West Bloomfield, MI -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/29/2016 --There is a month dedicated to anti-bullying. "Why only one month?" asks Marla Michele Must, owner of Birmingham based Enchanted Photography. Over 3 million boys and girls are victims of bullying every year; 1 in 3 U.S. students say they have been bullied at school, 20% of U.S. students in grades 9-12 reportedly have experienced bullying or are feeling bullied, while 28% of students in grades 6-12 report the same. Most experts agree that bullying peaks in middle school, "When I heard that statistic {strike this: it just broke my heart and} I knew I had to figure out a way to step up and help," expressed Marla.
Marla Michele has had a camera in hand since she was thirteen. In 2011 Marla opened Enchanted Photography, using her lens as a way to bring awareness to causes close to her heart. In the wake of increasingly harmful bullying incidents across the U.S., photographer Marla Michele Must, of Enchanted Photography, joined forces with Karen T. Davis, Psychotherapist, and created "Random Acts of Enchantment," with the goal of creating a feeling of self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and the power of positivity throughout Michigan schools, the social groups, and athletic teams they are on and their communities. Marla and Karen have been working to make a change. A simple act of kindness can go a long way and the act of paying it forward can have a wide spread ripple effect across a school, an athletic field, and even the country.
The premise behind "Random Acts of Enchantment" is to empower children by teaching them how good it feels to spread empathy, compassion, and kindness and to be kind to one another. Kids can sign up on Instagram at @EnchantedPhotographyMichigan. A team leader is chosen by a random drawing and invited, along with up to 12 people, to a complimentary photo session with Marla. The key to the photo session is the Enchanted Ambassador invites 12 people to be in the photoshoot with them. Some may be close friends, but you must also reach out to three new people you wish to be a part of this experience. The idea is to have your close friends but to include new people. In turn, the kids must pledge to 'Pay it Forward' by 'Randomly Enchanting' an unsuspecting student at school with an act of kindness, and then encouraging that person to also pay it forward. Marla explains "kindness is the currency for the portrait session." The participants must report their Random Acts Of Enchantment back to Marla via her web site http://www.RandomActsOfEnchantment or post about it on Instagram to inspire others.
Hundreds of children in the Detroit region along with Ohio and Chicago have already taken part in the past year and rave about being involved. The parents share the enthusiasm seeing their own children shine while paying forward with an act of kindness to one another. In the coming months both Marla and Karen plan to spread the project to more cities across the country. Marla can travel to any city to hold the photo session as she usually holds the photo sessions outdoors because she finds that nature and fresh air provide a therapeutic environment where those being photographed can relax and open up to her in ways they cannot with others, enabling her to capture the true essence of her subjects and instill positive self-esteem by highlighting their inner and outer beauty.
Marla believes that encouraging self-esteem, inclusiveness and kindness among our youth is vital and Enchanted Photography follows these principles. The photo experience is aimed at empowering and confidence-building and allows participants to shine individually as well as within a group. Marla finds that the kids personalities and confidence really begin to shine through when in the photo sessions.
Karen T. Davis, a seasoned psychotherapist in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan has been working with Marla on the "Random Acts of Enchantment" project and offers insight into the self-esteem issues affecting children today that can lead to bullying. "Childhood is a time of intense self-evaluation and social comparison," reflects Karen. "Kids face tremendous pressures and often, as a result, their self-evaluations are negative, leading to low self-esteem and self-worth. Random Acts of Enchantment are so valuable because the experiences the kids are having are real events happening to them. When they are being bullied they feel negative self-worth, and when someone does something kind the feeling is contagious with the hopes they want to pay it forward." One of the benefits of the program Marla and Karen have been able to share the stories on the social media platforms. The tweens love seeing their pictures and reading the acts of kindness and in the end the goal is to cause more people to catch on so every day is celebrated with kindness.
The Tween representatives and recipients of the photo sessions must commit to following up with @EnchantedPhotographyMichigan and http://www.RandomActsosOfEnchantment.com and reporting what they did to 'Randomly Enchant' someone on an ongoing basis with the hash tag #RandomActsOfEnchantment.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: SARI CICUREL - sari.cicurel@gmail.com
Enchanted Photography by Marla Michele Must focuses on families, children, siblings, Empowered Portrait Sessions, and promoting Random Acts of Enchantment. Enchanted Photography has been voted the 'Best of the Best in Michigan' in 2013, 2014, & 2015 by the Detroit Jewish News.
Enchanted Photography by Marla Michele Must
423 Frank Street, Birmingham, MI 48009
248-910-0555
http://www.enchantedbymarlamichele.com
http://www.randomactsofenchantment.com
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EnchantedByMarlaMichele
Or her Blog: http://www.MustLiveALifeLessOrdinary.com
Fine Art; http://www.MMMPortraitArt.com
About Karen T. Davis
Karen T. Davis, M.A., M.P.A, L.L.P. is a psychotherapist specializing in individual, couples and family therapy and maintains a private practice in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. With almost 20 years' experience as a psychotherapist for adults and adolescents, she is currently serving as private practitioner working with a broad spectrum of clients. Among her areas of expertise are self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and addiction.
36400 Woodward Avenue, Suite 225, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
http://www.karentdavis.com
248-210-8100 or karen@karentdavis.com
ENCHANTED PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO
Encouraging Children to Pay it Forward
A Simple Act of Kindness Can Go a Long Way