My Journey to Child Life

Welcome to my portfolio! The path to a profession in child life can differ for many and in reflection on my own journey, I am so grateful to be completing a Master’s degree which provides the educational and clinical experience to benefit my future career prospects. 

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I first learned about child life during my sophomore year of college. I was introduced to the profession by my father, a pediatrician of nearly 35 years, who has seen the effect the field can have on children, firsthand and reflected on its applicability to me based on my personal interests of therapeutic expression, development, and psychology. This discovery felt paramount. 
 

I had entered NYU as an undergraduate with the intention of pursuing a degree in performing arts management and exploring the dance world I had loved and derived so much joy from. Recognizing a passion for working with children, however,  I transferred to New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study to create my own concentration. I tailored my concentration to the study of “Child and Adolescent Psychology with a Speciality in Dance Therapy” and sought to take as many classes about development, trauma, and psychology as possible. Having made this shift and learned of the child life profession I was thrilled to feel as though I was finally on a path that would fulfill me professionally. 

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To better align my profession background with the child life field, I first sought out an internship at NYU Langone's Bellevue hospital, with the BELLE Project research staff. This program works to promote parent-child interactions in the community by encouraging reading, play, and quality time. My other professional experiences [highlighted under the “Resume” tab] have included work with campers diagnosed with developmental disabilities such as Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder, Phobias, as well as a dancer with a clinical diagnosis of Leukemia. These experiences have proven invaluable as I learn to attune to the ways medical or sensory requirements can be met while still providing the most fun. 

 

Since this initial introduction and experiential practice, the interest and drive to learn more has only grown further, leading me to pursue graduate level studies and further my clinical experiences in Boston. Being accepted into Boston University's Wheelock Program of Child Life and Family Centered Care, has been the most paramount development in my ability to learn and explore the child life profession. In this program, I sought out to engage thoughtfully with course materials and professors to better understand the developmental and academic backings which underscore this field. Courses I’ve completed thus far include “Meaning and Development of Play, Child Development and Family Centered Healthcare, Bereavement Care, and Program Development.” 

 

In the Spring of 2022 I was thrilled to be placed at Boston Children's Hospital for my first internship placement. In this role, I worked to observe and learn from supervisors in both the Medical ICU and Radiology department. This internship experience allowed me to grow my skills of assessment and intervention, while seeing the positive impact child life can have on patients and families. Additionally, being placed in both outpatient and inpatient settings, with opportunities for shadowing, allowed me to experience a broad range of child life clinical work, while still working to understand foundational aspects of APIE, charting, and professional development. [To read more about my role at BCH, feel free to explore the “Internship” or “Goals/Objectives” sections of my portfolio further.]

 

During the Fall of 2022, I had the unique, exciting experience to intern with Certified Child Life Specialist, Jessica Heirtzler at Good Shepherd Community Care Pedi Pal, a home hospice and palliative care based non-profit. In this setting, I gained exposure to a “non-traditional” child life setting, in which clinicians complete their visits in patients' homes or in the healthcare setting (as needed). Through observation and supervision with Jessica, I gained routine exposure to child and caregiver interactions, legacy projects, and topics of bereavement, grief, and loss. Having the opportunity to practice and perform these interventions in a new and vulnerable space allowed me to grow in my confidence and comfort, thus furthering my clinical skills and ability to reflect on the needs/goals for children and families. [To read more about my role at Good Shepherd Community Care Pedi Pal, feel free to explore the “Internship” or “Goals/Objectives” sections of my portfolio further.] 

 

In October of 2022, I was thrilled to be offered a full time position at NYU Langone’s  Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, starting in late December–  I’m excited to see where this new part of my child life journey takes me and I’m looking forward to future opportunities for learning, positive growth, and interactions with children and families!