Shows
Ready Set ReikiEpisode #182 Nicole B. Gebhardt MS, CCLS, CECP From Rock Bottom To Guiding Light Through Energy HealingA single word—courage—sets the tone for a raw, hopeful conversation with author and coach Nicole Gebhart about healing after pregnancy and infant loss. We open the door to her story of rock bottom, sobriety, and the moment energy work finally created space for relief when nothing else did. Nicole walks us through how Reiki eased anxiety and PTSD, why Holy Fire practices became daily anchors, and how faith and Reiki can coexist without conflict. She unpacks the biggest misconceptions she hears, then gets practical about what readiness looks like when change has to stick.From ther...
2025-12-1531 min
Child Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of The Best Moments in the Child Life Profession narrated by Alexx Friesen and Jessica LewinCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, hosts this final episode of The Child Life Wild Life Podcast with Alexx Friesen to celebrate the profound impact child life specialists make in pediatric healthcare through a collection of heartfelt stories sent in by specialists across the field. What unfolds is a tapestry of remarkable moments that showcase exactly why child life work matters.From the specialist who calmed a screaming child in the ER—causing their blood pressure to visibly drop on the monitor—to another who taught American Sign Language to a nonverbal hospitalized child, these stories reveal the...
2025-06-091h 07Child Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Being a Neurodivergent CCLS with Ellen PalmerCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Ellen Palmer, about her journey as a dyslexic and ADHD-diagnosed child life specialist, sharing how these differences have become her "superpowers" in the emergency department.What if your neurodivergence wasn't just something to overcome, but actually your greatest professional asset? Ellen's story begins with her early diagnosis of dyslexia and later discovery of ADHD as an adult professional. With refreshing honesty, she walks us through the challenges of navigating education with learning differences – from qualifying for accommodations to masking during school days – before tackling the p...
2025-06-0234 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Being a Child Life Student with Anisha Reza [A student’s honest perspective for how CCLSs can better support, mentor, and teach students entering the field]Certified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and new CCLS, Anisha Reza, about her journey as a second-generation immigrant and career-changer who brings a unique lens to our field. Having previously pursued medical school before finding her true calling in child life, Anisha offers invaluable insights on the challenges students face—particularly those from diverse backgrounds.When was the last time you truly listened to a student's perspective on the child life profession? The statistics are striking: our profession remains approximately 93-95% white female, creating tangible impacts for students of color navigating spaces whe...
2025-05-2658 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Sitting Comfortably in Silence in the PICU with Kelley GavelCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Kelley Gavel, about her journey through the challenges and profound rewards of supporting children and families in critical care settings. With dual master's degrees in Developmental Psychology and Clinical Counseling, Kelley brings a uniquely holistic perspective to her work in a bustling 36-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).The conversation delves into the unexpected ways child life extends beyond hospital walls—like coordinating with schools to help classmates process a friend's absence or arranging virtual reading sessions between hospitalized children and their classes. Kelley shares touching st...
2025-05-1946 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Family-Centered Care and Sibling Support with Caitlin WolfCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Caitlin Wolf, about her work in pediatric hematology/oncology, and how she prioritizes siblings through thoughtful interventions and family-centered care practices. With passion and creativity, she shares practical strategies for maintaining crucial connections between patients and siblings during lengthy hospital stays or repeated admissions.From digital picture frames that allow photo sharing between hospital and home, to decorated name letters that give siblings ownership over a piece of the hospital environment, Caitlin demonstrates how even simple interventions can profoundly impact family cohesion. Her approach to recordable...
2025-05-1228 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Building Rapport When You Don’t Speak the Same Language with Morgan LivingstoneCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Morgan Livingstone, about her understanding that effective support doesn't require special equipment—it requires presence, creativity, and genuine connection through play, regardless of what language you may speak.Morgan's 28-year journey as a Certified Child Life Specialist has taken her from oncology units in Canada to remote Indigenous communities, and across continents to Kenya, Colombia, Botswana, and beyond. Her pioneering work establishing a private practice offering home-based child life services challenged traditional hospital-only models and created pathways for specialists to meet families where they are—phys...
2025-05-0548 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Being Dual-Certified as a CCLS and Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) with Katie LavalleeCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Katie Lavallee, about the powerful synergy between recreational therapy and child life. As a dual-certified professional with a decade of recreational therapy experience and seven years as a child life specialist, Katie offers unique insights into how these complementary fields enhance patient care.Katie's journey began at age 12 when a compassionate child life specialist transformed her emergency department experience. Though initially pursuing recreational therapy, she never abandoned her child life dreams, eventually completing her internship years later. Her varied professional background spans community-based programs for individuals...
2025-04-2829 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life Of Leaving the Child Life Profession and Not Feeling Guilty About It with Caelin Hallgren and Ramonna DatuinCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friends and CCLSs, Caelin Hallgren and Ramonna Datuin, about their newly found work/life balance as they have recently stepped away from the child life profession.The moment of reckoning came differently for each – for Ramonna, it was realizing her entire identity had become wrapped up in her clinical role, while Caelin found herself wishing for anything (even a car accident) just to avoid another workday. Their stories reflect a growing reality in the helping professions: burnout doesn't discriminate, and sometimes the most dedicated professionals need to make difficult ch...
2025-04-211h 23Child Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Using Your Child Life Skills as a Postpartum Doula with Veronica BurnsCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Veronica Burns, about her pivotal career shift to become a thriving postpartum doula and infant mental health specialist. Veronica's journey reflects what many professionals experience—the desire to apply specialized healthcare knowledge in settings that better honor their unique strengths and circumstances. After becoming certified in 2018 and briefly working in child advocacy, health challenges and insufficient workplace accommodations prompted her to explore alternatives. Rather than abandoning her training, Veronica discovered postpartum doula work perfectly complemented her child life foundation.The parallels between these fields are...
2025-04-1444 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Child Life in the Camp Setting with Allison MesserlyCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Allison Messerly, about taking child life to camp!What happens when you take a child life specialist out of the hospital and place them in a summer camp setting for kids with cancer? Magic, advocacy, and a whole new world of psychological support.Allison Messerly shares her journey from hospital-based child life to creating a comprehensive support system at a day camp for children with cancer and their siblings. Throughout this deeply insightful conversation, Allison reveals how she's adapted traditional clinical skills to serve...
2025-04-0743 min
New Mom Talk: A Resource for Pregnant, Expecting Moms & New Moms & PregnancyNavigating Acute and Chronic Illnesses in Kids: Expert Insights for Parents with Alyssa Pettingill, CCLS E 96How can parents best support their children through medical challenges, whether they’re facing a short-term illness or a long-term condition? In this episode, we’re joined by Alyssa Pettingill, a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) and founder of EmpoweringKidz, with over a decade of experience helping children and teens develop coping strategies for medical and life challenges.Alyssa breaks down the key differences between acute and chronic illnesses, providing practical tips and emotional guidance for parents to help their children thrive despite difficult circumstances. Learn how to create a su...
2024-12-1824 min
Recursos de BienestarCCLS Abogado para la JuventudEn este episodio de Recursos de Bienestar, Armando conversa con Jorge A. Alvarado, Presidente de la Junta y Director Ejecutivo de Canyon Children's Legal Services (CCLS). Jorge comparte su experiencia de más de 40 años como abogado y su dedicación a la defensa de los derechos de los niños, especialmente aquellos que enfrentan situaciones difíciles como víctimas de delitos o conflictos en el ámbito escolar. A través de CCLS, Jorge trabaja incansablemente para asegurar que los niños tengan acceso a una representación legal justa y que se les brinde la oportunidad de un futu...
2024-08-2229 min
The Power of Love Show‘All About the Intensive Care Unit’ With Author, Alexx Friesen, BA, CCLS, CTPOn this episode of The Power of Love Show we welcome special guest, Alexx Friesen, BA, CCLS, CTP.
Alexx Friesen is a Certified Child Life Specialist providing support to children with a family member on hospice or facing end of life.
She also works in private practice, supporting infants, children and youth in her community who are facing medical challenges, end of life, grief and bereavement.
With nearly 10 years of experience, Alexx’s passions lie in the areas of pediatric oncology, palliative care as well as death, dying and grief.
Alexx is a published children’s book author who hopes to p...
2024-05-0151 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Working on the Burn Unit with Kate HamelinCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Kate Hamelin, about her 20 years of experience working on the burn unit. Starting her career as a social worker working within the child welfare arena, she pivoted unexpectedly into child life and has never left. Throughout this episode, we take a peek into the burn ICU's complexities, discussing the delicate balance of providing care and preparing young patients for the stark realities they may face. Kate's expertise shines as she shares the strategies for explaining the ICU's intricacies to children and the therapeutic methods th...
2024-03-0438 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Teaching the Next Generation (Professor Panel)Certified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with three child life professors to see what the world of academics looks like. Please welcome Cara Smith, Savannah Kelly, and Amanda Butler to the podcast. Learn about the ways in which these three have kept things interesting in the classroom throughout the pandemic, and kept the key skills of child life at the forefront of their careers as professors through assessment, building rapport, advocacy for the field and their students, coping support and more. Join us in appreciating the profound role these specialists play in shaping li...
2024-02-2640 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Using your Passions with Erin TukuaCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Erin Tukua, about utilizing her previous job experience as a professional photographer to elevate her techniques she uses with patients and families in the child life profession. Inside this creative episode, we spotlight Erin's innovative practice of using photography as an intervention to help families navigate their child's hospital stay. She opens up about her experiences during her practicum and internship, and how she uses her camera lens to capture moments of joy and coping, essentially turning the hospital into a canvas brimming with resilience and h...
2024-02-1929 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Supporting Children of Adult Patients with Shira MillerCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Shira Miller, about her almost 2 decades of experience working within the same hospital, moving up the clinical ladder and creating the COAST (Children of Adults Support Team) Program.COAST program and the ways in which child life services have evolved to support not just end-of-life situations but the entire spectrum of a parent's health challenges is a remarkable example of how child life can expand within the hospital setting.Shira takes us through the development of a dedicated team to address the emotional demands...
2024-02-1245 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Palliative Care/Legacy Building with Melissa SchmautzCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Melissa Schmautz, about her 17 years of experience, wisdom, and compassionate practices in child life and palliative care. Melissa tells stories about helping families navigate the heartbreak of acknowledging death with their young ones, offering a rare glimpse into the delicate art of conveying the incomprehensible to the most innocent among us. As we unravel Melissa's professional work, she casts light upon the nuanced complexities of teaching child life courses alongside her poignant firsthand experiences in various hospital units. Her journey—punctuated by the establishment of youth adv...
2024-02-0544 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Navigating Autoimmune Diseases as a CCLS with Maddie BozikisCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Maddie Bozikis, about her experience navigating autoimmune diseases as a student and professional. Having battled with autoimmune diseases since high school, Maddie takes us through a profound journey of courage and resilience in the face of persistent health challenges. As Maddie unveils her experiences, we explore the unique hurdles she has encountered while balancing the demanding child life profession and personal health. This episode offers enlightening insights and practical advice on advocating for oneself, particularly in a challenging career environment, making it a must-listen for anyone f...
2024-01-2924 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of ED/Trauma Bay Experiences with Kelsey ChampionCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Kelsey Champion, about her almost decade experience working in the Emergency Department; a department she wasn't quite sure she'd land in originally, but has really found her calm in the chaos. Navigating the high-stakes world of an emergency department requires a special blend of skills and heart, something Kelsey Champion possesses in abundance. As she shares her behind-the-scenes stories from the trauma bay, you'll be captivated by her ability to swiftly forge connections with young patients in crisis. Amidst the urgency of alarms and th...
2024-01-2235 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Navigating Grief and Private Practice with Jessica CorrentiCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Jessica Correnti, about her personal experience with grief and how that has shaped her in her private practice providing support to grieving siblings and families.With an extensive background in ICU settings and grief support, Jessica joins us to illuminate the intricacies of supporting children and families through some their darkest moments. Her narrative, woven from both personal heartache and professional triumphs, reveals the profound impact of community engagement for specialists in private practice and the delicate dance of offering solace to those in the midst...
2024-01-1540 minThe Power of Love Show‘What Does Grief Feel Like?’ With Author, Dr. Korie Leigh, Ph.D., CCLS, CTOn this episode of The Power of Love Show, we have a special guest, Dr. Korie Leigh, Ph.D, CCLS, CT.
Dr. Korie Leigh is a Santa Fe, New Mexico-based published children’s book author, university professor, child life specialist, and grief counselor who has spent 20 years working with children and families experiencing grief and loss.
As an Associate Professor and Program Director of the Thanatology program at Marian University she teaches graduate courses on child development, death, dying, and bereavement.
Dr. Leigh obtained her Ph.D. in transpersonal psychology, where she wrote her dissertation on the lived experiences of ber...
2024-01-1059 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Navigating Toxic Positivity in Child Life with Shani ThorntonCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and seasoned CCLS, Shani Thornton, about how child life specialists can understand the differences between toxic positivity, burnout, and compassion fatigue.Together, Shani and Jessica peel back the curtain on the child life profession's hidden struggle with toxic positivity. Shani, with her 16 years of experience, offers a wealth of knowledge, encouraging a shift from a culture of false cheerfulness to one that embraces genuine emotion and fosters deep, empathetic connections with both children and their families.The reality of burnout and compassion fatigue in our field...
2024-01-0839 min
JOWMA (Jewish Orthodox Women's Medical Association) PodcastCrying IS Coping and Other Tips from a Certified Child Life Specialist with Adina Levitan, MS, CCLSAdina Levitan, MS, CCLS is a certified child life specialist with a Master’s degree in Child Life, Administration and Family Professional Collaboration from Towson University. To become a certified child life specialist Adina volunteered at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital and Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital. Following the completion of her Master’s degree, Adina went on to complete three child life practicums at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, University of Maryland in Baltimore and Children’s National Medical Center in Washington DC. She completed her child life internship at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, NY in the Ped...
2023-12-2841 min
Raising JoyGrief and the Holidays with Hannah Boyd, CCLS, and Jennifer Hayes, MDiv, BCCWhen we think of the holidays, most of us think of good food, family gatherings and beautiful holiday decorations. For many, it’s the happiest time of the year; but for others it’s a very different story. The holiday season can be a difficult time for many, especially those grieving the death of a loved one. On this episode of the Raising Joy podcast, we're joined by Hannah Boyd, CCLS, a child life specialist, and Jennifer Hayes, MDiv, BCC, Director of Spiritual Care at Cook Children’s. They share their insights...
2023-12-0539 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Radiology and Pain Management with Kat AttermeierCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Kat Attermeier, about utilizing pain management tools through her work in the radiology department. Today, Kat finds herself at home in the radiology department, a place where she once felt intimidated. She has grown to embrace the pace and challenges that come with building quick rapport with patients. Kat educates many staff on atraumatic care, child life principles like how to use play, and pain management. She has a unique perspective on leadership skills and the importance of dialogue between staff, nursing leadership, and doctors in t...
2023-11-2738 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Compassionate Care in the NICU with Meredith MurrayCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Meredith Murray, about how her lifelong magnetism towards babies led her to a career in the NICU. Meredith shares her journey, from finding her calling in the challenging environment of the NICU, to becoming an essential support system for families and their newborns in critical care.We take an in-depth look at the nuances of working in the NICU, and Meredith shines a light on the strategies she uses to support babies effectively - like containment, positive touch, positioning and sound control - to r...
2023-11-2043 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of an Independent Contractor/One Person Program with Caitlyn MortonCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Caitlyn Morton, about what her experience has been like as a one-person program (and also an independent contractor!)Reflecting on her experiences as a former patient, Caitlyn delves into how she had to differentiate her experiences from her patients' and the pivotal role her mentors played in navigating this change. Caitlyn also brings her perspective of operating a one-person program. Not only does she manage patient care, but she also handles donations and various other admin tasks, emphasizing the critical importance of time management and prioritization.
2023-11-1319 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Child Life as a Second Career with Samantha KrawiecCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Samantha Krawiec, about what her experience transitioning from teacher to child life specialist.From managing a classroom to navigating the hospital environment, Samantha's journey from a burnt-out kindergarten and third-grade teacher to a fulfilled child life specialist is sure to inspire you.Samantha shares her experiences, describing a typical day in her new role, where she works in two distinct units (ED and Psychiatric Unit) in a hospital lacking a child life department. She touches on the parallels between teaching and child life, demonstrating how...
2023-11-0637 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Service Line Child Life Care with Andrea LerudeCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Andrea Lerude, about her experience being a "service line" child life specialist and all that her role entails. Andrea fosters open communication with her colleagues, juggles patient care, and maneuvers the delicate art of cold calling patient's families in an effort to advocate for child life preparation and support.Providing continuity of care in various neuro clinics, including neurosurgery, physical medicine, and rehabilitation, Andrea deals with a wide array of patient conditions. She assesses the daily clinic schedule, offers critical handoff information to child li...
2023-10-3041 minThe Power of Love Show‘The ABCs of Grief’ With Certified Child Life Specialist & Author, Jessica Correnti, MS, CCLSOn this episode of The Power of Love Show we welcome special guest, Jessica Correnti, MS, CCLS.
Jessica Correnti is a Certified Child Life Specialist with more than 15 years’ experience. She spent the first 14 years of her career in the hospital setting in Pediatric ICUs, the Emergency Department, Inpatient Units, and Surgical Centers.
Jessica has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education of Young Children, a minor in Psychology and a Master of Science degree in Healthcare Administration and Community Health.
She is the founder and owner of ‘Kids Grief Support’, a private practice that provides virtual and in-person sessions to gri...
2023-10-2646 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Being a CCLS and OT with Madeha AyubCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with friend and CCLS, Madeha Ayub for a conversation surrounding advocacy and empathy. Madeha is a strong advocate for the special needs and autistic communities with her dual credentials as an Emergency Department Certified Child Life Specialist and Pediatric Occupational Therapist.Join us as we unravel the critical aspects of working with special needs children, and the importance of understanding their preferred communication styles. Madeha emphasizes the importance of creating a calming environment, and interestingly, it's more about what you take out than what you add in.
2023-10-2335 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Supporting Dental Patients with Stephanie BartaCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Stephanie Barta, about how she has navigated a spectrum of unique environments from community hospice to gender diversity clinics, and most notably, dental clinics.How does child development education shape a dental clinic? What's it like being the solitary child life figure in a pediatric hospice? Prepare to be enlightened as Stephanie unravels the triumphs and trials of these diverse roles throughout our conversation.Stephanie's journey is punctuated with riveting stories of collaboration with speech and occupational therapists in the dental world, using play...
2023-10-1650 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Working with Adolescents with Raquel CooperCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Raquel Cooper, about her experience working on an adolescent unit. She highlights all of her unique techniques in creating meaningful bonds with teenagers.Raquel unveils the importance of not only engaging with young patients but also communicating effectively with their parents and siblings. She also shares the joy she experiences in connecting with teen patients and the activities that are most popular amongst adolescents. Raquel enlightens us on the power of peer-to-peer interaction and how it can foster comfort and support. As we go d...
2023-10-0932 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Year One as a CCLS with Cami SchaferCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and first-year CCLS, Cami Schafer, about what her experience has been like during the first 6 months of working as a Certified Child Life Specialist.In this episode, Cami bravely shares her journey, starting from her practicum, through her internship experiences, to her current position in a level one trauma center's emergency department. We delve into the challenges she faced during the pandemic, her fight against imposter syndrome, and her relentless prioritization of mental health. Cami doesn't stop there, she shares the nitty-gritty details of her current...
2023-10-0232 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Labor and Delivery with Aimee KarasCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and CCLS, Aimee Karas, about her experience working in labor and delivery and an outpatient fetal center.Ever wonder what it's like to be a child life specialist in an environment dominated by adults? Aimee details her journey, from working in inpatient hematology/oncology, radiology, and postpartum to the creation of new child life roles that better serve patients. She generously shares insights on grief and bereavement in labor and delivery/postpartum, and her essential role as part of the psychosocial team.She talks beautifully about...
2023-09-2549 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Child Life in a Middle-High School with Cassie WilkeCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and fellow school child life specialist, Cassie Wilke, about her experience working in a middle-high school for her first school year (2022-2023).Cassie passionately demonstrates the value a child life specialist brings to a school environment, despite the intricate licensing requirements in Minnesota. She shares her unique insights into staff retention difficulties in schools and the impact on students. Listen in as we discover the pivotal role an empathetic and understanding child life specialist can play in fostering partnerships between teachers, parents, and students.In the...
2023-09-181h 07Child Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Mastering Salary Negotiations and Self-Advocacy with Rachel Calvert and Nicole BoikCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friends and CCLSs, Rachel Calvert and Nicole Boik, about navigating salary discussions, counter-offering, and gauging organization's culture in order to be navigate compensationAre you ready to master the art of salary negotiations and self-advocacy in the child life profession? Nicole Boik and Rachel Calvert, both seasoned child life specialists, join us to shed light on this essential topic. They share their unique experiences and perspectives on navigating salary discussions, counter-offering, and gauging an organization's culture. You can expect to gain practical strategies that will empower you to tackle...
2023-09-111h 07Child Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Being a CCLS and Licensed Clinical Therapist with Kelsey MoraCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and seasoned CCLS, Kelsey Mora, about being a dual Certified Child Life Specialist and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor as well as her unique work in a non-profit setting.Kelsey discovered her passion for child life profession after losing her friend, Ben, to Leukemia. Her journey took her from working in a hospital setting from 2012-2021, to transitioning into private practice, and ultimately spearheading a non-profit organization (Pickles Group) catering to the needs of children and teens affected by a parent's cancer. Kelsey is the chief clinical officer for...
2023-09-0436 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of UK Play SpecialistsCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friends across the pond - Cath Hubbock, Deanna Kenward, and Katie Lane - three UK-based Play Specialists. Together, we unravel the intricacies of child healthcare in the UK, a unique perspective that has transformed over the years.This conversation unveils the hurdles and opportunities related to Play Specialist training--from recruiting mentors in the healthcare system to the significance of trust-building when handling sick children. We also probe the complexities of recognizing the value of play in a healthcare setting and introducing oneself as the "Play Specialist" in trauma situations.
2023-08-281h 14Child Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Working on an Eating Disorder Unit with Abby TigchelaarCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and Canadian CCLS, Abby Tigchelaar, about her experience working with patients who are being treated for eating disorders. Abby's experience is unlike any other, working in a unique unit dedicated to children battling eating disorders. She paints a vivid picture of her journey, conveying both the challenges and rewards she encounters, while providing a deeper understanding of family-centered care, therapeutic interventions, and the importance of normalization and distraction on the unit.Abby's work is truly inspiring, and she shares the intricate process of using Dialectical Behavior T...
2023-08-2153 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Navigating Identity and Career with Kizzy Marco and Cara GranetoCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friends and seasoned CCLSs, Kizzy Marco and Cara Graneto, about stepping out of the field after 10+ years. Have you ever found yourself questioning your career path and how it’s interwoven with your identity? This is the crossroads both Kizzy and Cara have experienced and courageously navigated. After 10+ years, they decided to step away from the field.Cara and Kizzy outline the challenges and struggles they faced during this shift in careers, including anxiety, depression, and identity issues. They recount how their identity was significantly tied to the...
2023-08-1457 minChild Life Wild LifeStudent Panel Series: The Wild Life of the Certification ExamCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with three students who have gone through the process to becoming a child life specialist and successfully achieved their final step -- passing their certification exams. Please welcome Olivia Stephan, Tara Mullin, and Sophie Schuller to the podcast. Olivia completed her internship in fall 2022. She is a new CCLS in pre-op/ED and passionate about trauma-informed and family-centered care. Tara has her B.S. in Applied Health Science, M.A. in Higher Education, and currently wrapping up her ED.D. in Executive Leadership for Mental Health and Human Services. Sh...
2023-08-1137 minChild Life Wild LifeStudent Panel Series: The Wild Life of InternshipsCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with four students who have completed or are currently completing their internships - Regan Corsi, Maureen Pushea, Olivia Horn, and Catarina Benninghoven.Regan and Maureen are both completing their internships during the summer of 2023 and provide insight and knowledge about what it's like in-real-time being an intern. Olivia Horn completed her internship this past spring and is now working as a child life specialist in the Emergency Department. During this interview, she had received her offer for this position but wasn't starting until the following week. Catarina completed her...
2023-08-1049 minChild Life Wild LifeStudent Panel Series: The Wild Life of PracticumsCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with four students who have completed practicums - Haley Alexander, Jenny Cazares, Aislinn DiRito, and Connor Jensen.Haley is currently a Patient Care Tech in an outpatient pediatric hematology/oncology clinic but will be transitioning back into a student role as a child life intern in August 2023. She holds a B.S. in Psychology, an M.S. in Child Life, and a BLS certification. Haley completed an accelerated 7-week practicum. Jenny Cazares has completed her undergrad in Psychology and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Child Life. She w...
2023-08-0953 minChild Life Wild LifeStudent Panel Series: The Wild Life of Graduate SchoolCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with four graduate students - Casey Campo, Lindsey Lightfoot, Caleb Shannon, and Caitlin Breen.Casey is already certified as a child life specialist, currently working in a float position. She is obtaining her Master's in Child Life Studies. Lindsey is obtaining her Master's in Child Development with a Child Life Concentration in a 3 year in-person program. Caleb is graduate student studying Child Life while also working as a Child Life Assistant. Caitlin is completing her Master's in Child Life while simultaneously working at a children's hospital and completing her...
2023-08-0856 minChild Life Wild LifeStudent Panel Series: The Wild Life of UndergradCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with several undergraduate students - Mollie Wolf, Olivia Karson, and Maddie Sassa. Mollie is a senior in her child life program and is about to start her internship. Olivia is a senior majoring in Human Development and Family Studies with a minor in Youth and Society. Maddie has an Associate of Applied Science in Human Services with a concentration in Child, Youth, and Families and is currently obtaining her BA online in Child Life & Health and Social Services & Community Programming with a minor in disability studies. She currently works a...
2023-08-0733 minChild Life Wild LifeStudent Panel Series Teaser TrailerStarting this week, enjoy 5 days straight of student panels that will walk you through the big key areas of pursuing child life (undergraduate education, master's degrees, practicums, internships, and certification exam tips) by panels of child life students and specialists who have recently completed each step!
2023-08-0602 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Child Life Wild Life Season 3 Podcast TrailerWelcome back to The Child Life Wild Life Podcast with your host, Jessica Lewin, CCLS, The Child Life Mentor.Season 3 will officially drop Monday, August 7, 2023- starting with a week of Student Series Panels that will walk you through the big key areas of pursuing child life (undergraduate education, master's degrees, practicums, internships, and certification exam tips) by panels of child life students and specialists who have recently completed each step!After launch day, every new podcast episode will be released once per week on Mondays to get you started for the week!
2023-07-2702 min
The Word on MedicineChild Life AwarenessWe have an incredibly important show for you which talks about the subject of Child Life support: the importance of addressing the emotional and psychological health of children in addition to the physical diseases, which are perhaps easier to understand. This week’s program is the 143rd unique program produced by The Word on Medicine since we began in October of 2017, and we are thrilled to welcome Bella Demark (MS, CCLS), Jaime Moran (MS, CCLS) and Emily Stone (BS, CCLS) as our expert guests.
2023-03-1945 min
Healthcare Experience MattersWhat Music Therapy Can Teach Us with Jenna Bollard-Marcovitz, MA, MT-BC, CCLSThis week we learn what the field of music therapy can teach us about mindfulness, fighting burnout, and its impact on patient experiences. Our guest is Jenna Bollard-Marcovitz, MA, MT-BC, CCLS.
She brings us a powerful interview on the role of music therapy in today’s healthcare environment.
Learn more: https://healthcareexperience.org/music-therapy/
2022-10-2728 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Taking Child Life to School with Ryan PortengaCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and former supervisor/school principal, Ryan Portenga, about their shared experience working in a small, rural middle-high school last year. Back in 2021, Jessica sent out proposals to school districts across southwest Michigan hoping to break into the school setting as a Certified Child Life Specialist. Ryan, after careful consideration, was the only principal to take a chance on Jessica and invited her to interview for their open social worker position, knowing Jessica's passion was in child life and she was unqualified for the MSW role.Throughout this conversation...
2022-08-1652 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Behavioral Health with Bridgette DanielsonCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend, Bridgette Danielson, CCLS, about her experience working in an inpatient psychiatric facility as a child life specialist.. Bridgette is passionate about trauma-informed care, mental/behavioral health, self-care, family-centered care, and working with students. Over the last five years, Bridgette has presented at numerous conferences and collegiate courses, served on several hospital committees, and was president of a regional child life organization.Pediatric behavioral health care admissions are at an all time high. The American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental...
2022-08-1643 minChild Life Wild LifeBONUS EPISODE: CLOC's Katie Taylor Interviews CLWL's Jessica LewinChild Life on Call's Katie Taylor interviews Jessica Lewin as an expert in the schools. Jessica proposed and created a child life specialist position in a rural middle-high school during the 2021-2022 school year. Over halfway through the school year, Jessica sat down with Katie to talk about some of the things she finds most useful for parents, child life specialists, and students to know including the importance of talking about mental health (even suicide), leaning into a child life specialist's deep understanding of psychosocial development, and the impact a child life specialist position has had on a...
2022-05-0226 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Moving from Student to Professional with Sabrina AlinejadCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with friend, Sabrina Alinejad, CCLS, about what her experience has been like as a new Certified Child Life Specialist working her first job in the Pre-Op Unit (Surgery).Sabrina walks us through what it was like for her as a practicum and internship student, how she best navigated studying for the certification exam, things she didn't expect to feel during her first year working as a child life specialist, and how she's adjusted her expectations throughout her child life process. You can follow Sabrina at @playwithchildlife on In...
2022-03-2854 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of a Kindergarten Teacher with Allison ParkerCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with one of her best friends, Allison Parker, about her experience transitioning from pursuing child life all the way up to certification to switching gears and teaching kindergarten instead. Walking away from child life was never something that Allison intended for her career. But with COVID hitting at just the right time, deciding she wanted to stay close to home, and eventually meeting her now-husband, it just didn't feel like the right time in Allison's life to become a child life specialist. Allison utilizing so many of th...
2022-03-2150 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Being a New CCLS in the NICU with Amanda WrightCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with friend, Amanda Wright, CCLS, about what her experience has been like as a new Certified Child Life Specialist working her first job in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Amanda is so animated in her stories that she shares honestly about her child life journey, though sometimes disappointing, always the right path. She talks about her experiences as a student- both practicum and internship, how she studied best for the certification exam, the highs and lows of her position now as a Certified Child Life Specialist, and more!...
2022-03-1447 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Using Your Child Life Skills Elsewhere with Paige RonsenCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with friend, Paige Ronsen, about her journey through child life and how she continues to use that knowledge and experience in where she is today as a Program Director for a Boys and Girls Club in Seattle. Paige talks about what it's like now being in a supervisor role and interviewing people for jobs (unlike how she's spent the last couple years being the interviewee for child life). She talks about the ways she performs child life skills and duties everyday and Jessica echoes how child life should be vi...
2022-03-0749 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Being an Organ Donation Liaison with Lauren KosiewskiCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with friend, Lauren Kosiewski, CCLS, about her experience transitioning from a full-time child life specialist in a hospital setting, to now a full-time organ donation liaison. Leaving the field for Lauren was absolutely terrifying. She worked so hard to become a CCLS and to earn that title. She has had to navigate feelings of enormous guilt and fear to now feeling more at peace in her professional life than ever before. While Lauren does the same skills today as she did working in the hospital as a child life...
2022-02-2832 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Advocating Confidently with Jessica WadiumCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with friend, Jessica Wadium, CCLS, about her experience advocating for herself and the profession in the midst of pushback. Experiencing pushback against providing child life services can be a very difficult experience for any professional. Overcoming pushback is usually discussed with the focus on having a "happy ending" - the nurse that didn't want you in the room is now your work BFF and you sing Kumbaya together. However, Jessica views overcoming pushback differently. To her, overcoming pushback is about the process of doing what is within yo...
2022-02-2140 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of a Clinical Mental Health Counselor with Sam LewinCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with husband, Sam Lewin, MA, LLPC,about his experience working as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor. Sam works with children, adolescents, families, couples, and groups regarding their depression, addictions, anxieties, relationships, and more. His main therapeutic modalities include psychodynamic therapy, solution-focused therapy, existential therapy, and EMDR.Jessica and Sam speak heavily on the importance of understanding development and psychology and how that's affected each of their work in the helping profession. Sam is Jessica's biggest cheerleader. Jessica spends some time quizzing him on all things "child life" a...
2022-02-1442 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Internships and Graduate Cohorts with Rylee MartinCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and past mentee, Rylee Martin, about what it was like navigating the internship process with a cohort behind her for support. Rylee was one of Jessica's students at the 2020 Coffee and Confidence Student Retreat in Indianapolis.By the end of the retreat, Jessica felt so strongly that Rylee knew her stuff - developmental theory, how to elaborate and showcase her skills in an interview, and definitely had a knock-out application. But when Rylee didn't get her internship the first round, it was a shock. Rylee kept a...
2022-02-0736 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Long-Term Care with Morgan MerrittCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with friend, Morgan Merritt, CCLS, about what her experience has been like in long-term care. Morgan is passionate about medically fragile children and is an advocate for accessibility in the disabled community. She is so creative in the interventions she chooses with her patients and through all the revamps she has done for the program. Morgan is a storyteller, comedian, and teacher all in one. You will listen to every word she says, laugh, and come away with so much knowledge and wisdom. You can follow Morgan at...
2022-01-3153 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Advocacy Centers with Sarah BucklandCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend, Sarah Buckland, CCLS, about her experience working in an Advocacy Center as a child life specialist. After hearing about advocacy centers during a course in college, though only just a glimpse of all she does now, Sarah was immediately drawn to work with this population of children. As child life specialists, we are so aware of trauma's effect on development, coping, and whole person health. Our main focus in school is hospital trauma: life limiting illnesses, procedures, emergent care, and more. But Sarah works with a different kind o...
2022-01-2450 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Child Life in Schools with Courtney RosboroughCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend, Courtney Rosborough, CCLS, about her experience working in a school setting as an Emotional Behavioral Specialist (EBS). Courtney is passionate about using her child life lens in a school setting, where her main focus is supporting the social and emotional well-being of her students.Throughout this conversation, Jessica and Courtney exchange stories about working in a school setting and how the skills of a hospital child life specialist so easily transfer to a school setting. This is a unique episode where Jessica actually is asked a...
2022-01-241h 10Child Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Being a Mom and a Student with Meaghan MyrickCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, sits down with friend, Meaghan Myrick (now CCLS), about being a mom and a student while trying to become certified. While everyone experiences different challenges in their pursuit of child life, parents pursuing child life experience some very unique challenges along the way. There were times throughout Meaghan's journey where she found herself questioning how she could actually manage to do this (school, work, volunteering, practicum, internship) and still keep things "normal" for her family. Something Meaghan quickly realized on this journey was that things were never going to be "normal" e...
2022-01-2431 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Past Mentees with Kaitlyn BaronCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and past mentee, Kaitlyn Baron, CCLS about the importance of finding yourself a mentor. Having someone in your corner that you can rely on and who is your own personal cheerleader and sounding board is invaluable. When Jessica met Kaitlyn, Jessica was immediately drawn to Kaitlyn's experiences as a student/professional. Kaitlyn graduated with her bachelor's in psychology and a master's in social work in 2019. She was working as a licensed children's mental health therapist until COVID and decided to become a child life specialist instead. Sh...
2022-01-2422 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Child Life Wild Life Season 2 Podcast TrailerWelcome back to The Child Life Wild Life Podcast with your host, Jessica Lewin, CCLS, The Child Life Mentor. Season 2 will officially drop Monday, January 24, 2022 - where there will be four new episodes for you to listen to immediately. After launch day, every new podcast episode will be released once per week on Mondays to get you started for the week! To be the first to know when an episode is released, don't forget to subscribe!Follow along on Instagram at @thechildlifementor.
2022-01-1802 min
Coping Kit For Everyday LifeIntroduction to Coping Kit For Everyday LifeIn their first episode of Coping Kit for Everyday Life Rechelle and Genevieve share their personal journey of becoming a certified child life specialist. We hope our podcast supports others in discovering tools to create their own coping kit for everyday life.
Reflection/journal exercise: Consider your own journey towards becoming a CCLS. How has that shaped your practice?
Resources
Steps for becoming a CCLS
https://www.childlife.org/the-child-life-profession
Colleges we mention in our podcast that offer degrees in child life
Boston University (Formerly Wheelock College)
https://www.bu.edu/wheelock/academics/graduate/msc/
Utica College
https://www.utica...
2022-01-1438 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Community Hospital Facility Dog Handlers with Stefani WilliamsCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend, Stefani Williams, CCLS, about creating, coordinating, and rockin' a facility dog program at her women's and children's hospital. Stefani began this journey just 2 years into being a Certified Child Life Specialist and was given her canine friend, Asteroid, to assist her with providing psychosocial care to children and families throughout their hospital experience in 2019. Throughout these last couple years, Stefani has been wowed by Asteroid's ability to handle a variety of experiences with patients and families. Stefani talks about the parts of this job that aren't all glitz an...
2021-09-2739 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Working on the Hematology/Oncology Unit with Tessa WhittenCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend, Tessa Whitten, CCLS, about her experience working on the Hematology/Oncology Unit for the last three years. Tessa is a woman of faith and is the definition of "joy". Tessa talks about meeting the complex needs of such a high acuity population and how she holds space for patients and families to process feelings. She also loves to create unique opportunities for legacy building as it's often that she works with terminally-ill children. Tessa is vulnerable with us throughout this interview and talks about the highs an...
2021-09-2035 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Losing your Job and Bouncing Back with Jess MinnickCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend, Jess Minnick, CCLS, about bouncing back after a COVID-related job loss. Jess has unique experience working in an outpatient ENT clinic where she worked side by side with a pediatric otolaryngologist (say that three times fast). At the ENT clinic, she supported children and families during visits, office imaging and testing, and even followed them to the outpatient surgery center to provide child life support before and after surgery. She also worked alongside pediatric allergists and speech pathologists.Her position was unfortunately dissolved in December 2020 due t...
2021-09-1324 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Being a Mom and a Child Life Specialist with Sarah SomersCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend, Sarah Somers, CCLS, about balancing motherhood in the field of child life. Sarah works in a children's hospital within an adult hospital and sees patients in multiple areas of the hospital daily. She works 40+ hours a week and has a passion for helping students succeed through their hospital's internship program. Sarah shares in this episode how her job as a child life specialist impacted when and how her family was formed. She talks openly and honestly about her miscarriage and how that played a part in when she f...
2021-08-3023 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Leaning into Faith as a Student with Lindsey ThompsonCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend and past practicum student, Lindsey Thompson about what it's been like for her as a student to balance her faith and passion for child life. Lindsey is currently a student at the University of Pittsburgh pursuing her Master of Science degree in Applied Developmental Psychology with a concentration in Children with Special Health Care Needs and Child Life. She is currently completing her child life internship in Northern Virginia. She's passionately involved in raising service dogs through a student organization at Pitt and will be receiving her second ser...
2021-08-2333 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Child Life Internship Supervisors with Kelly WagnerCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend, Kelly Wagner, CCLS, about what it's like to be a supervisor/coordinator to child life interns. Kelly has been a child life specialist for 11 years working primarily with hematology/oncology populations. A lover of knowledge and willing to try new things, she has held a number of roles from one-person program to student program coordinator, manager of a small child life department to her most recent endeavor as CCLS/Facility Dog Handler. Kelly's passion for child life specialists and their work extends to her participation in the ACLP P...
2021-08-1647 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Burnout as a Student and Professional with Jess CheungCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend, Jess Cheung, CCLS, about burnout. Jess shares her authentic journey through child life as not all sparkly and beautiful, but as one of self-discovery and triumph as she navigated burnout as both a student and now as a professional. Jess talks openly about her experience setting boundaries in order to protect her mental health and the perks of having an amazing, supportive manager- which isn't always the norm!To help combat the burnout, Jess loves cooking, watching a lot of reruns of TV shows, and finding s...
2021-08-0928 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Private Practice with Laura SufkaCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend, Laura Sufka, CCLS, about forming and creating her child life private practice from the ground up. While Laura is still in the "infancy" stage of creating her private practice (she started 4 months ago), she still has a lot of wisdom to share such as what things to consider prior to starting, how long it took for her to cook up this idea, important realizations to have about yourself and your scope of practice and more.Laura and I briefly touched on the topic of when you can move...
2021-08-0244 minChild Life Wild LifeThe Wild Life of Facility Dog Handlers with Kizzy MarcoCertified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Lewin, talks with friend, Kizzy Marco, CCLS, about creating, managing, and rockin' a facility dog program. Kizzy has nearly a decade of experience in the field and has worked with her 9-year-old partner, a Golden Retriever named Ralph Lauren, for almost eight years. Ralph is a celebrity at his hospital which puts a spotlight on the child life program at large, but especially in how Kizzy interacts with patients, families and staff. It's not every day that the CEO of a hospital knows a child life specialist by name. Throughout my conversation wi...
2021-07-2641 min