Danielle Matthew

and organizations to help others gain greater knowledge on bullying. She has delivered presentations such as How to Identify that Bullying is Occurring and The Impacts of Bullying at Fusion Academy, Center for Discovery, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Pepperdine University, Cigna, and the Southwestern School of Behavioral Health Studies Conference. In December 2014, Danielle conducted a needs assessment in the Los Angeles area and found that there were only a few programs in the area that addressed the crisis point of bullying. There are many important and useful prevention programs, but once the bullying has hit an actual crisis point, there does not seem to be specific work designed to help heal this population of children and adolescents. It is out of this void that Danielle designed The Empowerment Space, a program that pinpoints and addresses the crisis point of a bully situation. The Empowerment Space is a 10-week program that helps adolescent and teen children (between the ages of 10 and 17) heal from bullying by providing a safe space filled with support, guidance, and education. Through weekly meetings and at-home activities, as well as parent involvement and school engagement, participants increase self- esteem, learn effective communication techniques, and gain knowledge on how to best cope and respond to bullying.