Welcome to Child Life Unleashed!

I am a certified child life specialist (CCLS) currently working in a hospital setting in Southwest Florida. I have been in the hospital since December 2017. I received my Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies, along with minors in psychology and health promotion, from Bowling Green State University. I then received my Master's degree in Child Life from The University of Akron. I completed my 600-hour child life internship at MetroHealth Medical Center, in Cleveland, Ohio, under the guidance of a certified child life specialist. I spent the first 2.5 years of my career in our general pediatric inpatient unit and am now working in our hematology/oncology inpatient unit and our hematology/oncology outpatient clinic.

In early 2019, I was presented with an opportunity to add an additional tool to my "child life toolbox", a four legged friend also known as a hospital facility dog or "community-based service dog." I can remember sitting  The Association of Child Life Professional's Annual Conference in 2014 listening intently to a conference session regarding the use of facility dogs in hospitals to support patients and I just KNEW that this is where I wanted to take my child life career. I wanted to combine by passion for the child life field with my love of animals (growing up I always wanted to be a vet.) We traveled to Georgia to meet our facility dog in November 2019 and it has been an adventure ever since. I can't wait to share our ongoing journey with you and share the incredible impact that these animals are making in hospitals across the country.