Explaining a Medical Diagnosis

"How had just yesterday I had been at school with my friends? How had just yesterday, I had been at home, looking forward to graduating... How had my world turned from day to night? What was going to happen to me?" A medical diagnosis can lead a child to wonder similar, if not the same, questions…

Miss USA 2018

Many of us have heard about Miss USA 2018 already! But if you haven't yet, the 2018 Miss USA is Sarah Rose Summers.  The best part is that she is a certified child life specialist! Sarah shared an experience about being hospitalized when she was 5 years old, and remembers her parents being very scared…

Childhood Trauma Across the Lifespan

Traumas from our childhood can continue to affect us as individuals as we age into adolescence, young/emerging adulthood, and through our entire lifespan.  Not only are there emotional and mental implications that trauma has on us, but there are also neurological implications as well. Dr. Nadine Burke Harris speaks about her experience working in California…

How Brain Scans Can Help Healing

The other day, I had some free time and watched a very informative TED talk that educated me about the use of brain scans and imaging within the scope of practice of clinical psychiatrists.  Now, right off the bat, you might be wondering how this really relates to Child Life. I'm going to invite you…

Kiss & Cry: A few life lessons

Kiss and cry is a term that describes the area or box that ice skaters exit to after performing.  It's referred to as this because figure skaters and their trainers will often kiss each other after great performances, and cry together after a bad performance. Cancer also has this kiss and cry area.  Cancer has…

Philosophy for a Happy Life

This week on Monday Movie series introduces us to Sam Berns.  Same Berns was born with a disease known as progeria.  He helped film his own documentary as well as speak about his philosophy for a happy life on a TED talk.  His parents, both pediatricians, began the Progeria Research Foundation after they received Sam's…

What Babies Learn in the Womb

I recently watched a very interesting TED talk about when learning begins.  Historically, we may have thought that learning would begin once a child was able to holophrastically or telegraphically speak.  Others may have thought that a child really begins learning after being introduced to the classroom. However, new research from epidemiology, epigenetics, and economics…

Brain Development in Early Childhood

Happy Monday! Start off this week listening to Chaya Kulkarni, Director of Infant Mental Health Promotion at the Hospital for Sick Children, speak about how to nurture your baby's development in those early years (ages 0-3).  A few things she mentions in this short video clip are listed below.  Enjoy! Build a secure attachment with your…

Phone Interview Tips & Tricks

Even though we can't all be Michael Scott, we can still "wow" our interviewers! You've completed your applications, sent them in, either received confirmation or are awaiting contact with the organization you've applied to! Completing all those steps and getting to the point you're at now is a huge accomplishment! Next step: interviews! It can be…

“Yup! That’s Child Life…”

Happy Monday everyone! Start the week out right with this cute video 🙂 Child Life has proven itself time and time again to be an effective and integrative part of the interdisciplinary team.  This video helps to give us all a glimpse into the journey of Teresa Schoell, MA, CCLS.  She helps portray just how…