What does a Child Life Specialist do?
Learn about the specific modalities and interventions used by CCLS, and get some more information about the work we do with our clients at Rosebud.
Coping Skills
If you’re looking to help your child develop coping skills, a CCLS can help foster emotional regulation and validation of feelings. These skills can be helpful in dealing with anything from everyday emotional regulation, to large life changes, and big feelings.
Procedural Prep & Support
If you are looking for extra support in emotionally preparing your child for a medical visit, and facilitating a therapeutic experience at the appointment itself, work with a CCLS can help.
Grief Support
If your family has recently experienced a loss, and you are looking to support your child’s emotional health through the grieving process, a CCLS can allow your child space to work through this difficult experience and ask questions.
Diagnosis Education
If your child needs support in understanding a new diagnosis for themselves, or someone they love, a CCLS can help a child of any age understand medical information.
Who might benefit from working with a Child Life Specialist?
Children with fear of medical environments
Children with chronic illness/ significant medical history
Children experiencing grief or loss
Children experiencing large life changes or transitions
Children with difficulty regulating their emotions
Children with a family member with chronic illness
Where We Practice
In home sessions
When focusing on work that has to do with big feelings and sensitive topics, children do the best when they feel comfortable in their surroundings. By holding sessions in the home as opposed to in a clinical office space, children are able to open up and feel safe while the emotional work of a Child Life Specialist is being done.
Virtual sessions
For children over seven, Rosebud offers virtual sessions with your children. Additionally, if the focus of the work with our specialists is on parenting skills and coping strategies for adults, virtual sessions are an option as well.
Procedural support
If your child has a visit coming up to the doctor or dentist that is expected to be stressful, our team can attend those visits with you and your family to provide emotional support. With the permission of the medical or dental office where your child is a patient, a CCLS can accompany your child and facilitate positive coping based on work completed together during previous sessions in your home.