About Me
Hi All, Welcome to EmpoweringKidz. I’m so glad you’re here. My name is Alyssa Pettingill and I am a Certified Child Life Specialist. I am the founder of EmpoweringKidz and I primarily work within the San Diego community as a private practice clinician. Chances are, you already knew that about me so let’s go further back in time to get an inside look of why I do what I do.
To begin, I grew up in the suburbs of the Sacramento area. I have one younger brother and two caring parents that are my biggest cheerleaders (thanks Grace and Phil!). I’ve always been a social butterfly, participating in lots of activities and sports with friends. I spent most weekends either on the soccer field or at the local pool for swim meets.
I started working with kids at the young age of 15. I worked in a cute little tween boutique called Girlfriendz where we hosted birthday parties. I did the whole shabang-painted nails, did hair, karaoked with the best, and even pierced little ones’ ears. It was a whole lot of fun and seeing the girls light up as they got pampered just made my day. I went on to do many different jobs that involve working with children (lifeguarding, swim lessons, camp counselor, etc.) because it felt light- something I looked forward to, rather than dreaded. I’ve always found children to be authentic and true to themselves, which I find very refreshing.
Career Discovery
When I arrived at San Diego State for college, I was already enrolled as a Child Development Major. I knew I wanted to work with children but wasn’t sure in what capacity. One afternoon my mom and I were catching up over the phone and she asked, “have you ever heard of Child Life?” I hadn’t and she encouraged me to learn more as it was likely a job I would find interesting. What peaked my interest most was the ability to work with all age groups. In my junior year of college, I was having trouble picking a particular career because I didn’t want to limit myself to working with just toddlers, school agers, or teenagers. I enjoyed getting to work with all of them and Child Life allows you that opportunity.
Next thing I knew, I’d researched Child Life, looked up the certification process, and found that Rady Children’s was accepting practicum applications two short weeks after I had just heard about the profession. I fortunately did my homework and was offered the short internship, quickly falling in love with the hospital setting and the role I was able to have.
Gratitude
No day is the same in the Child Life world. You have the pleasure of meeting new families every single day but you are often coming into their lives in times of crisis. You learn their story, background, and culture. Once trust is built, these families lean on you, allowing you to support their children. You then help these young individuals feel heard when they’re experiencing so many conflicting feelings-anger, resentment, confusion.... There are many ups and downs that can come with a hospital admission so being able to help families navigate these hurdles can be very rewarding and humbling. To learn about some of my most memorable patient moments thus far, check out my CanvasRebel feature Meet Alyssa Pettingill.
When I’m not meeting new families in my work, you can find me enjoying beautiful San Diego. Trader Joe’s and the beach are my safe havens and wine tasting with loved ones is my favorite. In my downtime, I am cooking in my kitchen, trying new workout studios, or spending time with friends. <3