Bullying is harmful for both victims of bullying as well as young people demonstrating bullying behaviours themselves.
Having a Roundabout Dramatherapy service in your school can reduce bullying by offering:
Working with young people who may be demonstrating bullying behaviours.Young people who are displaying bullying behaviour towards others can benefit from dramatherapy. We know that bullies often demonstrate this behaviour due to a need within themselves that isn’t being met. Whether struggling with their social/relational skills, something within their home lives, or an event in their past, Dramatherapy sessions can support the young person to explore issues in a creative, boundaried and non judgemental way, leading to a reduction of the bullying behaviours
Supporting young people who are being bullied. Dramatherapy sessions are a place where once a week a young person knows they will have space to express their thoughts and feelings, be seen, heard, and be offered support and guidance. Dramatherapy aims to build a young person’s self-esteem, self-confidence and develop self-advocacy and emotional wellbeing.
Developing a culture of anti-bullying by promoting themes of kindness, empathy, equality, towards others and ourselves and empowering young people who witness bullying to take positive action.
(Photo by Ilayza Macayan on Unsplash)
Dramatherapists work in a boundaried and creative way, and can work both directly and indirectly. The first aim of the sessions would be to create a safe space in which to explore the issues.
Group Work or One-to-One
Working with groups of young people where a challenging dynamic is present, can further develop social relational skills, empathy and understanding, reparation, positive relationships, and celebrate diversity.
Alternatively therapists may also recommend working with a young person one-to-one, to assess and meet their individual need.
Role-Play
By revisiting an event that was experienced by a young person, or a devised scenario of bullying, the dramatherapist young person can explore a variety of actions in a scenario, and their impact. They can be supported to revisit different approaches to situations, and the outcomes that may follow as a result. Not only can this provide opportunity for a deepened understanding of a situation and other individuals perspectives, but by exploring scenarios through dramatic play young people can have a lived experience of a response that went positively. If presented with a lived event of bullying following dramatherapy, young people are more likely to have the memories and tools of the explored role-play at hand to support them in their life outside of their session.
Indirect Work
Dramatherapists can also work indirectly with relevant themes through the use of story; sharing, creating, and enactment, games, music, movement and art. Through the creative medium therapists can offer opportunities to explore themes from a variety of different perspectives enabling young people to explore their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a safe environment.
To find out more about the dramatherapy support Roundabout can offer please contact us here
