can confirm that her curriculum on Bullying prevention has helped many children that I have participated in DMT with.

[@Randomvideoposter00]

A very fascinating talk that address a key issue of social bullying in school! Back when I was a little kid in school, I also used to be a victim of bully since I entered school at an earlier age so I was always the smallest kid in the class (an easy target to pick on). As I grew older, I have also witnessed bullying or borderline bullying that happened to other kids but I never knew how to stop them. Busy adults don't usually catch on these things or they may think it is not important and just let it slide. Rena gave a very good example of how Kaylie was very affected by the bullies and how through DMT, she was able to conquered her fear and made her situation better. Rena also mentioned how empathy training can teach the kids valuable lessons which can help in stopping school bullying. It's very crucial for the kids to learn to sympathize from an early age because bullying can severely devastate the victim, that is why you see young high school students committing suicide everyday and it is not just high school students, it can be anyone. There need to be more program like the empathy training and affordable therapy sessions for the victims in order to help them heal, build their confidence and able to defend themselves from the bullies later on.

[@bredioni6577]

Working with this topic in class and comparing it to the video, I find it to be even more clearer how dance therapy can be used with bully prevention. Helping the individual to tune into their body and learn how it carries certain emotions, can assist the individual in addressing situations that causes a negative impact on the mind and body.

[@azucenajamayca1881]

It is nice to see that dance movement therapy can help prevent bullying in school. I likes how they point out that they work with the bullies, the ones that get bullied and the ones that witness the bullying to teach them social skills and avoid bullying in any shape or form. Bullying is a power thing that can change a person’s concept of a healthy relationship. However, dance movement therapy diminishes that and it creates a safe and self-awareness among the individuals.

[@christopherwlasichuk1306]

I was excited to watch this because I was curious to see how dance mvmt. therapy would coincide with bullying, and it was surprising to see that being friendly toward the bullies helped the child. By allowing the Dr. to work with the students in dance movement therapy, the students were able to work better together.

[@justinmagnus8567]

Yeah, at first I wouldn't think that DMT could help bullying prevention. I thought DMT was more of a healing experience for the individual. But it also has the power to heal others and change how one acts towards others. I am glad that DMT was able to help unify a class.

[@elisakeefner6616]

It sometimes is hard to make the connection between DMT and bullying, but Kaylee’s story and the use of the statue really helped her.

[@miasteinhauer5037]

I really connect with the idea that the way we hold our bodies depends on how we are feeling. If you shrink smaller, or don't hold your body in a confident way, you are a better target for bullying. If we hold our bodies up high, in a powerful way, we may feel more powerful, and therefore will not be as much of a target for bullying.

[@MICHAELKEEFE-h2y]

This resonated with me as well. I think this goes a long way into being assertive and staying strong during difficult times like when someone is being bullied.

[@sarahbitter8010]

Definitely! The way we carry ourselves, regardless of age, is key to preventing bullying and violence.

[@misakawamitsu1534]

Rena Kornblum shares her work against bullying by incorporating dance movement therapy. As someone who has been a bystander of bullying I really appreciate the work that Kornblum does with children because it is an active approach to stop and prevent bullying rather than simply saying what we should do if we are bullied or if we see bullying happen. After listening to Kornblum's talk, I think that dance movement therapy should be utilized more in school settings to decrease bullying

[@AnnaRifkin]

I think the empathy training specifically is a really impactful intervention for children who engage in bullying behaviors. If they truly understand that their behaviors and actions are hurting someone else, it will likely impact their harmful behaviors. It allows for the root of the problem to be addressed which could be helpful along with teaching people what to do if they are being bullied.

[@MICHAELKEEFE-h2y]

I agree, understanding empathy is incredibly important to working through potentially harmful situations like bullying. I also liked how Rena mentioned assertion because this also is very important to stopping bullying.

[@dianeedam]

1. Dance movement therapy can do therapy but also prevention work. They work with the whole crowd that deals with bullying, the bully, the one being bullied and the bystanders. The school didn't do much about the bullying but they did call the therapist to help them out. Empathy training is when you feel what the other people are feeling. When being mirrored, it helps the person feel like they are being heard and felt. 2. Two things that related to the class was that she talked about how your body would feel if you were the one being bullied. She talked about how your stomach and heart would feel.I feel like the other thing that connected to class was that there was a gender difference in the story. The little girl was being bullied by 3 boys. 3. One thing that really impacted me about this video was the story she told at the beginning of the video. It talked about a girl being bullied and how there was a jar where she could write about her feelings but the jar broke and her outlet had disappeared. One day the teacher found a picture of a big girl and a little girl with a gun and got super scared. I think this could help the general population because we could all learn from this situation. If the teacher had just replaced the jar, then the student wouldn't feel like she needed to turn to violence.

[@betomercado4289]

In this video Kornblum shares a story of a girl who was bullied in school and how dmt with the class and her helped to end a bullying problem. Kornblum explains that dmt works as therapy, but also prevention. This is seen with the boy who used to bully and who now does the four B's of self control. It is great how dmt has helped this young boy understand his body's nonverbal communication and he now knows to control himself when he feels he is getting "hot and bothered." In addition, dmt helped Kaylie express her feelings and emotions, whereas before she drew them down graphically. Having the class undergo mirroring techniques also helped because it develops individuals feeling of empathy, which is key to bully prevention. Finally, it is important to notice bullying as a big problem, and knowing what to do as a bystander when you see someone getting bullied is crucial.

[@chantemckowan1717]

This video was very interesting to watch because the speaker's emphasis on the relationship between the body and the children's actions. Dr. Rena Kornblum discussed how the body reflects the emotional well-being of a person. She said that bullying was an inequality of power; therefore to prevent bullying, one must develop empathy and understanding. In her example of a situation, she implemented 8 steps to help the bullies, the victims of the bullies, and the bystanders who witnessed the bullies, work to master their awareness and empathy skills towards each other. One important concept she mentioned, that I learned about in class was the effectiveness of "mirroring" each other. These children who learned to mirror each other gained more awareness and respect of each other's behaviors and emotions. I thought it was especially interesting to hear about the different intervention approaches that could be used to prevent bullying, once one was comfortable with themselves. Because everyone has a different way of reacting towards bullying, I thought it was very brave of the little girl to be friendly to her bullies, regardless of their mean actions...and they eventually responded with kindness, which is great.

[@Yikesss-2]

Aside from this practice helping in a movement level for dance movement therapy it also has a major impact on nonverbal as it also affects a huge aspect of our body image our self-confidence and the inner worlds of our thoughts inside. Bullying is a huge topic that intersects with non verbal as people who experience bullying take a huge tool internally most of the time not expression that physically but mentally and through non communication. In the video the speaker talks about how throught movement it impacts someone as people facing bullying tend to get anxious your breath gets faster or slower breathing heavy , shoulds rise up become tight facial expresions how would your express your uncomfort or even fear. This has an impact as it can lead to multiple impact such as depression or even un ethical thoughts and movements or even could become silent and loose the light of our mind and body confidently that allows us to express what feel. In noneverbal this pracice important as you get to mirror to understand the emotions expressed throught movements and could communicate with the person out of there comfort level and be able to change the movement ina positive or negative way.

[@ayslinrice6176]

Rena Kornblum discusses the importance of empathy training in ending bullying and the way that nonverbal communication can connect different people. She discusses a specific situation in which nonverbal communication and the comfort zone of a client were used effectively to eradicate a bullying issue at a school. Kornblum mentions intervention methods which include the use of vocalics to create a surprise and end a negative situation, which shows that the use of vocalics are just as important, if not more important than the actual words spoken in a give situation. Kornblum also mention mirroring as a technique to establish empathy, or begin empathy training with students at the school because, as she said, children who understand the pain that they may inflict may be less likely to actively inflict it. I think the most important thing that Kornblum mentioned was the fact that people who learn empathy through empathy training help create a better world. People who are empathetic toward others are kinder, more polite, don't start fights, and thereby are catalysts for change in society. I think that if we begin this trend as early as possible, we can change the world.

[@madbfl]

This video talks about how a girl named kailey was bullied at her new school and how rena interviened and implemented a bully intervention plan in her classroom. she also adresses the body skills needed to end bullying. in connection to what we learned in class: Rena address certain body skills in class and one of them was developing empathy so that others can feel how others are feeling about a certain situation and in one of the videos we watch it talked about how mirroring can connect two people. so mirroring not only shows engagement but it can also help a person develop empathy for someone else. When Rena is describing Kailey interracting with the sculpture that she made, she describes kailey's actions using Laban's efforts. one thing of importance: there are more bystanders of bullying than there are bullies or the victims of bullying combined. when the bystanders can take action to help stop bullying, that is when real school change can be made. if all students are taught and held accountable for bullying, the pressence of bullying in schools can decrease.

[@user-yb8vr2ip2t]

In the ADTA segment on Dance/ Movement Therapy and Bullying, the speaker advocated the use of this therapy as both a preventive approach and as a coping mechanism for bullying victims. She stressed the negative, potentially long-term effects of bullying on its victim: struggles with relationships, body concept, self-image, depression, and possibly even suicide. She also clarified that bullying isn't just physical (affecting bodily safety); it's also relational (affecting self-esteem, emotional well-being, and popularity). She discussed a case of hers named Kaylee, a girl being bullied in grade school by three boys. She discussed how this therapy was used to help Kaylee address her problems asserting herself in her life, and how Kaylee was able to use this therapy to come to a decision about how to address her bullies and resolve the conflict successfully. The speaker relayed that this therapy can be effective in teaching empathy to the bullies, empowering the bullied, and even activating formerly passive bystanders to intervene on behalf of the victim. We discussed the therapeutic practice of mirroring in class, and I was surprised and intrigued to learn of its’ value here in working with the bullies, and not just the victim. Bullying is an epidemic that has been reaping consequences that are only more and more devastating as time goes on. School and public shootings are the most headline-grabbing, but bullying can often do irreparable damage to people's lives on a great many levels, some of which are less obvious but certainly no less detrimental. The value of any intervention that can potentially remedy this problem truly cannot be stressed enough.

[@jocelynpedroza258]

Rena Komblum communicates the importance that dance movement therapy can do within violation prevention. Komblum positively focuses on individuals who bully, witness, and are victims of bullying. Through working with the body, Komblum was able to understand the “status” of Caley emotion, body tension and concept. The speech connected to many terms I learned this semester but one that stood out is “spatial awareness”. This has a lot to do with bullying prevention since it demonstrates and speaks respect and moving safely within your own body and others surrounding you. One thing the speaker communicates that I think is important and would be of value is when dealing with someone is has been bullied, it is important to understand and choose something they are comfortable with in order to better comprehend emotions they may have.

[@vivih.6809]

I choose this video because I'm curious how dance therapy can prevent bullying in school. The dance therapy using dance through the social-emotional skills to end bullying. The nonverbal communication of dancing with other people together and increase the sensitive feeling with other people and make the way to teach them make or act poster to make them feel strong, like power pose. Moreover, the treatment of dancing also can control their anger. I really hope there are no more bullying in school.

[@ellaredmore9016]

I was interested to see how DMT would be helpful in bullying prevention and I found it interesting how she used dance therapy to find an effective way to face her bullies. I also think its cool how the entire class was able to put their emotions into something else, and not letting them out on other people, using DMT in a group

[@candicenuno7275]

Rena Kornblum focuses on dance movement therapy with children who are bullied, children who do the bullying, and children who witness bullying. Rena tells us how the bullies need to recognize their nonverbal cues when they are feeling tense or feeling angry. She tells a true positive outcome story of Kaylie and her bullying journey. The dance movement therapy is also great for the children being bullied to really express how they are feeling inside. She brought up how she has the children in her sessions mirror one another’s movements, so that they really feel connected with one another. Her talk also brought up the importance of spatial awareness during these sessions and how the children become aware of how much personal space they need. Like Rena said bullying can affect relationships, body concept, self image, and can create lifelong consequences. Everyone should remember this is something that should not be taken lightly.

[@SabbageCavage]

1) This video describes the reasons for bullying and how Dance Movement Therapists are uniquely well equipped to help resolve the causes and even the negative effects. Rena Kornblum describes how important having a stress outlet and other people as an emotional resource can be on having a healthy happy life. 2) I found this to have a close connection to premise of “The Mask You Live In” video that was referenced in class and how boys and men are under daily pressure to express hyper masculinity, which frequently results in violence and detrimental actions. Additionally power differentials were covered in lecture as one of the major factors of dominance and submissiveness. 3) This video listed eight body skills required to end bullying; spatial awareness, self-regulation, awareness of/response to tense or dangerous situations, self assertion, creating surprise to change the mood of an interaction, developing empathy, managing anger and other intense feelings safely and dealing with prejudice, cultural and racial differences. I think that is important for people to use these techniques in all aspects of their life because it is clear that they promote a happier life and society for everyone.

[@migueltapia4829]

This video discusses how dance therapy can help get rid of bullying. Rena Kornblum talks about the importance of working with the bully, the person being bullied, and any innocent bystanders that may witness the bullying. She defines bullying as the inequality of power among two individuals. Rena Kornblum also separates bullying into 2 separate categories: 1) physical, and 2) relational. Physical bullying is when there is a difference in size, whereas relational bullying deals with self-esteem. During the therapy, the bully, the person being bullied, the innocent bystanders are taught 8 rules. These 8 rules are 1) spatial awareness, 2) self-regulation, 3) awareness and response to dangerous situations, 4) self-assertion, 5) creating change to mood of interaction, 6) developing empathy, 7) managing anger, and 8) dealing with prejudice. I find it really important to teach kids empathy because it teaches them how to react to their peer’s emotions. Teaching kids that bullying is bad is a very important step to the end of bullying overall because if we target it when it is barely starting, the likelihood of it getting out of hand decreases drastically.

[@lupealatorre-ramirez1125]

Rena Kornblum discusses the effects of bullying, empathy training, and body skills that can help end bullying. Kornblum does this by telling the story of a ten year old girl who was bullied by three boys. Kornblum defines bullying as a power imbalance. When we are intimidated by others afflicting pain on us, this can affect our body concept, also known as body image. This can effect how we view ourselves, whether it be mentally or physically, in the world. A negative body image can create feelings of depression, which can even lead to suicide. Even though the young girl did not intend on hurting herself she still confessed to wishing that she was not alive. Kornblum explains the importance of mirroring someones actions. By mirroring someone we can relate to how others feel through bodily movements. This way bullies can understand the kind of pain they are afflicting on others, thus preventing it from happening. Kornblum mentions a very important point not mentioned by many people. Bystanders should refrain from letting others harm one another. There are so many people recording with their phones the acts of bullying instead of stopping them. As Kornblum mentioned, we can become active allies since we outnumber those who are bullies and victims of bullying.

[@kaylavanasten7414]

Hey! That's my professor!

[@heyalyssaa]

Dance Movement Therapists can do prevention work as well as therapy. Thus, they can work with children who bully and those who get bullied. Rena Kornblum tells her audience a story of how three boys once bullied a girl named Kaylee in their class and how these unfortunately caused Kaylee to portray signs of potential suicide. Through Dance Movement Therapy, children have the opportunity to understand and empathize with one another, to put themselves in everyone else's shoes, and to have the skills to calm themselves down when situations arise. Kornblum tells the audience to try their best to put themselves in Kaylee's shoes. Being bullied and having no safety net to fall into can cause extreme anxiety and stress on a person's body. Just as we've discussed in class, some signs of stress can be quick or shallow breathing, or the shrinkage of your chest and your shoulders. Moreover, this type of stress can really change someone's own body concept which can lead into many more internal and external relationship problems, as discussed in NVC class. Something that I found interesting that I'd like to apply in my life when I am a mother is to match the sounds, rhythms and movements that my child initiates. This is so that I know my child is being heard, seen, and accepted. When I am able to pick up on what kind of body cues that my child, or even anyone else in my life, presents, I will have a higher chance of giving them a safer environment to live in.

[@stevenstrother2729]

Rena Kornblum, not only works with people who are bullied, but the bystanders of bullying situations and bullies themselves. 1) She uses Dance Movement Therapy as a way to develop body and emotional skills to deal with the problem, in ways to prevent bullying from a whole level. Specifically in her speech she talks about a real life situation about a girl, where she uses body skills, body regulation, awareness of our responses, self-assertion, developing empathy, managing internal feelings, and prejudice and racism in order to create and atmosphere in the class where bullying no longer has a chance to thrive. 2) In class, we talked a lot about empathy and how the concept of mirroring is associated with our understanding of others as well as ourselves. In Kornblum’s talk she explains that one of her most valuable tools for bully prevention is the use of empathy through mirroring, and that if she can get the kids to be more sensitive with each other, by having them think about and feel the pain that they may be causing to others, that it will act as a safeguard to get them to stop their bullying. 3) What I mentioned last right there is what I feel is the most valuable thing that could be shared to someone else about this video. One of the greatest tools we have as relational human beings is our ability to give empathy. When we give it and feel it we not only feel more compassion and understanding to one another, but we also feel more connected with those around us and hold a stronger sense of meaning in our lives. This does tremendous things when it comes to eliminating the amount of resentment and violence so many people feel to others, like in the video’s case, bullying.

[@matthewrutter6195]

Dance/Movement Therapy & Mental Illness Ted Erdhardt points out that 1 in 5 will experience mental illness and explains the use of dance/movement as a therapeutic intervention. One of his patients, Caroline, is frequently frozen in her movements; when Erdhardt gently mirrors her movement in a group setting, Caroline begins to “unlock” her body and express herself through her body language. This video demonstrates the mirroring technique used to help the patient, Caroline, “feel seen.”, and communicate by initiating other movements. Others in the group use eye contact and touch to communicate. Ultimately another patient, Betsy, verbally expresses what she was physically reaching for - home. The mirroring technique helps reach patients that seem unreachable, demonstrating the power of non verbal communication. When Caroline embraces her own hands it appears that she has now connected her mind with her body’s movements.

[@thomaswhitehouse8406]

“What can dance therapy offer a bully prevention program?” dance therapists can use the understanding of the movement of the body and how we carry ourselves that show what our emotional states are. Bullying is cause by an unequal balance in power. Bullying can cause problems with relationships, work habits, self-image, and body image. These can cause consequences that will have lifelong repercussions. I find the importance in being apathetic and being able to teach people this as essential to bully prevention. This is the beginning step to start respecting someone’s space and knowing self-regulation. All these things are the beginning steps to learning how to react to a bullying situation. Being able to manage yourself and then learning to respond to others is great for understanding how and when to react appropriately to bullying.

[@dalvaro760]

Rena Kornblum provides an example of the wide applications of dance movement therapy. As she states at the beginning of the video, "What can dance movement therapy offer a bully prevention program?" Through her speech in this video she breaks down how dance movement therapy can help someone to express a characteristic trait they had trouble with initially and develop ways to deal with life situations.Through dance movement therapy she was able to help a young girl deal with bullying by finding her strengths and using them to confront her bullies. Within two weeks she was able to change the attitude of two of her bullies and have them confront the third bully for her. Through dance movement therapy the young girl was able to learn how to deal with the bullying problems she was having at school.

[@guiacartena6994]

Rena Kornblum states that dance therapy can help people who bully, the by standers, and its victims. Bullies demonstrates the inequality of power through a physical or relational matter. The victim, then, begins to question their body concept and self image, which can lead to life long consequences, or even suicide. Her sessions includes mirroring that matches the sound, touch, energy, and rhythm of the other. This is accomplished by pushing and breathing coherently. The victim learns to self assertion within their comfort level. They can approach this by using their vocalics in strong, confident measures and demanding the bully to stop, or in this case in soft and friendly way. It is important to take note that by standers of bullying can be active allies to the victims also.

[@radhikap7250]

She gives a story of a girl who was harassed in school and how dance movement therapy helped to end a bullying dilemma. Kornblum demonstrates that dance movement therapy works not only as therapy, but also prevention. I think it is interesting to see the impact of DMT in forms of healing and preventing.

[@melissabiyonghe9815]

The body sometimes is the source of psychological problems. If people treated with violence or are overly scared, they are hardly to express themselves with own words. Contacting through body language would be a more direct and effective way to express their feeling more than speaking with words. For example, it might be hard to open a child's heart if he/she suffer childhood violation. Leaving Psychological shadows, hating themselves and they even disgusting their body, trying to escape. Desperately trying to forgot those deep dark memory, they rather hide deeply into their heart. Or even, thinking they have been healed.

[@MyKatie76]

Rena Kornblum explains how dance therapy prevent bully approach by developing both body and emotion skills to end bully issue. As Rena addresses bullying is caused by an inequality of power such as the bully's physical figure (bigger and stronger), relational (affect self-esteem), and popularity. Rena also explains the side effects of bullying that can cause tremendous harm to its victim's emotional states (relationships, body concept, and self-image) that affect the ability to learn that lead long-term effects (depression and suicide). To prevent bullying, Rena explains her work with her clien -Kaylee to help her have better support from making new friends, empathy training to the bullies, and encourage bystanders to protect the victim. Especially, empathy training relates to how we move, hold our body that reflects our emotions that can pass from one to another to feel what other people feeling. Preventing bullying is really important for children at school today that they should get supports from friends, family, and teacher. Also, bystanders should step up and protect the victims to prevent further emotion damages, and empathy training should be taught to bullies to understand victims' emotions to prevent victims from further emotion damages that can lead to serious life time problems.

[@albertpaez1141]

Bullying is a very serious issue that is surfacing more often in schools. Rene Kornblum explains how dance movement therapy can be used as a preventive approach to bullying. This approach consist of working with the children who bully, get bullied and those bystanders who witness the bullying to develop the body and social skills to end this problem. Dance movement therapy entails how we hold, move, and feel in our body, which reflects our emotional well being so this type of therapy can be very beneficial and helpful for anybody who feels like they’re being threaten by someone or is suffering from low self-esteem.

[@lanaruthmaki2813]

We need anti-bullying programs now more than ever. DMT is an essential tool.

[@tjhuntington7232]

Dance movement therapy integrates movement, creative process, and verbal communication. This reflects our emotional well being which helps develop social and developmental skills to prevent bullies, bullying bystanders, and those affected by bullying. The impact of regular bullying is serious, it affects self image, relationships, body concept, and can have lifelong consequences. In this particular case, Rena's patient was able to overcome adversity and bullying and become a healthy child by being assertive in her own comfort zone.

[@matthewrutter6195]

Dance/Movement Therapy: Bullying Prevention in Schools The speaker, Kornblum, presents dance/movement therapy as a preventive measure for bullying - focusing on those being bullied, those doing the bullying, and bystanders. She teaches bullying victims self-assertion techniques; teaches those who bully empathy techniques by mirroring the movements of those bullied; and helps bystanders - who outnumber those doing the bullying - how to become allies to those bullied. As Kornblum states, “how we hold, move, and feel in our body reflect our emotional state and that changes on a movement level can then reflect our total function.” Mirroring the movements of those bullied and to take in their feelings is a powerful tool to help bullies develop empathy. Kornblum’s techniques -- which have proven to be 90% effective in 300 schools where she has taught - demonstrate the power of change on a movement level. We can’t just speak to people about bullying, we have to help students feel and change through the use of body language.

[@angelcisneros7315]

Kornblum explains how bullying impacts relationships, body contact, body image and how dance therapy can help prevent this behavior.. Also, how it is an inequality of power and how it can cause huge effects on the victims especially with their coping with others and even communicating. As with our last reflection paper, she explains how empathy training can help anyone know how others may feel or what certain situations make them feel. Any type of bullying can create different body types especially negative ones. I think that when she says that using assertion can help prevent this problem is true because it can make others feel less power over others and demands more respect which can help the victims.