Turning Pointe Dance Creations

Series: PROTECT YOUR STUDIO: Legal Basics Every Dance Educator Needs to Know

Featuring: Damion Harmon, LCMHC, CGP, LCASA | Not Your Average Therapist

🎧 **EPISODE 4: Grief in Motion: Loss, Healing, and Resilience for Dancers and Athletes

⭐ Episode Focus:

In this host-only recap, Brianne Zborowski and Melissa McDaniel-Grisham reflect on their May series with licensed clinical mental health counselor Damion Harmon. They share their biggest personal takeaways on grief in competition, team transitions, community trauma, and injury -- and get honest about the language and habits they are each committed to changing in how they show up for their athletes.

TIMESTAMPS:

04:10 - TAKEAWAY #1 - Grief is everywhere in our studios. We just have to learn to see it.

07:01 - TAKEAWAY #2 - We minimize grief when it does not look like what we expect. Our job is to make room for the losses that do not have funerals.

13:10 - TAKEAWAY #3 - Injury grief is identity grief. And recovery is not just physical.

15:24 - TAKEAWAY #4 - Learning is only the beginning. The real work is what we do next.

15:45 - What was YOUR biggest takeaway from this series about grief and performance athletics?

RESOURCES:

16:17 - Get in touch with Damion!

16:20 - Social:

16:25 -Website: https://www.thecouchcollc.com

16:50: Resource for "A Loss is A Loss" Book & Workbook
Purchase on Amazon or https://www.thecouchcollc.com/merchandise

PRODUCED BY:

Apolla Performance Wear
www.apollaperformance.com
com
[email protected]

Turning Pointe Dance Creations
www.tpdancecreations

Series: PROTECT YOUR STUDIO: Legal Basics Every Dance Educator Needs to Know

Guest: Amanda Wright (Family Law & Civil Rights Attorney)

🎧 **EPISODE 4: What We Learned About Protecting Our Spaces

📺 Episode Description

This month we dove deep into legal protection with family law & civil rights attorney Amanda Wright. In this recap episode, Bri and Melissa share the moments that hit hardest and what they're actually changing as a result. If you missed any of the three guest episodes this month, this is a great starting point — and then go back and listen to them all! 🎙️ Topics: Key takeaways from the full April series | What studio owners most need to act on | Reflections from two dance educators in the trenches. 🔔 Subscribe, leave a review, and share with your studio community! Just a quick note—while Amanda is a lawyer, this conversation is really just for general information and education. It’s not legal advice, and it doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship. Every child custody situation is different, and the laws can vary a lot depending on where you are. So if you’re dealing with something specific, it’s always best to talk directly with a lawyer in your area who can guide you based on your unique situation.

TIMESTAMPS:

03:45 - TAKEAWAY #1: Your studio/organization is not a family court. Having a clear written policy and requiring documentation is not cold. It is how you protect everyone, including the child.

04:05- TAKEAWAY #2: Every studio needs a written pickup and custody conflict policy before they ever need to use it.

05:29 - TAKEAWAY #3: A waiver is only as strong as its language. If you haven't had an attorney look at yours, do that ASAP!

06:35 - TAKEAWAY #4: Document everything, even the things that seem minor in the moment. A small incident today can become a big legal issue tomorrow.

09:35 - TAKEAWAY #5: Your staff needs a protocol for conflict, not just a vibe. Train your team on what to say, what not to say, and who to escalate to.

11:29- TAKEAWAY #6: Travel and competition events carry specific legal responsibilities, especially when custody is involved. Know your requirements before you're on a bus.

RESOURCES:

12:06- FREE StEPS Initiative Course: https://apollaperformance.com/pages/steps-program

PRODUCED BY:

Apolla Performance Wear
www.apollaperformance.com
com
[email protected]

Turning Pointe Dance Creations
www.tpdancecreations

Watch the full episode on YouTube LINK IN BIO

Watch the Full Episode: https://www.youtube.com/live/_GsvTrhx67M?si=zGEWfPdaMZcpvd1T

I screwed up my first dance team combine!!! 😭😭😭

Dancing through Halloween!