Child Life Wild Life

• The Wild Life of The Best Moments in the Child Life Profession narrated by Alexx Friesen and Jessica Lewin

  Certified 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 transformative power of child life interventions. The conversation takes listeners through emotional territory as specialists share experiences like supporting teenage mothers during childbirth, helping children understand permanent physical changes, and even facilitating a powerful goodbye when a hundred high schoolers came to honor their friend in the PICU.The magic of these stories lies in their authenticity. Some showcase dramatic interventions, while others highlight seemingly small interactions that created lasting impacts. What becomes clear through each anecdote is how child life specialists serve as nervous system regulators, creative problem-solvers, and compassionate guides through difficult medical experiences.For students and new professionals, this episode offers powerful motivation to persist through the challenging journey into the field. For seasoned specialists feeling burnout, these stories serve as powerful reminders of why they chose this profession. The episode beautifully captures how even in healthcare's most challenging moments, child life specialists create space for understanding, coping, and sometimes even joy.Ready to be inspired? Listen as Jessica and Alexx laugh, gasp, and occasionally fight back tears while celebrating the remarkable work happening in pediatric healthcare settings every day.You can follow Alexx on Instagram at @childlifealexx.Track: Odessa — LiQWYD & Scandinavianz [Audio Library Release]Music provided by Audio Library PlusWatch: https://youtu.be/jNy-Dp3lgcgFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/odessa

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• The Wild Life of Being a Neurodivergent CCLS with Ellen Palmer

  Certified 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 particularly rigid child life certification process.What makes this episode truly special is Ellen's perspective on how neurodivergence enhances her child life practice. Her ability to process multiple conversations simultaneously, remember specific details about her colleagues' preferences, and rapidly assess complex situations has made her exceptionally effective in fast-paced healthcare environments. When supported by understanding teammates who provide simple accommodations like fidgets during meetings, these natural tendencies become professional strengths rather than obstacles.Beyond personal experience, Ellen offers a powerful critique of accessibility in our profession, noting the startling fact that there are more FBI agents in the US than Certified Child Life Specialists worldwide. She advocates for tangible changes like normalizing note usage and simplifying application processes to create a more diverse and sustainable profession.Whether you identify as neurodivergent or are simply interested in creating more inclusive healthcare spaces, Ellen's insight that "the way I advocate for myself is how I advocate for my patients" provides a compelling framework for compassionate care. Tune in to discover how embracing different ways of thinking might be exactly what our profession needs.Track: Odessa — LiQWYD & Scandinavianz [Audio Library Release]Music provided by Audio Library PlusWatch: https://youtu.be/jNy-Dp3lgcgFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/odessa

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• The 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 where they're "the only one." Anisha candidly discusses how this reality influenced her educational journey while highlighting the critical importance of diversifying our field. "There have been intangible times where I've walked in a room and the kid and family just appears comfortable just because I'm not white," she explains, demonstrating why representation matters for the families we serve.From the frustration of receiving feedback too late ("Why is this the first time I'm hearing this when I'm already done with the rotation?") to the shocking competitiveness of securing internships, Anisha addresses the systemic challenges that make entering our profession unnecessarily difficult. Students and educators alike will appreciate the concrete suggestions shared throughout the episode, including pre-rotation surveys, adapted teaching approaches based on learning styles, and creating safe spaces for processing difficult clinical experiences.Whether you're a student navigating this challenging path, a supervisor seeking to better support your students, or a program director wondering how to increase accessibility and diversity, this conversation offers actionable insights to strengthen our profession. The message is clear: by approaching students with the same strength-based framework we use with patients and validating their diverse experiences, we can build a more resilient, inclusive, and effective child life profession.You can follow Anisha on Instagram at @childlifewithanisha or check out her blog: https://www.childlifewithanisha.org/Track: Odessa — LiQWYD & Scandinavianz [Audio Library Release]Music provided by Audio Library PlusWatch: https://youtu.be/jNy-Dp3lgcgFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/odessa

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• The Wild Life of Sitting Comfortably in Silence in the PICU with Kelley Gavel

  Certified 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 stories of bridging these worlds, providing not just medical understanding but genuine community connection during crisis.Perhaps most revealing are Kelley's insights into bereavement support, where memorial lights that cast rainbows become powerful symbols of continued connection for grieving families. Kelley shares a touching story highlighting how these simple objects transform into profound sources of comfort.What might surprise listeners most is learning that the most essential PICU skill isn't medical knowledge but rather the ability to sit in silence with suffering families. "Sitting quietly somewhere with a sobbing adult or kid and being quiet," Kelley emphasizes, challenging the natural instinct to fill uncomfortable moments with words. This quiet presence, paired with carefully crafted empathetic statements that avoid the problematic "I'm sorry," forms the cornerstone of truly effective support.For aspiring specialists, Kelley offers practical wisdom: practice open-ended questions, remain receptive to unexpected passions, and recognize that sometimes the wildest part of PICU work is witnessing children defy impossible odds. Those Christmas cards on her refrigerator—from families once prepared for funeral arrangements—stand as powerful reminders of why this challenging work matters so deeply.Track: Odessa — LiQWYD & Scandinavianz [Audio Library Release]Music provided by Audio Library PlusWatch: https://youtu.be/jNy-Dp3lgcgFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/odessa

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• The Wild Life of Family-Centered Care and Sibling Support with Caitlin Wolf

  Certified 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 storybooks creates meaningful bonds that persist through treatment - and potentially beyond if a patient faces end-of-life circumstances.Perhaps most striking is Caitlin's nuanced understanding of the ethical challenges surrounding diagnosis disclosure. While advocating for transparency and developmentally appropriate honesty, she respects the ultimate authority of parents to make decisions for their children. "Our job is to meet them where they are and walk with them through it," she explains, highlighting how child life specialists must balance professional guidance with family autonomy.For both seasoned professionals and students entering the field, Caitlin's insights illuminate the importance of developing your own authentic practice style rather than mimicking others. Her journey reminds us that in child life, the wildest experiences often become our greatest teachers. Whether you're supporting families through pediatric cancer treatment or any healthcare journey, these strategies for sibling inclusion will enhance your practice and honor the whole family system.You can follow Caitlin on Instagram at @caitlinwolf_.Track: Odessa — LiQWYD & Scandinavianz [Audio Library Release]Music provided by Audio Library PlusWatch: https://youtu.be/jNy-Dp3lgcgFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/odessa

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